Market research on where and how is 3D printing utilized currently in
the branding/ advertising/ marketing sector
3-D printing has been used successfully by many companies for their marketing as well as advertising
strategies. There are many examples, a few of which are mentioned below:
3-D printing has been used in areas where its least expected to use any kind of printing technique.
Recently a skull structure was designed by Wipro’s 3-D printing unit to help out doctors in a hospital.
Even when the concept of 3-D printing is new, in case of marketing of products it has sure started
making a mark. Following are some examples from across the globe where 3-D printing has been used in
production, promotion and innovation of products.
A 3-D printing lab has been built inside coca-cola’s main factory in Israel
To win the figurines, users were invited to create their own mini-me using a mobile app and winners
were invited to coca cola factory, had a 360 degree scan of their body to get a mini version of
themselves.
This used 3-D printing in a fun way to do marketing of Coca-Cola.
Belgian insurance providers DVV showed how 3-D printing can be useful in situations like ones where a
person loses his keys. The advertising video showed the concept of ‘KeySave’, as to how by getting a 360
degree scan of key keys could be re-made in case they are lost.
In Tokyo, the idea of Muji to Go in campaign was organized in which shoppers, at various locations got
themselves 3-D scanned at locations in at Muji locations all around the world. The winners were invited
to different locations throughout world to reunite with themselves (Their mini versions).
E-bay
E-Bay allows all those, who do not have their own 3-D printers to buy custom objects from companies
manufacturing 3-D products. Some examples of companies are Sculpteo, MakerBot and Hot Pop
Factory. These companies manufacture products like phone cases and metal rings.
Nokia
Nokia provided 3-D printed phone cases in Jan 2013, and also made it available in a 3D printing kit to its
customers, through which they were able to print customized covers for their Nokia Lumia 820 phones.
Nokia 5110 and its rainbow collection of removable faceplates was also interesting.
Barnardos
It is a homeless charity organization in the U.K. which used 3-D technology to make miniature versions
of the houses of people placed in a snow ball, and gifted them to the owners of house to show how
lucky they were to have a roof over them during winters. This campaign was named as “Home of Xmas
campaign”.
Volkswagen
In April 2013, Volkswagen Polo turned consumers into car designers.
"The Polo Principle" campaign
The campaign invited people over a website to use the automaker's 3D printer to design their own
version of cars. The winner entry of all was converted into a real Polo.
Although 3D printing has been charting new territory in areas from medicine to fashion, the rather
obvious benefits of 3D printing in marketing are often overlooked; 3D software company Loft has taken
the natural step of using 3D printing as a marketing tool.
Loft is a 3D software company which develops software for the furniture retail and interior design
market. Consumers are able to take a photo of their living space and, with a few clicks, use it to redesign
the space digitally with the 3D software. The spaces can be digitally decked-out using the 3D software
program – including things like lamps and furniture from specific retailers.
The company launched a direct marketing campaign called "Remember Loft?" to generate interest in –
and awareness of – both their 3D software as 3D printing itself. The company claims that both 3D
printing and the type of 3D design software which they provide is at a tipping point in widespread
adoption. They hope that by being an early user of 3D technology they will be able to reap benefits in
the future.