Like most everything in the world, advertising is an industry of fads. Once a concept is projected out into the universe and achieves “cool” status, every agency, marketing company and design shop will line up to grab a piece of the cake, chew it up and spit it out, over and over again. Once an agency grabs onto one of these popular, proven concepts, it’s easy to fall into a spin cycle that can last for months—with the same ideas being tossed around until both the staff and the clientele is sick of hearing about it (i.e. flash mobs).

That’s not to say the idea itself should be completely thrown away, just for the sake of breaking the cycle. For example – in 2011, the flavor of the year was photo booths. Incorporating a photo booth into a campaign works because it’s nostalgic, it promotes a fun interaction between brand and consumer and audiences will walk away from the event with an instant photo memory to share with others in-person and through social media. Instead of removing photo booth experiences from your agency’s repertoire, focus on what elements made it work and innovate outward.

Rather than pitching the same, tired photo booth concept, take the roots of what made it a good idea in the first place (social media potential, connectivity, fun, personalized takeaway) and creatively pursue new frontiers. With advancements being made everyday in 3D printing capabilities, brands can easily recreate life-like scenery, environments and scaled figures to pose with and share with friends online. Who knows – in a few months, printing 3D miniature takeaways, on-site, of consumers having fun at your event could soon be a reality.

Check out this article on 3D printing being used for portraits in Japan: http://www.webpronews.com/you-can-get-a-3d-printed-model-of-yourself-in-japan-2012-11

Interested in learning more about how to upgrade old campaign ideas? Contact Sam at 206.599.9855.