When our social team headed to the Pork Pie Awards to create content, they needed a prop that would make an immediate impression on camera.
It needed to be fun, recognisable and, most importantly, unmistakably on brand.
The answer was a pork pie.
More specifically, a 3D printed pork pie designed to fit directly around the microphone.
From idea to microphone
The prop was designed as a microphone surround, transforming an everyday piece of filming equipment into something far more appropriate for the event.
We 3D printed the piece using biodegradable PLA filament before hand painting it to replicate the look of a real pork pie.
That meant getting the details right, from the pastry exterior through to the filling, so that the prop would read clearly on camera while still looking convincing up close.
Two days from brief to finished prop
One of the best things about 3D printing is the ability to move quickly when a creative opportunity comes up.
From receiving the brief to delivering the finished piece took just two days.
The result was a relatively simple, low cost intervention that made a surprisingly big difference to the finished social content.
On the day, the reaction spoke for itself.
The humble microphone had been transformed into one of the most memorable pieces of kit in the room, giving the social team an instantly recognisable visual identity for their coverage.
It is rapid prototyping at its most playful, and possibly its most delicious.
Just do not try to eat the microphone.