Product Video: Getinge, USA

The Need

Getinge USA approached MG Lomb to develop an interactive promotional product video.

Getinge is an international manufacturing company with more than 11,000 employees worldwide, operating in over 100 countries. Its world headquarters are located in Sweden, and its U.S. headquarters (Getinge USA) are located in Rochester, NY. The company designs and manufactures large washers and sterilizers for the healthcare and life science industries.

Getinge required a new promotional product video for use at their largest industry tradeshow, AALAS, occurring in November. The Getinge team wanted to explore using an interactive product video, in place of shipping a very large piece of equipment to their tradeshow. Interest was in part driven by an effort to reduce costs (associated with moving a large piece of equipment cross country to their tradeshow). Reviewing some competitor videos, Getinge suspected that an interactive video might be just as effective as having the real product present.

Challenge

The project was presented to MG Lomb in July. We began by meeting with the Getinge team (engineering, sales and marketing) to discuss their need and review a competitor video. Although the competitor video was acceptable, it was a few years old and lacked the current technology and sophistication necessary to represent an international powerhouse like Getinge.

MG Lomb first began by performing research, to find examples of cutting edge product videos for use as reference. We planned on building an unparalleled video for Getinge. Using the best videos out there as a benchmark helped to set our quality bar high. During the month of July, the MG Lomb team presented three times to Getinge, with each meeting we further refined our ideas. During this process MG Lomb presented numerous exciting and sophisticated product video examples, for review and consideration. Our final proposal recommended a combination of three unique and exciting videos, combined into one new marketing tool, and customized specifically to Getinge’s unique needs.

Once design direction was decided and approved, focus could shift to production and the timeline. The proposal was settled in early August and the project (with an early November deadline) began.

Solution

Not only did MG Lomb deliver a high-quality animated video that provides a realistic virtual product experience, our solution also enabled Getinge’s sales team to visually customize twenty eight different product configurations, instantly – and right before the prospective customer’s eyes.

A Benchmark Video Format.  No previous Getinge product video existed. MG Lomb had both the challenge and privilege of developing a new benchmark format for Getinge’s videos. The aesthetic styling, general formatting and chaptering strategy were all topics considered and resolved during this project. First, and most important, Getinge’s brand styling was implemented, using Getinge’s brand styles guide for reference. Next, general formatting was established; MG Lomb utilized a combination of Adobe Flash and AfterEffects software for the interactive graphics, and 3D Studio Max for animation and processing of CAD data. Finally, an informational chaptering system was established, offering video viewers full control over the information they wanted first. For new Getinge products, MG Lomb’s benchmark video solution now provides Getinge with an established format that can be used for all future videos. With these complex issues resolved, new product videos can easily and efficiently be created, by simply inserting new content into the template “benchmark” video format.

Animated.  KEY to making the new Getinge video effective is animation. How do you explain a product the size of a car wash without showing it from every angle? MG Lomb utilized Getinge’s CAD data, importing their engineering files directly into our state-of-the-art 3D animation software. The result is a camera that can go anywhere, directly over the product, inside it, and even into hard to reach areas that a customer could not dream of squeezing into. Even better, we can open and close doors, turn lights on and off, and even show high pressure water spraying. The result is something that could not be replicated with reality – at least not without seriously inconveniencing (or even injuring) the viewer.

User Navigation.  An appealing aspect of interactive product videos are user controllable chapters. Because of the amount of information required to explain this product, MG Lomb devised a chaptering system that allows users to quickly and easily select a topic, and navigate to the information they want to see first. Users can also pause, skip and restart topic selections at will.

Customizable.  Another invaluable attribute of interactive product videos is virtual reality. Using CAD data and 3D modeling enabled MG Lomb to create a virtual product. With a virtual product comes the ability to provide the user with innumerable product versions and visualizations, which we did for the Getinge video. You can certainly bring “one” version of your product to a tradeshow, but can you bring 28 of them? MG Lomb’s interactive video solution enabled Getinge to customize their product into as many as 28 configurations … all viewable in 3D, and part of the product video.

Voice, Music & Writing.  To be successful any video requires a well written script, an experienced and talented voice reader, and some pleasing music. Getinge’s new video provides all of these.

Progress

The interactive product video was completed by November, on time, and was used successfully at Getinge USA’s tradeshow, AALAS. As a result of this project, Getinge hired MG Lomb three months later to develop two additional videos.