Ever since his debut show for Ariba ran its course back in 2011, Axel has been sitting on a shelf in some pixelated closet where hundreds of other animated characters go once their gigs are up. But the truth is, we missed the little guy and would watch his show from time to time just for fun.

In the meantime, Ariba’s online solutions were changing the way companies around the globe do business with one another. As the company continued to grow and offer new and expanded services, its story became more and more complex. Ariba felt it was time to update its message so that audiences would have a more up-to-date, “big picture” understanding of the magnitude of Ariba and the global, networked economy it has created.

So when Ariba talked to us about creating a series of videos for just that purpose, we suggested dusting Axel off and giving him another chance to perform. Ariba loved the idea and even suggested we give Axel some friends to help tell Ariba’s story along the way.

Starting with The Networked Economy, the overview video to your left, our creative teams worked alongside Ariba’s to create a series of short and engaging motion graphics pieces, starring Axel and his buddies.

Collaborating with Ariba is always a blast – they’ve got tons of talent brains and talent. And they’re not afraid to think outside the box – or reach back into the closet – for a great idea.

After completing the overview, it was time to attack the next three videos. Two of the videos are featured at left, highlighting Ariba’s Buying and Selling services. Stay tuned for the final installment of this series, Manage Cash.

 
Seriously? Another spoof of “Gangnam Style”? Aren’t there enough of those on You Tube all ready? That was our first thought. Which was quickly followed by our second thought: Wait – they’re gonna pay us to have that kind of fun?

Suddenly it was a no-brainer! The decision, that is. The shoot itself required a very intense few days of brainstorming and planning.

Here’s how it went down. With just two weeks to go before the company’s Annual Employee Town Hall Meeting, the marketing folks at Manhattan Associates called us with an incredibly fun idea (and a big challenge): create a spoof of 2012’s top viral video to kick off the conference.

Blue Marble teams got right to work studying the original music video. We had to figure out how to create a two-minute parody that could be shot entirely at Manhattan’s Atlanta headquarters — all in one day. Gangnam Style became Manhattan Style – and we were off and running.

Over the next week, we blocked out each scene, rallied props and supplies and held auditions for our lead dancer. After the one-day shoot, there was just under a week left for editing.

In the end, we all had a blast. And we’re more than just a little proud of the results. Hats off to all the Manhattan employees who helped Blue Marble pull this off in such a short amount of time – Collaboration Style.

 

You can imagine what an afternoon of watching training videos can be like for healthcare technicians – major yawn – but it’s necessary to stay abreast of issues in an ever-changing and evolving industry.

Fortunately, the good folks at the CDC Foundation – aware of the lack of creativity in the medical training video realm – sought to break the lackluster mold by asking us to produce an all animation “refresher” video about safe injection practices. They wanted a video that was as educational as it was entertaining. Together, we collaborated to produce what would become a piece that’s definitely closer in spirit to a Pixar short than that awful biology video you slept through in eighth grade.

Blue Marble creative teams developed the storyline concept and script. We then designed the characters and overall look and feel of the show. Storyboards came next for review with the client. Once all the elements had been approved, our team went to work animating, recording the narration and building a soundtrack with music and sound effects.

Don’t worry, though, we didn’t come up with the bits about how to perform the medical procedures – we left that to the pros at the CDC.

 

When Atlanta’s High Museum of Art asked us to create a digital, multi-media timeline to be showcased in their latest exhibit “Fast Forward: Modern Moments 1913 ›› 2013,” we were honored and eager to get started! The exhibit, part of an ongoing partnership between the High Museum and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), explores the development of 100 years of artwork hand-picked from MoMA’s collection. Focusing on key periods in art history that represent historic milestones of the 20th century, “Fast Forward” highlights some of the greatest works in contemporary art, while offering the context in which these masterpieces were created. As one of the largest surveys of modern artwork ever showcased in the Southeast – think Matisse, Dali, O’Keeffe and Koons, to name just a few – this is a very big deal.

Our assignment? Translate the concept of the entire exhibit, which includes more than 130 works of art, into an eight minute, 6-screen, video experience. With an illustrative soundtrack and bold motion graphics, Blue Marble designed the animated timeline to add dimension and perspective to the overall exhibit.

For Blue Marble it was indeed an honor to part of the High Museum / MOMA collaboration. For our work to be displayed along with some of the greatest art in modern history… awesome!

“Fast Forward: Modern Moments 1913 ›› 2013,” is currently on view at the High Museum and runs through January 20.

 

Lately, the term “economic expansion” seems like a bit of an oxymoron. So it’s refreshing to hear about the growth potential of a pioneering industry, particularly when it’s being launched (literally) in your backyard.

Blue Marble was recently tapped by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) to produce the first two of a series of videos highlighting the important work being done by the Georgia Centers of Innovation (COI). There are a total of six centers, each one dedicated to promoting businesses in a designated growth industry – Aerospace, Agribusiness, Energy, Life Sciences, Logistics, and Manufacturing – by connecting them with a statewide network of resources.

Our first assignment was the COI for Aerospace and the entrepreneurs at Area I, who have developed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) known as “PTERA.” Looking suspiciously like a large model plane, PTERA is far from toy-like, with a mission to test new technologies too risky to try on manned aircraft.

Blue Marble pre-recorded the interviews at a local sound studio, enabling us to piece together the best sound bytes into a script before the filming began. Then, with just one day available for the shoot, our video crew was able to focus on capturing all the specific scenes (b-roll) we needed to tell the story of how this particular COI has further propelled Georgia’s aerospace industry – and increased opportunities for economic expansion.

 

It’s hard to believe that in 2012, children in Kenya and other remote parts of the world die everyday because they don’t have access to common life-saving medicines. One nonprofit, The Healthstore Foundation, is seeking to change that with an idea that’s surprisingly simple: a network of franchised clinics.

The Healthstore Foundation approached Blue Marble to produce a video that would introduce potential investors to the sustainable and scalable business model that could change not only Kenya’s future but that of other marginalized populations all over the world. We sent a Blue Marble crew to Nairobi, Kenya and on to several remote villages to gather footage of The HealthStore Foundation’s impact on the area through its CFW Clinics. This is their story.