Projection Mapping: Bringing Brands to Life with Immersive Animated Experiences
At Groove Jones, we transform walls, buildings, and entire landscapes into immersive storytelling platforms that captivate audiences and amplify brand messaging. Through projection mapping, we deliver visually stunning, interactive, and shareable experiences that leave a lasting impression. Combining state-of-the-art technology with bold creative visions, we empower brands to stand out in a crowded marketing landscape. Projection mapping is a technique that uses video and high-powered projectors to display images, animations, or videos on real surfaces. It’s also known as video mapping or spatial augmented reality.
Why Projection Mapping is a Game-Changer for Brands
Projection mapping is much more than eye-catching visuals—it’s a high-impact marketing tool that elevates brand activations, events, and campaigns. Here’s why leading brands turn to projection mapping:
- Unforgettable Impressions: Projection mapping creates an emotional connection with audiences by transforming everyday spaces into extraordinary spectacles. These unforgettable moments enhance brand recall and loyalty.
- Creating Buzz and Viral Potential: The sheer uniqueness of projection mapping generates excitement and media attention. Whether it’s a high-profile event or a public installation, projection mapping naturally becomes a magnet for buzz and press coverage.
- Social-Shareable Content: Stunning visuals and immersive environments provide attendees with ideal photo and video opportunities. When shared on social media, these moments extend your brand’s reach exponentially, turning every viewer into a potential brand ambassador.
- Flexible and Customizable Storytelling: Whether for product launches, holiday celebrations, or cultural campaigns, projection mapping can adapt to any brand message, aesthetic, or narrative. From playful and whimsical to sleek and modern, it’s a versatile medium that enhances any creative vision.
- Interactive and Engaging: With motion-tracking technology, touch-reactive visuals, or audience-driven storytelling, projection mapping can actively engage audiences, making them a part of the experience and fostering deeper connections with the brand.
Turning Walls into Wonder: Groove Jones’ Expertise
Every projection mapping project begins with clearly understanding the client’s objectives and the space we’re transforming. Our expertise spans technical precision and creative storytelling, ensuring that each projection fits the environment seamlessly while captivating its audience.
We handle every step of the process, including:
- Designing custom animations that reflect the brand’s story.
- Integrating soundscapes to amplify emotional impact.
- Using advanced projection technology partners to execute flawless installations.
- Incorporating interactive elements that turn passive viewers into active participants.
Mapping Animated Content to Physical Structures
The production process for projection mapping begins with capturing detailed measurements of the physical structure, ensuring accuracy and precision from the start. Advanced tools like LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanners are used to create a highly detailed 3D model of the surface, capturing every contour, angle, and texture with millimeter-level precision. This data forms the foundation of our work, allowing us to understand the physical intricacies of the structure. By mapping the building or object’s geometry digitally, we can design animations that perfectly align with its unique features, enhancing the natural characteristics of the surface and turning it into an interactive canvas.
Once the LIDAR data is processed and the 3D model is built, our team carefully maps the animated content onto the structure. This process involves synchronizing every detail of the animation with the physical environment to ensure seamless integration. For example, curves, edges, and textures are considered in the design phase, allowing projections to respond dynamically to the shape of the structure. This alignment is essential to creating the illusion that the visuals are part of the physical world. By combining cutting-edge technology with creative artistry, we craft projection mapping experiences that not only dazzle audiences but also maximize the impact of the environment, ensuring the final experience feels both immersive and harmonious.
Another critical aspect of the projection mapping process is accounting for anamorphic angles to ensure the visuals appear as intended from the audience’s perspective. Anamorphic projection involves creating content that looks perfectly proportioned and aligned when viewed from a specific angle, even if the physical surface is irregular or non-uniform. This requires careful planning and testing to determine the ideal vantage points for viewers and adjust the content accordingly. Our team utilizes advanced software to simulate how the visuals will appear from various perspectives, ensuring that the animations remain impactful and immersive, regardless of the complexity of the structure. By accounting for these viewing angles, we can enhance the illusion of depth, scale, and interaction, delivering the audience a seamless and awe-inspiring experience.
From Large-Scale Buildings to Small-Scale Installations
Case Study: A LEGO Adventure: Imagination in Every Brick
Our recent projection mapping work with LEGO highlighted the power of play and creativity. Two iconic locations—Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles and Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Station, New York City—became immersive playgrounds celebrating LEGO’s mission to inspire imagination. At Ovation Hollywood, the projection turned an apartment building facade into a lively LEGO universe. Vivid animations showcased scenarios like a mischievous LEGO monkey scaling windows and LEGO characters racing through colorful adventures. At Grand Central Station, the experience extended across three walls, creating a 360-degree journey that took viewers from battling crocodiles to soaring into space.
These installations captured the public’s attention, became shareable moments on social media, and reinforced LEGO’s brand message of empowerment through creativity and play. Check out the case study – https://www.groovejones.com/lego-play-is-your-superpower-new-york-city-and-los-angeles-projection-mapping-campaign
Case Study: Disney’s Avatar at Niagara Falls
One of Groove Jones’ most celebrated projection mapping projects involved lighting up Niagara Falls for Disney’s release of Avatar: The Way of Water. This ambitious activation transformed one of the world’s most iconic natural landmarks into a breathtaking cinematic experience that celebrated the movie’s themes of water, nature, and awe-inspiring beauty.
Using the natural flow of Niagara Falls as a canvas, we projected dynamic visuals inspired by the film, including glowing blue waters, bioluminescent wildlife, and ethereal scenes from Pandora. The project seamlessly blended technology and nature, echoing the film’s environmental themes while creating an unforgettable spectacle for attendees. The installation won multiple awards and was featured extensively in national and international news outlets. Its virality on social media demonstrated how projection mapping can elevate a brand’s reach beyond its immediate audience. By integrating environmental storytelling with cutting-edge visuals, Groove Jones helped Disney achieve a campaign that was as impactful as the movie itself. Check out the case study – https://www.groovejones.com/holographic-projection-over-niagara-falls-for-disneys-avatar
Case Study: Lufthansa Indoor Holographic Projection
Groove Jones utilized projection mapping to create an awe-inspiring holographic centerpiece for Lufthansa’s Allegris event, bringing the brand’s vision of luxury and innovation to life. The installation featured a dynamic animation of Lufthansa’s iconic crane, seamlessly transitioning from a hand-drawn sketch into a full 3D form surrounded by flowing clouds and airplanes. This captivating sequence evolved into detailed video footage showcasing the Allegris product line, including immersive seat animations that highlighted the premium features of Lufthansa’s new travel experience. By combining meticulous lighting adjustments with smooth transitions, the projection mapping delivered an engaging and memorable visual narrative that perfectly aligned with Lufthansa’s brand identity and elevated the event experience. Case study – https://www.groovejones.com/hologram-serves-as-centerpiece-for-lufthansa-allegris-event
Interactive Magic: Cook Children’s Health Care System “Animated Fairy” and the Power of Play
Projection mapping can also deliver joy in everyday spaces. At Cook Children’s Health Care System in Fort Worth, Texas, we created the “Animated Fairy”—an interactive installation designed by Groove Jones co-founder Dale Carman. This magical projection brings whimsy and wonder to a hospital setting, offering children and their families a much-needed escape. This project exemplifies how projection mapping can be more than visually engaging—it can be emotionally uplifting. By fostering interaction and connection, it demonstrates the profound impact immersive experiences can have on their audiences.
Celebrating Creativity: Iconic Installations – Radio City Music Hall, Ferrari World, Simpson’s Ride
The Groove Jones team has contributed to other iconic projection mapping experiences. One standout is the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, a project led by co-founder Dale Carman. He helped transform the historic venue into a winter wonderland that combined projection mapping with live performances. This production redefined audience expectations, merging technology and theater into a breathtaking experience. Dale was instrumental in multiple other large-scale projection and “dark ride” installations, including The Simpson’s Roide and Minion Ride at Universal Studios and the Legends of Racing Ride at Ferrari World.
Why Projection Mapping is Essential for Marketing
Brands today face fierce competition for audience attention. Projection mapping helps them stand out in crowded spaces, whether at events, conferences, or city streets. Here’s why projection mapping is vital for modern marketing:
- Engaging Crowds in Real-Time: Large-scale visuals draw attention, while interactive elements keep audiences engaged, making the brand experience memorable.
- Amplifying Reach with Media Coverage: Bold and creative projection mapping activations often gain organic press coverage, elevating the brand’s visibility.
- Turning Moments into Movements: When audiences share their experiences, your campaign evolves from a single event into a viral movement.
Let’s Create Your Next Projection Masterpiece
At Groove Jones, we believe every surface has the potential to tell a story. From waterfalls to city streets, we transform spaces into unforgettable brand showcases. Whether you want to create buzz, drive engagement, or make an emotional connection, projection mapping can deliver extraordinary results. Contact us today to learn how Groove Jones can bring your brand to life with projection mapping. Let’s make your vision shine!
