UNLEASHING CREATIVITY WITH THE POWER OF CGI ADVERTISEMENTS

CGI advertisements signify a substantial shift in how brands communicate and engage with their audiences

In the 1970s, people were exposed to around 500 advertisements a day. Today, that number has skyrocketed to nearly 5,000 advertisements daily, with connectivity playing a key role in this continuous escalation. In a system where multiple consumption instances occur simultaneously, reaching and contacting consumers is becoming progressively challenging. Technological advancements have unveiled revolutionary developments over the past two decades, expanding the circles of influence in unprecedented ways.

The advertising discipline has been directly impacted by this transformation, experiencing significant changes as a result. Today, it is not just technology that is evolving. Simultaneously, consumers’ awareness and sensitivity to advertisements are rapidly growing. In this dynamic environment, capturing the attention of consumers is becoming increasingly challenging with each passing day.

In this evolving landscape, where the game itself undergoes transformation rather than just the rules, brands aiming to engage consumers are pursuing fresh and innovative strategies. Indeed, from this standpoint, CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) technology stands out as particularly attention-grabbing. CGI, defined as the generation of animated models depicting places, objects, and people, was previously prevalent mainly in high-budget films and gaming realms. However, today, it is also extensively employed in advertising campaigns. This emerging field, where successful examples are beginning to emerge in Türkiye, opens up new avenues for brands in terms of creativity and innovation.

CGI advertisements, leveraging technology and surrealism, have the potential to create immersive and memorable experiences, thus offering the playgrounds that brands aspire to establish. With the hyper-realism feature of CGI, brands can captivate consumers’ attention and focus their time, at least for a while, thus creating a lasting impression. While the origins of CGI technology trace back to the 1950s, its initial applications in advertising emerged in the 1980s. CGI advertisements, heralding paradigm shifts across various realms of advertising, elevate the competition to new dimensions with their immersive interaction and storytelling capabilities.

The number of brands in our country effectively harnessing this technology is steadily growing with each passing day. For instance, Rexona showcased a striking demonstration by floating a colossal gray t-shirt across the Bosphorus. Samsung employed this technology in advertisements for the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Adidas made waves by floating a massive football across the Bosphorus for the Champions League Final. CGI advertisements, which are gradually gaining traction and primarily featured in social media campaigns, signify a substantial shift in how brands communicate and engage with their audiences.

RISK IN CGI ADVERTISEMENTS: MEMORIZED BEHAVIORS

Advertisements encompass more than what meets the eye. Each advertisement serves a distinct purpose and targets a specific audience. In this regard, CGI advertisements are utilized in today’s landscape to capture more attention and spark discussions. While its applications are steadily broadening, it’s important to note some notable risk factors associated with CGI technology. The primary risk is the potential challenge in aligning the appropriate emotional frequencies with production and storytelling.

Another risk factor involves the possibility that details, such as people, inserted to enhance the advertisement’s content, may display memorized behaviors. Upon examining recent CGI advertisements, it becomes apparent that many details are repetitive and adhere to a similar narrative structure. For instance, people’s surprise reactions upon encountering objects positioned in unexpected ways in CGI advertisements are consistently depicted in a similar manner across various advertisements. In particular, the automation of human behaviour in this manner can potentially diminish the impactful nature of advertising. Brands eager to capitalize on the dominant power of trends may overlook these risk factors in their pursuit of opportunities.

ADVANTAGES OF CGI ADVERTISEMENTS

CGI advertisements provide an exceptionally flexible universe for crafting the most suitable environment for the brand, product, or message at hand. With this type of advertising, brands can sidestep substantial production costs, such as team expenses, logistics, security, permits, and ground rent, resulting in significant cost advantages. As the majority of the process is resolved on the computer, CGI advertising is minimally impacted by natural conditions. With a well-executed CGI advertisement, real-world scenes can become nearly indistinguishable, allowing products or services to be presented in an equally captivating and engaging manner. CGI advertisements, being location-independent, also offer numerous environmental benefits. Adapting the details in alignment with the brand vision further strengthens the overall effectiveness of the advertisement.

DISADVANTAGES OF CGI ADVERTISEMENTS

While CGI presents tremendous opportunities for creating impressive advertising, it is not without its drawbacks. Considering the need for expert teams and high-quality software, the production of CGI ads remains relatively expensive and may not be affordable for all brands. In addition to cost considerations, discrepancies that may arise in synchronizing reality and virtuality can also hinder the desired reactions from consumers. Relying solely on the visual impact of CGI, while neglecting the narrative, overlooking details that foster emotional connections, or exaggerating features through technology, can potentially lead to various disadvantageous situations for brands. Hyper-realistic environments have the potential to convey misleading messages and promises, which can ultimately erode consumer trust and confidence.

FUTURE AND CGI ADVERTISEMENTS

CGI advertisements undoubtedly represent an innovative and out-of-the-box alternative for consumers who are experiencing increasing levels of saturation. With this technology, it is now possible to break free from the constraints of traditional creativity. In the near future, the integration of CGI technology with augmented reality, the metaverse, artificial intelligence, or hyper-personalization will enable us to transcend many limitations. In an era of swift technological advancements, staying ahead of the development curve is crucial and invaluable. In this regard, CGI technology is undeniably significant not only for advertisements but also for its contribution to shaping the identity of brands. As the influence and impact of digital platforms continue to grow, the role of CGI in advertising will undoubtedly expand in the near future, pushing the boundaries of both creativity and storytelling to new heights.