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  1. Production & Strategy
  2. Programming & Entertainment

Speedo Debuts Swimsuits With 3-D Mapping, Michael Phelps

Jim Shi
December 6, 2011

To illustrate that Speedo is far beyond a spectator brand, company executives staged an interactive, five-prong fashion show at Skylight SoHo, using choreographed dancers and 3-D mapping. The early-afternoon affair on November 30, which introduced the swimwear maker's spring 2012 collection and debuted the latest generation of "Fastskin 3" suits, also saw appearances by Olympic champions Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte.

The Fastskin 3 gear is what members of Team U.S.A. will wear to compete in the 2012 London Olympic Games. And although it might seem early to debut the new garments, a Speedo publicist noted that the Fédération Internationale de Natation—the global governing body for the sport of swimming—established new rules for competitive swimwear in 2009, effective for 2010, mandating that all Olympic suits be at market by December 1, 2011, and in use by January 1, 2012.

For Speedo marketing director Katie Malone and marketing manager Alyssa Igawa, who worked with Events in Motion president Samantha Sackler and vice president Jennifer Wang to produce the hour-long event, the goal was not only to unveil Fastskin 3 to attending press but also to entertain and engage the reporters in a fun and exciting way. "We're in our performance zone, bringing together technology that's never existed before," said Jim Gerson, president of Speedo.

A buffet-lunch reception opened the event, providing guests with sandwiches and chips before they were ushered into the main room, an all-white area set with a stage, runway, and 10- by 55-foot curvilinear screen. The presentation itself consisted of a four-part fashion show that highlighted four distinct Speedo collections with custom Watchout videos, music, props, and lighting, as well as the introduction of Fastskin 3 components. Each Fastskin 3 piece—the swim cap, goggles, and suit—is sculpted to the specific athlete, so the producers used 3-D projections mapped to a model to illustrate this. As this visual display ended, the nine Speedo ambassador athletes, including Phelps, Lochte, Natalie Coughlin, and Dana Vollmer, emerged to showcase the real-life versions of the swimwear.

During the show, the Events in Motion team had only 20 minutes to turn the entrance hallway into a product exhibit dubbed the "Speedo brand experience world." "The biggest challenge for this event was the timing," said Sackler, whose company also produced the first two Fastskin launches for Speedo in 2004 and 2008. "We had five different displays that needed to be set up that involved everything from hanging graphics to displaying custom installations to mounting plasma screens."

The resulting environment included mannequins, retail displays, and lighting made to look like moving water, all of which was designed to encourage members of the press to tangibly experience the collections for themselves.

Olimpians
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
A curved screen served as the backdrop for the three-dimensional fashion show. The production team created tiered seating sections for the 200 Valencia chairs, positioning the first half at ground level and the second lot elevated at levels 7, 14, and 21 inches high.
A curved screen served as the backdrop for the three-dimensional fashion show. The production team created tiered seating sections for the 200 Valencia chairs, positioning the first half at ground level and the second lot elevated at levels 7, 14, and 21 inches high.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
Prior to the start of the early afternoon presentation, Speedo tapped Great Performances to serve a buffet-style lunch of sandwiches, chips, and various sweets.
Prior to the start of the early afternoon presentation, Speedo tapped Great Performances to serve a buffet-style lunch of sandwiches, chips, and various sweets.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
To introduce the four choreographed routines of the fashion presentation, each of which focused on a specific Speedo lifestyle, the producers played unique Watchout videos with different lighting and music.
To introduce the four choreographed routines of the fashion presentation, each of which focused on a specific Speedo lifestyle, the producers played unique Watchout videos with different lighting and music.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
Sixteen dancers performed four routines on the 24- by 4-foot runway. Each portion of four-part program was designed to demonstrate the brand's flexibility for distinct active lifestyles.
Sixteen dancers performed four routines on the 24- by 4-foot runway. Each portion of four-part program was designed to demonstrate the brand's flexibility for distinct active lifestyles.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
Naturally, swimming was one core focus that Speedo chose to highlight at the event.
Naturally, swimming was one core focus that Speedo chose to highlight at the event.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
At the conclusion of the fourth routine, the dancer models transitioned off stage in preparation for the final scene, which used 3-D mapping and the introduction of the Speedo Fastskin 3 racing system.
At the conclusion of the fourth routine, the dancer models transitioned off stage in preparation for the final scene, which used 3-D mapping and the introduction of the Speedo Fastskin 3 racing system.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
As a way to illustrate how the Fastskin 3 gear is created for each specific athlete, the producers mapped the components section by section to a model using three-dimensional projections. Events in Motion employed Dataton's Watchout program to stitch together images from video projectors to fashion a seamless visual backdrop.
As a way to illustrate how the Fastskin 3 gear is created for each specific athlete, the producers mapped the components section by section to a model using three-dimensional projections. Events in Motion employed Dataton's Watchout program to stitch together images from video projectors to fashion a seamless visual backdrop.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
Following the 3-D mapping segment, the nine Olympic and world champion medalists emerged on stage to reveal the Fastskin 3 suits.
Following the 3-D mapping segment, the nine Olympic and world champion medalists emerged on stage to reveal the Fastskin 3 suits.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
Speedo used the fashion show to set up five different displays in the entrance lobby, waiting until after the presentation to reveal its latest generation of swimwear.
Speedo used the fashion show to set up five different displays in the entrance lobby, waiting until after the presentation to reveal its latest generation of swimwear.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
Hanging graphics included 21- by 8-foot wall-mounted prints, custom product exhibit stand for 16 mannequins, and free-standing plasma screens.
Hanging graphics included 21- by 8-foot wall-mounted prints, custom product exhibit stand for 16 mannequins, and free-standing plasma screens.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
Behind the press risers, producers set up a step-and-repeat where reporters could conduct one-on-one interviews with each athlete immediately following the unveiling of the Fastskin 3 suits. As one would expect, 16-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps (pictured), attracted a swarm of television crews.
Behind the press risers, producers set up a step-and-repeat where reporters could conduct one-on-one interviews with each athlete immediately following the unveiling of the Fastskin 3 suits. As one would expect, 16-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps (pictured), attracted a swarm of television crews.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
During the interviews, servers from Great Performances roamed the venue, passing out desserts to attendees.
During the interviews, servers from Great Performances roamed the venue, passing out desserts to attendees.
Photo: Keith Sirchio for BizBash
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