A Website Re-design
Formkraft supports the needs and requirements of commercial enterprises, providing merchandise and consumable products for corporate businesses and retail industries.
Their Marketing team came to Prodoto for our design and creative services. Their brief; to create concepts and images for their re-designed website.
It was a big investment and with the branding of their business at stake, they wanted to make sure we were the right team for the challenge. We weren't the first studio they had approached to create the images for their website as Formkraft had engaged with a different studio prior to contacting Prodoto. As the project went on they felt the first studio hadn't quite understood the direction they wanted to follow and chose to part ways after initial test photography had taken place.
Formkraft were keen to move forward, but cautious. The concepts needed to be right, perfect for their brand and new website design.
Prodoto Steps In
An exciting project to be part of; Formkraft had already undergone exhaustive research, thinking about what they wanted their website images to convey. This meant we had a host of inspiration images to review and notes on elements they liked or didn't like.
This was a great starting point for us creatively, but the challenge still remained to present a number of different concept ideas for the multiple product categories across their ranges of consumables, mechanising and clothing – all to be connected by a recurring theme.
To refine these inspirations into a concise story and to fit the Formkraft brand, it meant we had to approach the brief as a 2 step process; Concept Design and Photography Production
Concept Creations
Head of Creative Steve, and Production Manager Cat, worked together to create 3 to 4 different concept ideas for each of the 18 master categories Formkraft needed to shoot. We needed to produce at least 54 different concept ideas for review. It was going to take time, focus and plenty of creative thinking.
The overriding theme we were to convey was story telling and movement, reflecting Formkraft's branding guidelines:
* Personality/Character
* Tone of voice – personal, purposeful, honest, clear and knowledgeable
* Photography guidelines to be based on simplicity; adding personality, confident and grown up and to stand out from a busy marketplace.
From the inspiration images Formkraft preferred, they included the following elements:
* Telling a story or creating a scene
* Simple, using one or two props
* Pastel backgrounds
* Movement
* Carefully styled
* Action shots with a quirky edge
The Creative Process
Steve and Cat set to work, quickly arranging for the products to arrive at the studio. Working hands on and creating ideas through handling the products; playing about with the shapes and colours and formulating concepts from multiple angles and viewpoints.
Challenging our creative thinking, the project brought a playful approach to our creative product photography.
Where we were able, we set up a camera and basic backdrop to help illustrate as many concepts as we could using the products Formkraft had sent us.
Visualising a concept without having a reference image to bounce ideas from is not easy for most. We knew these images would be important for our client and for us, to bring Formkraft into our ideas and onboard our concepts by providing them with a visual starting point.
Regular Client Meetings
We wanted Formkraft to feel confident in our approach and encouraged with our ability to support them on this creative journey. We needed to instil a belief and a confidence in our ideas, to help our client understand what was possible.
As a creative agency, we understand how the expert touches of talented photographers, considered lighting and clever post-production plays an important part in how final images look. How we presented our concepts was important to convey these ideas.
Formkraft were great clients to work with and they were encouraged by our progress. We set up regular meetings with the marketing team where we presented our concepts and refined selected ideas to take forward into production.
Shoot Time!
With the majority of our 18 concepts finalised, we headed into the production stage - Photography. We enlisted our experienced Prodoto photographer Paul and stylists Amanda and Beck to take over the project from pre-production.
Formkraft were keen to attend, and we were happy to host them throughout the 5 day shoot. We'd become a great team and were pleased they were able to join us to provide feedback on set. The creative process is fluid and open to adjustment and amendment, so it was great to have our stylist, photographer and client all working together on set to achieve the aims of the brief.
During photography, a couple of the concepts needed to be radically changed. The client decided that they weren't working as they had hoped, and it was back to the drawing board. Steve and Cat worked together again to create new concept ideas, and inspiration flowed. Producing new concepts in time, the client was once again happy and the shoot progressed on schedule.
Alongside the 18 Master Category images, we were asked to realise 4 additional concepts for the website banners. We decided the best approach would be to see how the initial shoot went, before committing to the final ideas for the website banners.
Having not been in a studio environment before, Formkraft took the shoot in their stride. Trusting in the creative process our collaborative relationship had developed, they decided on a direction for the 4 additional banner images quickly and we were able to achieve these as part of the same project.
The Formkraft team left the studio after a week long shoot, happy with the images captured and looking forward to seeing the final finishes applied in post-production.
Bringing It All Together
Due to the playful anti-gravity elements introduced into some of the category concepts, we had some creative post-production work to do in order to realise the final images.
Steve's creative retouching talents, and intimate understanding of the brief right from day one combined to produce some truly stunning results.
Final Delivery
The challenge set was big; the brief was detailed. The process from concept to realisation was a journey of discovery, pot holed with the occasional set back and creative dead end. But ultimately we never gave up. Trying out new ideas we found our way, working together with Formkraft, delivering all the images on brief, on time and on budget.
Formkraft were delighted, as were we! It was a great project to be part of and we're certainly looking forward to seeing the newly launched website later this year.
“I just wanted to say a really big thank-you to all at Prodoto for all your support, expertise and guidance throughout this whole process.
You have all been absolutely fantastic and we have been so impressed by your professionalism, hospitality and teamwork.
We have really enjoyed the whole process and are so pleased with all the shots.”
Catherine Grazier
Formkraft Managing Director
