Eye Contact Installation
Issue 21 | December 2011
Agency
BBDO New York
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer: David Lubars ; Executive Creative Director: Ronald Ng ; Creative Director/Art Director: Tim Wettstein ; Creative Director/Copywriter: Patrick Herold
Production Team
Effects Director: John Gaeta ; Digital Arts Supervisor: Peter Oberdorfer ; Executive Producer: Michael Ching ; Producer: Kay Robinson ; Line Producer: Michele Dennis ; Gesture Control Engineers: David Bennett, David Tim Nyo ; Actress: Amelia Springborn
Other Credits
Account Team: Courtney Hermanas, Stacy Koby
Date
2011
Background
Autism affects one in 110 children today. Early diagnosis and therapy are some of the most effective ways to address the disorder. This campaign, targeted at parents with young children, aims
One of the most common signs of autism in children is avoidance of eye contact. To help people understand what parents go through when their child is diagnosed with autism, an interactive installation was created, making early use of “Kinect” technology, the same motion-detecting sensors found in the latest-generation of X-Box gaming consoles.
Idea
An interactive screen showed a life-size little girl who would avoid eye contact, no matter how hard you tried. The “Kinect” motion-sensitive technology was able to read your head and body movements, so she always looked in the opposite direction. This gave a “first-hand experience” of what many parents deal with daily. The installation generated a lot of PR to further help the cause. The installation educated and entertained at the same time, using motion detection technology in a completely new way.
Results
The campaign was picked up by news channels such as Fox, CNN, NBC, ABC and NY1 as well as by autism blogs and industry websites, thus helping spread this important message to a nationwide audience. The production cost was $30,000. Total PR media impressions were valued at $5.3 million.
Our Thoughts
What a fantastic use of technology to truly bring a childhood issue to life. Compelling. Engaging. It’s confronting in a subtle way. Like a nerf baseball bat.