As part of the launch of the new Galaxy Note 8, Guns or Knives teamed up with Samsung to create an ambitious audio-visual activation for the new phone as part of the brand’s global Do Bigger Things campaign.
Tasked with launching the global ‘Do Bigger Things’ platform in Ireland, Guns or Knives set out to demonstrate the power of the handset by and how it could interplay with other technology. The agency then identified architect Santiago Calatrava’s harp-inspired Samuel Beckett Bridge in Ireland as the perfect icon, bringing it to life by transforming it into a playable harp.
According to Adam Crane, creative director with Guns or Knives: “Samsung continues to raise the bar for innovation with its latest platform. We wanted to do the vision justice with a bigger-than-life idea that was relevant for the Irish audience. In approaching a project like this, we really had to get under the skin of the ‘Do Bigger Things’ platform before activating it for the local market. As a recognisable Irish symbol, the Samuel Beckett Bridge has drawn attention from brands before, but we were determined to make the public see it in a completely new light.”
To orchestrate the audio-visual display, Guns or Knives teamed up with developers to create a piece of software that would transform the bridge into a playable instrument – not only via the Note 8’s interface, but also through an actual electric harp. For the latter element, the agency enlisted harpist Aisling Ennis: as she plucks the strings of the harp – playing the unique piece of music she composed for the event – the corresponding cable is illuminated on the bridge.
Guns or Knives Copywriter Jack Robertson adds: “As you can imagine, the ambitious project called for a huge technical undertaking. We knew the phone had to be central to the experience, and being as powerful as it is, we had lots of scope to do something really impressive. To meet these complex demands, we harnessed the production expertise of Pauric Hackett of Make and Share. With his years of experience in field of projection mapping and production management, we knew he was the perfect person to help us bring the right technical expertise together.”
Credits:
Client: Samsung
Agency: Guns or Knives
Head of Marketing: Linda Nolan
Marketing Manager: Idé O’Brien
Creative Director: Adam Crane
Copywriter: Jack Robertson
Art Director: Connor Kenny
Account Director: Kerrie Sweeney
Account Manager: Siobhán Walsh
Account Executive: Meg Dalglish
Strategy: Hazel Treacy
Tech Producer: Pauric Hackett (Make and Share)
Music: Aisling Ennis
Producer: Nathan Reilly & Siobhain Kehoe (Tiny Ark)
Video Director: Charles Alexander (Tiny Ark)
Director of Photography: Blaine Rennicks (Tiny Ark)
Production Coordinator: Emma Good
Aerial Filming: Alex James
Editor: Charles Alexander (Tiny Ark)
Post Production Supervisor: Siobhain Kehoe (Tiny Ark)
Post Production Sound: Alex James
