How Lumenstory Creates Visual Content for Brands, Advertising, and Events

Can computer graphics equally effectively explain how to use a complex technical device, draw attention to an advertising campaign, and transform the setting of a corporate event into a fantastical space? Yes, but each of these tasks requires a different approach to creating visual content. What works in a short ad for social media isn’t always suitable for a large LED screen, and spectacular animation doesn’t necessarily help explain a complex product.

Lumenstory Studio, which specializes in 3D animation, CGI, and multimedia content, works with such diverse scenarios. Its projects include product advertising, digital campaigns, anamorphic videos for outdoor screens, and visual design for events. What these areas have in common is the principle that the format and technology must align with the goal the client is trying to achieve.

When visual content is needed not just to showcase a product, but to explain its value

In product marketing, 3D animation is often seen as a way to create a perfect image of a product. Computer graphics do indeed allow you to control lighting, angles, materials, and movement without many of the limitations of traditional video production; however, its capabilities are much broader:

• For some products, it’s important to create an emotional image.
• For others, it’s about demonstrating how the product works, its internal structure, or the sequence of use.
• Sometimes, the clarity of the explanation itself becomes the main criterion for a video’s quality.

For example, in advertisements for perfumes or home appliances, CGI can help convey the nature of the product through lighting, textures, and visual transformations. In contrast, in materials about equipment, technical devices, or complex mechanisms, an excessive number of visual effects can distract attention from the key information. Therefore, even before production begins, it’s important to determine exactly what the viewer should take away: an emotional experience, an understanding of functional benefits, or specific instructions.

Biolink EcoTest – How to Turn Instructions into an Easy-to-Understand Video

A prime example of this approach is Lumenstory’s work for Biolink on the presentation of the EcoTest COVID-19 Antigen Saliva Pen – a medical test for detecting the coronavirus antigen using a saliva sample. The task differed from a typical advertising presentation because it was necessary to systematically explain to the user how to use the product.

To achieve this, the studio created a 107-second 4K CGI video. It was based on a photorealistic 3D model of the product, complemented by an animated assistant character and graphic prompts.

Instead of static instructions, the viewer was presented with a sequence of visual actions. At key moments, attention was directed toward specific elements of the device, and the animated character helped guide the viewer through the various stages of the explanation.

An important part of the production was the synchronization of the product’s movement, the character, the infographics, and the sound effects, which allowed the information to be organized so that individual elements did not compete for attention.

A still from Biolink EcoTest featuring a 3D model of the device, an animated character, and visual cues.

This example demonstrates that the value of 3D product animation is not determined solely by realism. For instructional content, the accuracy of an object’s rendering, a clear sequence of actions, and the ease with which information is perceived may be more important.

How CGI Expands the Possibilities of Advertising Campaigns

Another challenge arises when a brand needs to stand out among countless advertising messages and draw attention to a specific campaign. Here, the speed at which an idea is perceived, the expressiveness of the imagery, and the suitability of the content for distribution channels come to the forefront.

One of the formats used for such purposes is FOOH – Fake Out of Home. This is a video in which computer graphics are integrated into footage of real urban locations, creating the impression of an unusual event taking place in physical space. For example, a giant product might seemingly appear in the city center, a building might visually transform, or a digital advertising object might interact with cars or pedestrians.

Unlike traditional outdoor advertising, such scenes do not necessarily require the installation of physical structures. The main outcome here is a video that can be shared on social media and other digital channels.

FOOH has specific requirements for the creative concept. If the video lasts only a few seconds, the viewer must quickly understand where the action is taking place, what exactly looks unusual, and how the scene relates to the brand. 

At the same time, the realism of such integration depends on how well the digital objects match the lighting, perspective, scale, and camera movement; otherwise, the graphics will look like a foreign element superimposed on top of the real video.

Alpha Barcelona – A Digital Advertising Event on a City Street

For the Alpha brand, Lumenstory studio created a 15-second FOOH video tied to the SiGMA exhibition in Barcelona. The goal was to showcase the brand through an unusual urban scene for sharing on social media.

At the heart of the concept is a futuristic transparent capsule that appears on a Barcelona street. It opens like a portal, after which large Alpha-branded elements emerge into the urban space. The digital objects were designed to create the impression of a physical presence amidst the real architecture and street traffic.

A still from Alpha Barcelona Street Activation featuring a transparent capsule and branded CGI objects.

One of the main production challenges was the capsule’s transparent design. To make it look convincing, it was necessary to align the properties of the digital glass – including reflections, light refraction, and interaction with ambient lighting. For CGI integration, camera motion tracking was used, and the perspective of the digital elements was aligned with real video footage.

The final content was optimized for viewing on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers. In this case, the role of 3D animation was to create a short visual story centered around the brand.

At the same time, it is important to distinguish between real-world advertising activations and their digital simulations. FOOH can create a convincing illusion of a physical event, but that alone does not mean that the depicted structure actually existed on a city street.

When a digital screen becomes part of an advertising concept featuring 3D product animation

For large digital screens, the requirements for visual content change once again, because it’s important to consider not only the message and composition but also the location of the advertising medium. For example, a screen in a shopping mall may be located in an area with constant foot traffic, so some people will see the ad from a distance, while others will see it from an angle or only for a few seconds.

If a screen has a non-standard design, its geometry can be incorporated into the creative concept. This is how anamorphic 3D advertising (or 3DOOH) works. Thanks to a specially constructed perspective, a flat image can be perceived as a three-dimensional space, and objects appear to extend beyond the physical boundaries of the screen.

However, the main marketing value of this technique lies not in the three-dimensional effect itself. It’s important that the spatial illusion helps convey the product, its character, or a specific feature; otherwise, the viewer may remember the unusual animation but fail to understand what exactly is being advertised.

Adidas Supernova – How to Showcase a Product’s Features Through Movement

To launch the Adidas Supernova sneakers, Lumenstory studio created a 15-second anamorphic CGI video for a corner LED screen in a Cape Town shopping center. The communication objective was to showcase the new shoe model and visually highlight the technological features of its sole.

The sneaker itself became the central focus of the animation, with soft, foam-like elements appearing around it – their movement and deformation evoking associations with cushioning, resilience, and comfort. Thus, the abstract CGI effects do more than simply embellish the scene; they reinforce a specific product message.

To create the video, the studio used a 3D model of the sneaker based on a scan of the actual product, and simulations of soft objects interacting with the shoe were developed separately.

The final animation was adapted to the geometry of a corner screen so that, from the main viewing angle, the sneakers would appear three-dimensional and could visually extend beyond the boundaries of the advertising space.

Anamorphic scene from Adidas Supernova featuring a sneaker and foam-like elements on a corner LED screen.

This project clearly illustrates the difference between a standard product commercial and 3DOOH content:

• In the first case, the video is created primarily for viewing on a standard screen.
• In the second, the physical advertising structure becomes part of the visual concept, and its capabilities are used to enhance the product’s image.

Why visual content for an event differs from a commercial

An even more complex application of 3D graphics can be the multimedia design for events: corporate presentations, conferences, award ceremonies, concerts, or exhibition shows.

Here, video content often ceases to be a standalone clip and becomes part of the event’s overall script. For example:

• the opening animation should correspond to the moment the event begins,
• visual intros should accompany individual speeches;
• graphics for an awards ceremony should ensure clear transitions between categories.

At the same time, several screens of various sizes, shapes, and orientations may be used on stage, so the content created must take into account the configuration of the entire stage space. The challenge lies in ensuring their visual coherence, alignment with the event’s program, and the ability to play them at the right moment.

Generative graphics, video mapping, and video installations can also be used for events. Unlike pre-edited clips, some elements of this content can be modified or controlled directly during the show.

ATB – 25 Years: From Individual Videos to a Comprehensive Multimedia Show

One example of Lumenstory’s comprehensive approach to event content was a project dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the ATB retail chain. For the anniversary event in Kyiv, Lumenstory prepared a set of visual materials to accompany various parts of the program.

The foundation was an introductory 3D show lasting two minutes and thirty seconds, whose concept revolved around the brand’s evolution: from symbolic images of the past to a futuristic vision of the future. A separate part of the project consisted of 20 themed scenes for the awards ceremony, each created as a one-minute looping animation, allowing the content to be used in accordance with the program’s flow. The multimedia package also included generative graphics and visual materials for use during the live event.

The stage configuration required special attention, as it included four LED screens: a central horizontal screen, two vertical side screens, and a wide LED strip at the bottom. This meant that the animation had to be adapted not to a single rectangular plane, but to several interconnected screens; and the composition had to remain cohesive even as individual visual elements transitioned between different parts of the stage space.

One of the show’s central visuals was a futuristic version of an ATB store, featuring a detailed interior and architectural environment. This scene created the impression of a space that extended beyond the physical screens.

To reproduce the visuals, the production utilized multi-screen video projections, generative effects, and real-time control of visual content during the event.

Scene from the ATB anniversary show featuring four LED screens or a futuristic 3D store space.

Unlike a typical advertising campaign, where the client receives one or more finished videos, in this case the result was a comprehensive visual system to accompany the event.

The ATB example demonstrates that 3D animation for events can serve several functions at once:

• tell the brand’s story;
• set the mood;
• support the stage program;
• visually tie together different parts of the event.

What do such diverse CGI projects have in common?

At first glance, instructions for a medical test, a FOOH video on the streets of Barcelona, an anamorphic sneaker ad, and a multimedia show for a large retail chain have little in common. However, all these projects demonstrate a single principle: the visual format must be chosen in accordance with the communication objective and the conditions under which the audience will perceive the content.

1. In the Biolink EcoTest, a clear sequence of actions served as the foundation, so the most important factors were the accuracy of the product imagery, the pace of the explanation, and the interaction between the infographics and the animation.
2. In Alpha Barcelona, a short promotional video took center stage. Accordingly, the focus was on a striking visual moment and the seamless integration of digital elements into real-life video footage.
3. For Adidas Supernova, the creative approach was driven by the need to link the shoes’ technical features with the capabilities of an anamorphic LED screen.
4. For ATB’s anniversary show, we needed to create an interconnected content system to accompany the event’s program.

Thus, the differences concerned not only visual style but also production structure, technical requirements, and criteria for the readiness of materials. This also explains why the complexity of a CGI project cannot always be determined by the length of the video. A short anamorphic video may require precise perspective modeling, while a longer instructional video demands much greater attention to narrative logic and information structure.

How to Determine Which Visual Format a Business Needs

When planning an advertising campaign or a business presentation, it’s not necessary to start by choosing a specific technology. It’s much more helpful to first define the outcome you want to achieve with your video content.

• If the main goal is to explain a complex product, it makes sense to consider 3D product animation or CGI videos with infographics. This format allows you to control camera angles, highlight specific details, and explain features step by step.
• If you need to create an unusual advertising concept for digital distribution, FOOH could be one possible solution; however, its suitability depends on whether the brand can be conveyed through a short, clear visual scenario.
• For campaigns involving large digital screens, it’s worth evaluating the capabilities of the specific advertising medium. If the design allows for the creation of a compelling spatial illusion, anamorphic content can become part of the creative concept.
• When it comes to a conference, exhibition, or large-scale event, the overall scenario, screen configuration, timing, and how video content interacts with the physical space become even more important.

In any of these cases, the client should define in advance the target audience, the key message, the distribution channels, the available materials, and the launch timeline.

At the same time, the CGI format – complex as it is – does not in and of itself guarantee high reach, virality, or sales growth. The outcome of an advertising campaign also depends on media planning, the quality of the offer, audience relevance, and other marketing factors; therefore, the effectiveness of a technological solution should be evaluated not by the spectacle of a single effect, but by how well it helps achieve the set objective.

Visual communication begins with a well-defined objective

The variety of modern CGI formats allows brands to use computer graphics much more extensively than in traditional advertising, as it can explain how a product works, create unusual digital advertising stories, utilize the spatial capabilities of large screens, or transform video content into part of a stage environment.

As illustrated by Lumenstory’s projects, different scenarios require different quality criteria:

• for instructional videos, clarity and accuracy;
• for FOOH, expressiveness and seamless integration;
• for 3DOOH, alignment with the spatial design;
• for event content, consistency with the event’s program and technical environment.

Therefore, the key decision when preparing a CGI project is determining exactly how the visual content should interact with the audience. When the communication goal, creative concept, and presentation method are aligned, 3D animation transforms from a standalone visual effect into a full-fledged tool for presenting a brand, product, or event.