SoVibrant technology that cuts out the showroom

Harrogate-based SoVibrant has been trading for just over three years. It was founded in 2009 by a team including entrepreneur Adam Atkinson, now 32, who began his business career at the age of 16. Previously, if companies were planning a concept and they wanted to get it to market, they would use a drawing board design as a starting point. A 3D model may be constructed as part of the design process.

Their clients include Royal Mail, where they constructed a hyper realistic image of the reception area in Mount Pleasant, London, to York Tourist Information Centre, local authorities and schools. Research has shown that a well-designed office can improve staff productivity, reduce staff turnover and ensure morale is high.

However, SoVibrant has found a gap in the market by showing clients a prototype in their showroom, shop, hotel lobby or home before it’s available on the high street, without the use of costly photographic studios or the need to construct and staff showrooms.

The technology they harness has previously been used in computer games such as those on Xboxes or PS3s. The 3D technology that has until recent times been confined to the imaginary world of computer games is now being used by the commercial world. SoVibrant’s team believes it can change the way consumers shop if it becomes widely embraced.

Victoria Stares, brand and experience specialist at SoVibrant, said they have 13 employees and are looking to recruit a further three members of staff in various roles. There are four elements of the business – interior designs, workplace solutions, 3D visualisation and brand and experience. Their clients also include DLA Piper and Bruntwood.

Turnover is increasing year on year. Last year, it was £460,000 and it increased to £650,000 this year. The forecast for the forthcoming year is £850,000 turnover.

She says the images are so realistic that customers can’t work out if it’s 3D or real. They are working on new stereoscopic technology and technology that uses red and cyan glasses. “With 3D it’s so much easier for clients to make tweaks to designs than when they’re working in 2D,” she said. She said the company believes the Yorkshire economic landscape is buoyant with the opening of the Trinity shopping centre and the Arena in Leeds.

Mo Akhtar, head of media, began his career in the games industry where, not surprisingly, imagery is everything. “It’s all about making things feel as real as possible to give the customer the sense they’re really there. That’s not been so important commercially until now, but with 3D technology becoming an increasingly established part of the marketing mix, the demand for innovation is likely to grow.”

He says SoVibrant is determined to lead the way. Companies such as theirs have tended to steer away from offering virtual environments as the necessary hardware and software was deemed to be too costly. However, Mr Akhtar believes that if demand continues to grow, those companies that don’t offer such a service will be left behind.

Curiously, he says the more realistic the image the more likely the human brain is likely to believe what they see. If they tried to create an overtly fantasy image, the brain wouldn’t believe it was real.

The technology means that you can put a client in a market they’re wanting to enter by creating the virtual worlds.

SoVibrant has worked with glassolutions, a company that provides glass for the architectural and construction industries. Using the products has allowed the company to showcase their products without the need to hire studios for photography or construct and maintain warehouse-sized showrooms.

Kathryn Dalglish, of glassolutions, said it was a way of showcasing a variety of products in one setting and to create others that were appealing to their target audience. She said the key advantages were “savings in both time and cost”.

She said: “If you’re using 3D you don’t have to wait until a new project is completed before you can put it on display or spend money on sets which can be expensive.”

She added it is going to be a key tool for the company in the future.

Guy Stanley, of Armour Blinds, used the 3D technology to allow their customers to see what their products look like in a familiar environment, without having to invest in showroom space and sales staff.

Mr Stanley said: “We’re all about innovation in the workplace and using 3D helps us present ourselves and our products in the best possible light. It’s sharper, reflects our upmarket image and it’s a lot more flexible.”

Daring to be different

SoVibrant is an independent creative design consultancy that was founded in 2009 by managing director Adam Atkinson, an entrepreneur, who is now in his early 30s who began his own company at the age of 16.

His favourite quote is from Haruki Marukami: “if you only read the books everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”

The company’s products can be shown before they are constructed via the use of the ultra-realistic technology, normally seen in computer games. With a turnover of £650,000 they are continuing to expand.