Mobedia, a Manchester-based digital content producer, has created a digital learning experience using 3D printing for Kia Motor‘s dealership teams. Kia’s employees can access the Airfix style e-learning material via the Kia Academy to learn about the Kia Sportage and provide better service to Kia Sportage SUV customers.
Mobedia’s Creative Director, Gary Bannister-Simm, explained, “Having the model not only appear in the course in 2D, but also in digital 3D, and in the lifestyle video footage, blurred the boundaries between fantasy and reality, opening up the learning experience in exciting new directions – as well as emphasising the ‘all-round’ nature of the Sportage as a multi-purpose vehicle. It gave a sense of flow to the learning experience – and the more seamless the experience, the greater the focus, and the better the retention of information.”
3D printed model kit
Founded in 2004, mobedia specializes in creating e-learning courses and increasing the digital presence of its customers. Previously, the company has worked with Volkswagen to create an immersive training experience. Furthermore, mobedia has also worked with Kia on several occasions to create e-learning courses for various purposes such as understanding alternative fuels market.
For the recent project mobedia used animation, video and 3D printing to create an interactive course, which will be used to train the dealership team. Inspired by the Airfix model kits, the designers at mobedia made the ‘Kia-Klix’, a 3D printed assembly kit of Kia Sportage.
Mobedia’s Digital Learning Developer, Hayley Griffiths, said, “One of the sub-menus and learning devices was an interactive set of instructions – the same ones featured as a practical prop in the film footage. We even integrated a game of eye-spy into the experience – narrated by a young girl to add an additional sense of authenticity. Everything was combined to form a zero-interruption, coherent narrative”.
However, all might not be as it seems. While a kit is shown in the video, the resulting car appears to have been 3D printed on a full color system. The texture of the model looks like a sandstone type system, most likely the 3D Systems ProJet. The kit itself was made via FDM 3D printing.
Interactive marketing with 3D printing
In recent year, several brands have used 3D printing in creative ways to promote their products. For example, Coca-Cola launched a campaign to 3D print ‘mini-me’, a small sized 3D printed model of their customers. Similarly, Volkswagen invited users to create and 3D print a prototype of the Polo car. Moreover, Lumia released 3D files for its customers to 3D print custom cases for the Lumia 820 phone.
In KIA’s case, mobedia claims that their campaign has been met with great success and the net promoter results have reached 71.3.
Karen Fagan, Head of Training, Kia Motors UK, said, “This unique learning strategy encourages the user to become fully immersed in the subject matter, which ensures a higher level of knowledge retention. mobedia worked hard to bring alive not only the spirit of the car, but to capture the nature of the brand too.
“The key to creating this level of learning experience is the collaboration between Kia and mobedia. Not only are the results outstanding – the process and execution was enjoyable and fun!”
Nominations for 3D Printing Awards 2019. Please name the best applications of 3D printing.
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Featured image shows the assembly kit of Kia Sportage. Image via mobedia.
