CRM Video Production Studios | Case Studies: Pepsi

Pepsi

Client:	Tribal DDB for Client, Pepsi
Background:	Tribal DDB, the web marketing/promotion component to ad giant Omnicom, wanted to use the increased speed & delivery of DSL and digital cable systems, now a staple in homes across America, to upgrade action/movement on their promotional websites. This movement would allow for exciting web work; hence, excited consumers and even more importantly, excited Clients. Early experimentation with this new movement on the web was tough and frustrating; web developers and video/film people talked different languages and were not of the same world. There were inconsistencies in everything from line scanning rates for TV vs. computer to differences of inputs such as digital videotape into a variety of web development software packages. Even pixels were rectangular vs. round; and just didn't match. In essence, the two disciplines did not work together, because they never had to before. And no one knew how to help get them from one format to another. I just hadn't been done.
Project Summary:	Tribal DDB hired CRM Studios because of their new state-of-the-art facilities, engineering experience, animation and creative prowess. CRM's 30+ staff included broadcast engineers, animators, producers, IT gurus and project managers alike. CRM management compiled a task force of staff members capable of understanding of going from a green screen environment to the computer screens of their Client's web development department.
Goals:	Find a way to quickly and inexpensively record motion of people in front of a green screen (used to digitally drop out the background, ala, weathercasters).
Challenges:	Technology or a system wasn't available to help Tribal DDB get motion to the screen. Most production companies have limited technological capabilities
Planning & Research:	CRM Studios, however, not only had the talent, but the manpower to make it happen. This same group had also helped develop the computer training systems used by the Joint Strike Fighter technicians/pilots; they were up to the task.
Strategy:	Lock in all of the CRM players who were technically savvy enough to solve the dilemma of getting from production green screen to the Client's world of hard drive web work. Do it under normal turn of a couple of days, since all projects were out of time before they were given to CRM to shoot and transfer.
Execution & Tactics:	The task force was formed, and within a period of a few hours and one lock-in session, various paths were constructed which would deliver the Client's short delivery and technical requirements. Tactically, the best scenario was developed and over several projects, refined. The results allowed the team to pinpoint issues such as limiting scanning areas by web developers/designers and utilizing digital technology, such as High Definition cameras/tape to increase resolution and look. Proprietary tape-to-hard drive transfer specs were refined and perfected over the next several weeks of project work.
Results:	CRM Studios began to deliver projects which promoted Pepsi to the world. The most exciting promotions involved Pepsi- sponsored *Superman Returns* movie, working simultaneously on three different websites and executing these promotions in weeks instead of months. Animators/compositors put together background plates for the newspaper boy promotion on one site; one of CRM's directors shot a group of contest scenes for Lux Luther at a press conference and others developed graphics and backgrounds for a third site. Immediately, the agency awarded CRM the job of shooting music videos for their Motorola Sliver phone promotional tie in with Pepsi. So successful were these CRM Studios, Tribal DDB and Pepsi promotions, that other Clients at Tribal began to use the 'system', including Frito Lay's Doritos, Aquafina bottled water and Arby's, for the introduction of their latest sandwich, Chicken Naturals, shown demonstrating their happy customers "doing the chicken dance!"