Evolve Refrigera�on - 2017

Evolve Virtual Trade Show Case Study

AGENCY, MAI?

agencymai.comContact: Kevin Hassall+44 (0)20 3239 9270kevin.hassall@ agencymai.com

Client and Ini�al Brief

The Problem

Phononic are a North Carolina-based innovator in thermal energy technology, ranked by CNBC as one of top 50 most disrup�ve companies in the US.

When Phononic first launched the Evolve range of medical refrigerators they wanted a web presence for the fridges which grabbed a�en�on and allowed users to understand the considerable benefits of these high-tech refrigerators. We had already worked with Phononic on the ini�al product pre-launch site for the refrigerators, and had just completed a corporate site redesign and rebuild for them, and so they approached us for this work.

However technically impressive a fridge might be (and, without doubt, the Evolve refrigerators are impressive – with unprecedented temperature stability, wireless data monitoring, etc.) the product category is not immediately inspiring or exci�ng. And we also wanted to do something which was in line with and complemented Phononic’s other sales and marke�ng efforts. There was also the issue that few Evolve units had been manufactured at launch date, and most of those were installed as pilot projects in working medical facili�es – which meant that there were no opportuni�es to get quality photography of the units.

We iden�fied a range of assets which existed that we wanted to use, not least videos, and we also noted that exhibi�ng at trade shows and events was to be a key part of the sales effort. To reflect and augment the trade show push seemed a promising approach. This, however, raised another issue: Phononic’s trade show stand had been designed for swi� build and takedown in flexible loca�ons, in order to be shipped between a dozen loca�ons in the launch period, and not for visual impact.

The SolutionWe designed a Virtual Trade Show for Phononic – specifically a grandiose trade show booth – which we built in 3d. This was the “ideal” Evolve booth, plausible but unconstrained by practical build or transport considerations: a clean, impressive, modern trade show stand for a cutting edge product. And as we could model and show products which did not yet physically exist, we also included alongside the ready-to-launch items a product which at that date only existed as CAD models.

We then built a microsite which users could “move through”, delving into and moving around the stand with near-movie-quality visuals in order to do all the things they would normally be able to do at a trade show booth: collect literature, watch videos, book appointments with Phononic personnel, etc.

The OutcomeThe result was a highly unusual, memorable and impac�ul web experience which set Phononic’s high-tech products apart from its completion.

The microsite remained live for over a year, garnering positive feedback and interest, until it was eventually replaced with a full website, which we also designed and built.

AGENCY, MAI?

agencymai.comKevin Hassall+44 (0)20 3239 9270kevin.hassall@ agencymai.com