Project Review: Smart Car Launch 2006-3D Mock-Up Ads

This Print concept mock-up ad shows the gas nozzles as snakes circling the car.

The scale is exaggerated in this rough ad[ hey it is advertising!] to show the ease of parking.

Two will actually fit, but three sells it better! :o)

Freedom from fill ups for the Smart Car a is the base idea here.

It only needs a drop, really it does, "Trust us" TM

The AV cards I did for a motion Graphics pitch as well using the Single Point Beveled type.

Smart Car
3D Mock-Up Ads

Client: Smart Car USA via The Cimarron Group.
Art Director: n/a.
Project Date: Spring 2006.

Back in 2006 when I was running my one man show over at the Cimarron Group providing 3D illustration, Models, and Aniamtions for Theatrical Advertising, we had a chance to pitch Smart USA for the launch of the Smart Car here.

We used a stock model of the old version of the Smart Car as they did not want to invest the time into a new model. I had built the Lotus for that campaign and once we were awarded the job , then I would build the car.

The above images are 3D Mock Up ads and though they show a higher level of finish than a sketch, they are still mock ups for the idea. The disadvantage is the tighter your comps are the more clients and "creative directors" loose sight of the ad itself and start nit picking details of the car etc., that in a sketch are understood as FPO[ For Placement Only]. Even when we marked these up as FPO it was difficult to get past the natural inclination to crit these as final art, which that was not even the right year and version of the car.

I also did a single point bevel tube type treatment to the logo, and all the cards for the AV spots, as seen above in the storyboard for a type only ad.

All in all it was a fun pitch, as I am a huge fan of the micro car.

Cheers, THOM