I
Product Videos
Everything starts with video.
We found creative inspiration for the entire campaign through video ideation. Two athletes, in two starkly contrasting environments, symbolize the duality of the lacrosse mindset and play. Set-design minimalism portrays the grace and precision of STX products and athletes. High-energy lighting and graphic projections add a layer of athletic aggression to the scene. Emulating the diverse skills of the featured players, the dramatic layers work together to tell a unified story of talent, drive, and domination.
Art Direction
Video
Compositing
Animation
VFX
VFX Details
Sci-fi film inspiration meets video game graphics. Key product features are highlighted through 3D composites applied to the product surface. A combination of Cinema 4D and X-Particles, rendered via Octane and composited in After Effects, amplifies the impact of the layered animation.
Lights, Camera, Lacrosse
With a singular video concept in the crosshairs, we were able to capture a variety of moods by arranging a multi-studio shoot.
II
Photography
Dominating the marketplace means all eyes on us.
While video brought the action, it was the still photography that truly achieved the drama of the STX brand personality. How'd we do it? Chromatic aberration, baby.
What is chromatic aberration? An unintended (but kinda cool) effect that we discovered on set. When we captured graphic projections with shutter speeds higher than the projector refresh rate, the results were incredible. The camera detected and separated the RGB channels produced by the projector, creating a very cool in-camera effect.
Strategy
Photography
Animation
Design
Projection Elements
At the heart of this year's creative direction, we allowed projections to define the 2020 Play Huge look. More than a leading-edge design element, these rapid, ethereal shapes also symbolize the speed and fluid performance of elite athletes and their gear. The shapes themselves, built from basic brand elements, represent the dependability and simplicity of STX product design. Multiple layers of twisting, bending light add dimension to the scene, like the unique skill and performance brought by each athlete that wields the product. All of these metaphors and effects come together to create a unique identifier in the marketplace: Projections=STX.
Product Photography
Capturing the fine detail of the STX product design with dramatic lighting.
III
Campaign Identity
Dominating the marketplace means all eyes on us.
Play Huge. It's a rally cry, a mindset, and a representation of everything STX...athletes, culture, and style.
Strategy
Style Guide
Photography
Video
Animation
Design
Art Direction
The Key Art Sets the Work Apart
Seamlessly translating imagery, graphics, and identity conventions across all channels.
IV
Brand Architecture
Bringing order to the field.
After four years, it was high time to update the nuts and bolts of the Play Huge brand architecture. First up, we consolidated and modernized the design conventions-assigning a symbol, color, and phrase to each player position. Each position aligns neatly with an STX product family, meaning we could reinforce these updated conventions across each major product launch throughout the year. For a little added jazz, we introduced streamlined color blocking to ground the complexity of the overall identity system.
Identity Design
Messaging
Illustration
V
Website
A bridge between brand and commerce.
The challenge? Transition smoothly to e-commerce while maintaining the STX brand story, look, and feel. The solution? Tons of UI and UX research, a clean interface, and (as always) keeping a level head.
Responsive Website
Landing Page
e-Commerce
Product Landing Pages
Each elite-level STX product has its own landing page. Seeking brand cohesion, we updated each page to match the new and improved Play Huge campaign conventions.
Surgeon RZR Glove
STX's major elite product launch of the year, the RZR Glove is the result of five years of innovation and manufacturing craftsmanship. How did we communicate the complexities and superiority of its design? With a beautiful 3D animation that took only 1/60th of the time to bring to life.
Glove Animation Process
Producing the hyper-real 3D render of the glove was a complex, multistep process led by our motion graphics team. Read more about the full RZR Glove 3D render project in our "3D That Fits Like a Glove" blog post.
VI
Social Campaign
All roads lead back to the landing page.
Every asset served as an eye-catching tease for the individual product landing pages. Used in both organic and paid instances, we reached deep into the subconscious with consistent video assets and strategic targeting.
Facebook
Instagram
Google Display
Online Retail
Simply put, Mission is not our agency, but rather an integral part of our company. Through the years, the lines between client and agency continue to blur. Mission has been the linchpin in our success of redefining our brand and cutting through the clutter and noise. They not only "get" our business, they "get" us.