Copilot + PCs
Assisting Microsoft in finding the best CG visuals to showcase the 2024 PC + Copilot Campaign, in collaboration with Buck and Koto, while also curating the render production for a new generation of Surface devices.
2024 marked a monumental year for Microsoft, launching both its new line of software products with integrated Copilot and its next-generation AI hardware fleet.
This milestone moment in the company’s history called for a unique and impactful launch campaign, one that would resonate globally and represent the new face of the company all over the world.
During this exciting phase of structural transformation, we were invited to join the effort and help bring this vision to life.
In a scenario where artificial intelligence is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing fields in the entire world, yet sometimes viewed with skepticism and reserve by parts of the general public, the decision to give Copilot a natural and warm appearance aims to conceptually distance it from the artificiality and coldness often associated with AI. This intuition uses a warm, human, and natural approach to metaphorically represent AI as illumination.
It symbolizes the creativity, utility, and inspiration AI brings to everyday life. In collaboration with Buck and Koto, we developed this simple yet elegant metaphor, enhancing our product renders with soft, golden-hour peachy light rays. These touches infused a sense of warmth and positivity, creating a balance with the cool, algorithmic side of AI that supports daily operative tasks.
Illumination is a brilliant and meaningful metaphor to convey AI’s positive and impactful role in everyday life.
Three distinct color palettes were developed, each one reflecting a different time of day: contrasting pastels and warm tones set against cooler backdrops. Initially, however, the color range was broader and more vibrant, providing a vast territory for our creative exploration.
The challenge was to integrate the concept of Illumination into the communication of over 7 feature enhancements in the operating system, reflected across PC devices thanks to the integration of Copilot. This collection showcases a mix of early-stage tests and more finalized visuals.
Our 3D visuals were clean, and minimalistic, set against almost abstract backdrops that highlighted the “natural” feel of AI lighting. Side and front view cameras, nearly axonometric because of long lenses, created a refined graphic touch that perfectly harmonized with the UI language leveraged for communication.
When it comes to technology, a graphic approach always pays off.
In some cases, light alone was not enough to communicate certain features, so we supplemented it with other external elements. The research was extensive: we played around with gradients, halos, and several 3D and 2D graphics.
After a few rounds of research, we eventually incorporated a few neat graphic and typographic elements to clearly convey specific concepts (for instance: screen super-resolution, connectivity, and battery life).
The result was a harmonious visual language seamlessly aligned with the photographic style used throughout the campaign, forming an integral part of the overall communication system.
The visuals produced were used extensively across various media, including print, digital, retail banners, and Microsoft’s official presentations. In other instances, our assets were combined with Copilot’s polished prompt language, creating the perfect tool to showcase the AI assistant’s new features.
We also contributed to a massive CG product still-render production that appeared across a wide range of digital and print media.
Our responsibilities extended beyond campaign imagery to include a large-scale CG production for Microsoft’s Surface 2024 product line. We crafted CG reproductions of each device, from laptops to tablets, to the textured Alcantara keyboard surfaces.
With over 100 assets and accounting for all variations and image sizes, the final result included more than 1,000 rendered exports, each thoughtfully capturing the essence of the Surface products. These assets were carefully crafted for a range of digital and print formats, ensuring that every element of the new Microsoft lineup was flawlessly prepared for global exposure.
