Project Commissioner

The Melbourne Prize Trust

Project Creator

Playground Creative Pty Ltd

Project Overview

Established in 2004, the Melbourne Prize Trust provides financial and professional development opportunities to artists by running the annual Melbourne Prize. A prestigious award in Melbourne’s arts and culture community, the Prize operates in three-year cycles highlighting three artistic fields: literature, music and sculpture. PLAYGROUND was tasked with creating the concept and artistic direction for 2022’s music-focused Prize.

Team

Project Brief

Create a concept that celebrates music in a fresh, imaginative, engaging and sophisticated way. Our concept needed to complement every touchpoint of the Melbourne Prize, from serving as eye-catching collateral in the high-traffic zone of Fed Square to an elegant program and sophisticated website.

Project Need

PLAYGROUND’s fresh and sophisticated brand for 2022’s music-themed Melbourne Prize was elevated to new heights of ‘engaging’ by our innovative AR experience. With QR codes located at Melbourne’s high foot-traffic zone of Fed Square, passers-by could scan the code to reveal four screens, each featuring nominees speaking about their careers and their Melbourne Prize nomination. The four screens would remain hovering in a circular shape, inviting the viewer to walk around and view all four. Through this highly engaging, intriguing and fun experience, we were able to introduce countless people to the Melbourne Prize, educate them on its importance and celebrate Melbourne’s incredible arts culture on a new digitally innovative scale.

User Experience

Complemented by traditional collateral located around Fed Square (such as flags and signage), the Melbourne Prize-branded QR codes created a strong sense of buzz and intrigue. Capitalising on Fed Square’s identity as a point of high pedestrian convergence, the AR experience was not only fun and interesting to experience, but also a fun spectacle as passers-by watched others engaging with the films, which then piqued their own curiosity. Launched for the week before the Melbourne Prize awards ceremony, the AR experience was a fantastic and effective way to generate buzz and awareness.

Project Marketing

A true celebration of art and beauty, PLAYGROUND’s brand for 2022’s Melbourne Prize examined music’s characteristics and explored how notes, volume, tempo, emotion and amplitude could be represented in an energetic, near-cosmic way, which translated exceptionally well to a custom AR experience. Hundreds of pedestrians passing through Fed Square scanned the QR code and watched full videos of the Prize’s nominees. An impressive number of people posted their AR experience on social media, amplifying the Prize’s publicity and organic reach.

Project Privacy

No personal information has been collected in regards to this campaign.