Results Mobility Panel
Institute for Mobility Policies
The science of cycling
ShimanoShimano designs and produces parts for racing bikes, mountain bikes, and city bikes. Shimano wants to communicate some of its clever and complex technologies to its customers, in an original and clear way, by using explanimations.
ABOUT THE CLIENT
Shimano designs and produces parts for racing bikes, mountain bikes, and city bikes. Shimano wants to communicate some of its clever and complex technologies to its customers, in an original and clear way, by using explanimations.
THE CLIENT’S REQUEST
Shimano is always working on improvement of products and techniques. For a number of new products, Shimano was looking for an original and effective way to explain the function and benefits of these products to potential customers. Shimano asked us to create an impactful animation format that could be used by resellers, and as support for marketing.
RESULTS ACHIEVED
For Shimano, we wanted to develop a style that meets somewhere between realism and abstraction. On the one hand, the main character was to have the recognisable appearance of a cyclist, to be appealing to the viewer. At the same time, we were looking for a stylised form that would retain its credibility in more abstract shots. Therefore, we’ve simplified the environments as well as the character, and also exaggerated some features.
In the realistic shots, we kept the color palette natural, and subtly wove in the Shimano blue into the sky, the bike and the cyclist. At some point, the cyclist jumps to a more abstract world, in which the technical specifications fit in well.
Character development
Color development
Landscaping
Character assets
