Lesley Edgar, Managing Director at 3D visualisation provider Red and Gray Ltd, talks about the use of CGI imagery in the furniture industry as well as why it’s a great way to showcase products.
In today’s digital world, it is common knowledge that 3D visualisation is firmly entrenched as a well-used tool to make advertising any product easier and less expensive to manage. However, not all CGI is good CGI.
One company that provides a quality service in the field is Red and Gray, with a particular focus on furnishings, which actually caters for around 90% of its client base. These have included brands such as Bensons for Beds, Harveys Furniture, Frank Olsen Furniture, Next Home, Sealy, Home Décor and Wiemann, to name but a few. Being experts in CGI imagery, the business has seen many ‘cut corners’ where brands have used poor CGI.
“We have seen many businesses focus on cost alone when choosing a CGI supplier. I would highly recommend asking for examples of work before commissioning a provider as the quality can vary dramatically,” said Lesley Edgar, Managing Director at Red and Gray Ltd.
“When a company offers top quality, high end, expensive product its important they don’t overlook the importance of investment in quality 3D render services to reflect the essence and characteristics of their brand and its values”. From furniture, kitchens, bedrooms, buildings, to taps, widgets or handles, time and money has been given to research and develop all these products but many are then advertised with poor quality images, “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression”.
“Art/illustration is a subjective thing and appreciation of a product rendering is dependent on the viewer but these images are meant to be lifelike representations of particular products, they are selling a dream or an aspiration to own that product and we feel the most accurate, attractive and engaging image would be the ideal target.
Why sell high quality products without matching imagery? Is it cost, the opinion of the person signing off the marketing images, or something else? The most important aspect of any marketing imagery is how do you want your potential customers to see your product?
Red and Gray offer a full inhouse range of design, CGI, animation, configurators, AR and VR services, as well as recently investing in new AI technology, which is being “well received” with their clients. Having been established since 2001, the business has become the go-to for digital image services.
So, how can furniture businesses benefit from good CGI?
“We believe CGI is more important than ever,” Lesley says. “Many businesses are operating online and don’t have time/space to photograph their products without the massive expense of hiring a studio or bespoke location, sending staff to manage the project, hiring a photographer, building an appropriate set, the list goes on.
“We now live in a world where everything is fast paced and visual, scrolling on autopilot. Imagery is everything, it needs to be eye catching and relevant, otherwise it won’t last for more than a second on screen. Furniture is important to most people, there is always a relevance, so sellers need to ensure the future buyer is attracted enough to the image to persuade them to find out more.
“All you need with CGI is your product details and an idea of what you’d like see in the final images, the rest is all on us.”
As like with any service provider there is a cost for good CGI imagery. However, Lesley added that the reality is much more cost efficient than you might think.
“Clients often worry about the cost of CGI. The reality is, compared with traditional photography and set building, its inexpensive, its flexible and we keep up with all the current trends so can advise on the best way to showcase your furniture.
“All 3D sets, geometry and final images we create for our clients are archived so can be used again with a change of product, updated style or décor, or even a different window. By reusing an existing set, you can have a whole new room for a fraction of the cost and the time.
“I truly believe CGI is the future for any furniture business. The world has changed, most buyers are not interested in the detail until they are ready to buy, so it is all about an image being good enough to make the customer stop and take notice. We want to see it, we want to imagine it in our home, we want to visualise how it will enhance our space.
“Furniture creates a feeling for a buyer, positive or negative. With CGI we have more control than with traditional photography and we can create a positive feeling with every image.”
If CGI is something your business is considering to enhance images and more, Lesley said the process is simple to get started. “We are here to guide you through the whole process, what we need to get started and manage your expectations. CGI is simple, if you can imagine it, we can create it.
“We can accurately model your product, create its texture and build the perfect setting to create a final high-resolution image all tailored to your brief, to target your audience and meet your marketing goals. If you would like to know more or have a chat then please get in touch to see how we can bring your images to life.”
