Raymont-Osman clients often need to market their products in the run-up to manufacture, or sometimes, even prototyping. This can be for a variety of reasons, but most often, the major motivation is securing funding for the next stage of their product's journey; whether from a private investor or as part of a major crowdfunding campaign. Either way, there is often a need to communicate your abstract ideas into something more concrete in order to get others on-board in advance of the launch of a product.

So, what are your options in the absence of a physical product?

Rendering and the use of virtual photoshoots is the most obvious answer. Believe it or not, it is also possible to produce virtual videos of your product in the absence of anything physical. These, in particular, are essential for any investor seriously considering investing in your idea. For this to be possible, it is imperative to start with a good set of high-quality CAD drawings. Details can then be added in to mimic the real world, making your product appear more authentic. The key premise to bear in mind here is that the more time invested in this stage, the better the outcome will be. Ultimately, this could mean the difference between financial viability or not.

You would be surprised how many images which you take for granted as ‘real world’ are actually highly detailed renders! Take Pinterest for example – anyone who has searched anything from bathroom designs to landscaped gardens will undoubtedly and almost certainly unwittingly, have drawn inspiration from an image that does not actually exist in reality. Good renders have the potential to create reality where there is none.

After the specific aesthetics of your product have been refined, a good render will be able to apply colour, textures and lighting. Ray tracing is key during this stage as it allows us to simulate individual rays of light as they bounce around an environment. In order to achieve this, we use the very same technology employed within the film industry - CGI – achievable only through extremely high-powered computers such as those within the Raymont-Osman Design Studio.

Along with the obvious benefits of helping you to secure funding for your new product, there are many other advantages of marketing prior to manufacture. These include:

· The potential to secure sales prior to launch

· The preparation of marketing and advertising campaigns in advance of launch

· Training sales staff

· Preparing material for launch events to ensure your product makes a ‘big splash’

· Internal marketing

Moving a still, rendered image on a screen can be a surprisingly effective way to create a decent video for displays and websites. Known as the ‘Ken Burns effect’, this method is widely used within the film industry, including most major motion pictures as a way of embedding still photographs within videos. These are typically displayed with slow zooming and panning effects, and fading transitions between frames.

For those wanting to go a step further, the potential to produce physical models for photoshoots is also a reality. This is particularly useful for clients wanting to create images that can’t be generated in real life, such those featuring large groups of products within a range. Fly-throughs, assembly videos, key features and specific movements are all possible in lieu of a finished product.

For those wanting to market the invisible, the sky really is the limit. Contact us to explore how we can make your idea come to life…