The Big Hoot is set to turn the town of Ipswich into a canvas of colour – and Motion Mapping would introduce the project by playing the part of digital artist.

What the client wanted

The upcoming launch of The Big Hoot in 2022 needed a big build up, and Motion Mapping had the perfect creative tools to unveil this incredible art project to the whole of Ipswich.

With Wild in Art partnering alongside St Elizabeth Hospice, the Big Hoot Art Trail will see the whole town come together in a celebration of colour, sculpture and art whilst highlighting and supporting the important work of the hospice for both patients and their families.

And what better way to highlight the art trail – and Ipswich itself as a great destination – than by turning the iconic buildings of the town into canvases splashed with dramatic colour?

Our concept

Teasing the launch of the Big Hoot project – coming in 2022 – meant using all the advantages of high-end projection mapping technology. Previous art trails have brought hundreds of thousands of people and millions of pounds to the local economy, as well as important income for the hospice, so it was vital the visuals reflected the aims of the campaign as a whole: creativity and awareness.

We would capture this – and the attention of the people of Ipswich – by projecting onto three landmarks around the town: a former R&W Paul Ltd silo, the old Customs House on the Waterfront and Suffolk County Council’s headquarters.

Mirroring the exciting designs coming in the form of the 50 giant owl sculptures decorated to represent all things Suffolk, the town became our own palette of exploding colour. The crystal-clear definition of the Epson 30K meant the overlaid partner logos and all important hashtags leapt from the buildings in stylish clarity.

The result

Our projection would come several months before the trail began, so we were keen for the visuals to make a statement and act as a memorable means to build up anticipation for the Big Hoot. And we love the final look.

From the neo-classical facades of the Waterfront to the uneven, contemporary towers of the County Council headquarters, the vibrant colours really stood out to captivate the people of Ipswich.

Our outdoor projection setups are a clockwork operation of style, form and deployment, so turning the town into the canvas for its own advertising was an exciting prospect, and especially fun working on our home turf. More effective than a billboard, more captivating than a leaflet and definitely more colourful than even most high-definition screens can manage, the projection brightened up a chilly Autumn night.

It was a big introduction for the Big Hoot, and we’re sure one that won’t be forgotten any time soon.

What the client says

Liz Baldwin, Corporate and Sponsorship Fundraising Manager at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “We hope all visitors to Ipswich this Wednesday enjoyed the colourful Big Hoot imagery.

“We are so grateful to Motion Mapping for helping us bring an early sprinkle of the Big Hoot magic and colour to the town this autumn, ahead of the trail next year.

“It was so nice to see iconic Ipswich buildings lit up with the Big Hoot and to celebrate the support of our presenting partners ABP Port of Ipswich, Suffolk County Council and Ipswich Borough Council.”

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