N-Tune Launch Campaign
When N-Tune came to 3dB to launch their revolutionary onboard guitar tuner, we knew this product could be a home run. Finally, a guitar tuner we’d never lose! What's not to love? So in just two weeks leading up to N-Tune's January, 2008 launch, we purchased a bunch of killer guitars, installed N-Tune tuners, and started photographing and building their entire campaign - ads, website, packaging, and the whole nine.
The campaign was universally praised by N-Tune principals and partners. Better still, they received countless calls from guitar teachers around the country. One retailer even exclaimed, "This is the best product launch in the history of guitar accessories." Easy there, big fella. But hey, we'll take the compliment.
Stanton SC System Launch Campaign
Stanton has been at the forefront of DJ technology since DJs were called "disc jockeys" and vinyl was the only game in town. In late 2007, they came to 3dB to help launch the SC System - the first truly professional line of DJ control surfaces for Mac and PC.
Right from the start, we knew this would be a full-on web campaign, with an online countdown to product launch, a beefy micro-site with a healthy dose of motion graphics, interactive rollovers, banner advertising, e-marketing, and viral videos. (Of course, we also delivered a sexy print ad for record store geeks to read on their bathroom breaks.)
The buzz was built. The client was ecstatic. The mission was accomplished.
Stanton SC System Photo Shoot
Finally, a photoshoot where the model could actually help rock the party too! Stanton called upon 3dB to handle the photoshoot for their new SC System, the world's first professional DJ control surface for Mac and PC. The problem was, we only had the prototype products for 24 hours - and on very short notice at that.
So, on the tightest of timeframes, we secured the DJ/model, got the gear, set everything up, and delivered a series of product and lifestyle photos that the client absolutely loved. All photography and retouching performed in-house at 3dB.
Native Instruments Print Campaign
As the world's premier virtual instrument developer, Native Instruments has a longstanding reputation for premium design -- from their software products to their advertising. So when this Berlin-based company came to 3dB to produce their new print campaign, we were honored... and a bit nervous, to tell the truth. So what did we do? We raised our game, of course.
The new NI campaign for 2007-2008 carries the brand forward by employing high-concept visual metaphors, with a healthy dose of photo composition. In fact, we almost broke Photoshop making these ads. Swear to god. But the ads made Native Instruments and all their partners worldwide very happy. Look for these in music enthusiast magazines worldwide.
AMS Neve Print Campaign
In an effort to raise awareness for their classic, hand-built studio equipment with a new generation of younger musicians and engineers, AMS Neve asked 3dB to create a print campaign for magazines worldwide. Based on Neve's premium positioning in the marketplace, we decided to take this high-brow.
The resulting "Art of Sound" campaign ads feature impressionist oil-and-canvas re-interpretations of the classic albums recorded using Neve equipment. (The original canvases for these ads, painted by longtime 3dB homie Damon "Peekaboo" Minaey, still hang in our offices.)
One cease-and-desist later, and the Neve "Art of Sound" campaign is still running in music enthusiast publications worldwide.
AMS Neve Studio Products Photo Shoot
For more than 30 years, Neve studio gear has been employed in recording the majority of the world's best-selling and most influential albums. But no one will ever accuse these legendary hand-built products - including rack-mounted microphone preamps, compressors and equalizers - of being overly sexy. Until now.
Once Neve's potential customers saw these well-lit shots, elegantly composed, printed on slick paper or featured online, how could they not shell out 10 to 20 grand to fill up a mere two spaces of their studio racks? All photography and retouching completed in house.
Roland Corporation VG99 Print Ad
In 2007, electronic musical instrument leader Roland Corporation came to us looking for a print ad to launch their new electric guitar modeling and processing system, the VG-99. Roland had already tried several different approaches to the ad, but were looking for something that instantly conveyed the power and excitement of the product.
The challenge was creating an ad that could be used worldwide, conveying visually all the types of guitar, amp and effects sounds found within. We photographed the product and created the ad within one week, much to the delight of the client and their various subsidiaries. Catch the VG-99 print ad in guitar enthusiast and electronic music magazines worldwide.
Mackie DJ Campaign
When leading professional audio manufacturer Mackie sought to launch their new line of high-end professional DJ mixers in 2007, they came to 3dB for help. We leveraged our relationships with famous DJs and electronic music artists to bring Mackie some "heavy hitters," including several multi-platinum artists.
The comprehensive Mackie DJ launch campaign included extensive photography, print work, artist and public relations outreach, and a dedicated microsite, dpro.mackie.com. Finally, we traveled to LA to produce the "tie it together" video/webmercial with DJ Rocky Rock of Black Eyed Peas fame.
The Mackie DJ campaign has been a hit worldwide with Mackie distributors, dealers and partners, and can be seen in dozens of magazines and online.
Ampeg Branding Campaign
An iconic amplification leader for more than 75 years, Ampeg sought to call out its rich heritage, without seeming dated to younger musicians. The solution was a marketing campaign that put forward classic imagery, with a hip, modern execution and style. The Ampeg.com wesbite was completely redesigned to mirror the striking print campaign, conveying more information with cleaner, simple navigation. The campaign is running three years strong, and has been shamelessly imitated by several of Ampeg's top competitors. What can we say? Color us flattered.
Trickwood E-Commerce Site
Trickwood is one of the Northwest's leading skate shops. A center of influence for a new generation of hot young Seattle skaters (with an absolutely killer shop team), Trickwood carries only legitimate skate / streetwear brands — including Nike SB, Girl / Chocolate, WESC, Manik, Vans, and Adidas Skate. Trickwood wanted an e-commerce site that would integrate seamlessly with their point-of-sale and warehousing systems, selling as much product and providing as much data as possible. But the site also had to work within the establish skate / streetwear world of blogs, videos, general slacker-ness, and inside jokes galore. We designed and developed a site which did just that, and literally tripled Trickwood's mail-order business within the first month. Fast forward just one year, and the online store is poised to rival Trickwood's brick and mortar sales.
TAPCO Branding Campaign
The TAPCO audio brand was re-introduced by parent company Mackie in 2005 to bring affordable, high-quality gear to a much younger audience than the typical Mackie customer. The goal was a modern, hip-hop inspired look and feel, which was delivered through a use of graffiti-style imagery and irreverent execution.