OSMO // ADVERTISING & SOCIAL POSTS
PBS SPONSORSHIP BROADCAST ADS
Osmo bought advertising for a few PBS Kids shows, which had some unusual constraints. We were not allowed to show our product at all, nor make the product the subject of the ad, and we could only mention our brand at the signoff! This led me to concept ads that focus on the hands-on differentiation of Osmo (which, although a set of iPad games, is played using objects off the screen – the original company’s name is Tangible Play). I’d connect the hands-on play to all of the values that parents concerned about children and screentime are worried about, with joyful stock video of kids playing.
I wrote the heartfelt scripts, gathered stock video clips, and composited them in After Effects. Also, I did the voiceover performance for the “dad” one and helped a co-worker who didn’t have a kid deliver the “mom” one with conviction. I had to have someone who could carry a tune record the whistle.
GOOGLE ADS
We placed banner ads for each game release, including lightly animated HTML5 ones I made using Google Ad Creator, minding the rather limited filesize requirements. Designing these was iterative: I validated layouts using memorability heatmaps and we placed a variety of ads, optimizing the messaging as we got data.
CODING JAM ANIMATED POSTS
For the release of Coding Jam, we wanted to highlight that it was a euphonic music generating game. I used After Effects to make ads that connected the game tiles with the character animations and music those tiles generated.
FACEBOOK CAROUSEL ADS
I made a lot of different Carousel ad series at Osmo using various photography and game assets. Ones that begun with my “laserbeam” approximation of machine vision performed well, as did ones composed of the set of circle-breaking game badges that I made originally for retail signage.
PINTEREST PINS
Osmo’s audience (moms and K-5 teachers) were rather active on Pinterest. I made a series of tall pins that would show up on searches for educational games and activities.
HOUR OF CODE BADGE
Osmo kept close touch with the K-5 teachers and administrators that used it in their classrooms, and worked with them to use Osmo’s Coding game for Hour of Code. I designed this badge to send to them, with ideas of how they could make certificates for participating students.
HOLIDAY BROADCAST AD
I also worked closely with Osmo co-founder Jerome Scholler, and We Are Pi Amsterdam on the agency-produced holiday broadcast ad, sharpening its storyline and comedy. The charming final ad both points to the real gameplay (the magic of watching an animated character react to your drawings) and expands/refines Mo’s character. I was deliberate and specific with the direction of a multi-game close.