CG-Why? How CGI renders are changing the way we produce our product imagery.
Have you considered using CGI renders? Here’s why you should...
They’re used more than you think…
CGI has taken off exponentially over the last few years and is now used consistently throughout every industry you can think of. As far back as 2014, IKEA were tuning into the benefits of CGI, admitting that over 75% of their catalogue imagery was in fact computer generated. Developments in software and adoption of the practice throughout the industry were slow to begin with, confined to industry juggernauts like IKEA, but since the turn of the decade, the medium has gained traction at breakneck speed and now every facet of marketing, advertising, and ecommerce has a strong percentage of CGI-generated content in use.
They give you more control…
The adoption of CGI over photography for pack shot imagery is a simple one: flexibility. When you’re not tied to a shoot schedule and committed to a certain day in the calendar, you can be more versatile with your requirements, and gentler on your budgets too. You can get ahead, with CGI renders able to bridge the gap between production and launch, giving you photorealistic imagery for your marketing whilst the actual packs are still on press in the factory. And you can optimise those packaging renders for mobile eCommerce outlets, making your imagery work better for small format digital screens.
How are they made…
How do we create a pack render? It all starts with a wire frame, sometimes called a clay model. This is formed into the basic shape of your product, be it a bottle, pack, box or bag. We create a scaled and accurate wireframe model of your product on which to dress the imagery. Next, we take a flat pdf of your product artwork, and our highly skilled CGI artists will drape this artwork over the wireframe like dressing a mannequin, fitting it perfectly to the shape and size of your product wireframe so that you have a digital rendering of your product exactly how it would in real life. Next, we adjust the texture and lighting of the model, adding realistic creases to bags/packs, and curvature shine to bottles. We can also add shadows and directional lighting if required.
What can they be used for…
The finished article is a photorealistic pack render that can be used in every application that you would have used a traditional cut out photograph, except that you’ve saved yourself a number of logistical and budgetary headaches. Roll out your pack renders across your ecommerce channels, social media, television and print advertising, and internal comms. You can also have your pack renders added to scenery, or used to produce shelf planograms, or visualised in consumer homes, anywhere you wish. Use them with AR software for a really immersive and engaging user experience. Collating group shots for marketing is also easier, with individual renders brought together in minutes. With the time restraints of a traditional shoot schedule removed, you can be more reactive and get the content you want, when you need it.
To find out more…
We’re not decrying photography at all, not with our own in-house studio! But when it comes to pack shot assets and producing ecommerce content, CGI pack renders have a lot to offer and could save your company significantly over the next few years. For more information, or to discuss your requirements, please get in touch for a friendly chat today.
