Reply XChange 2016

Symbolising an unforgettable moment

Client: Reply

3d marketing and corporate communication

challenge

A trophy with an innovative design that embodies Reply’s identity.

solution

Conceptualisation and creation of twelve kits used during the prize-giving ceremony at the XChange corporate event in Milan.

In the charming setting of the main corporate event of the year, the Reply XChange trophy rewards the professionals who have stood out within the corporate network. Protocube Reply has accepted the challenge to summarise the main figurative elements of the Reply brand in a technologically-advanced design, translating its vocation into a digital sculpture made in 3D printing.

A trophy is a very particular piece of design. It must be able to symbolise the emotions of a unique moment that often represents the ultimate form of recognition in one’s professional, artistic or sporting career. It must also conserve and evoke them every time you look at the display case containing the memories of your life.

Presented during the main corporate event of the year, the Reply XChange trophy acknowledges the professionals that have distinguished themselves on the company network. Protocube Reply took on the challenge of incorporating the main figurative elements of the Reply brand in a technologically advanced design that emphasises the company’s vocation.

The official Reply logo (credits Reply)

The “R” and the stylised figure, together with the characteristic green colour, are the distinctive features of the unmistakable Reply logo. The Trophy explores these three dimensions to unite these iconic traits in a single object (credits Protocube Reply)

The concept brings together the two main features of the logo in a single object, defined thanks to advanced parametric 3D modelling and rapid prototyping techniques.

The Reply XChange 2016 Trophy is formed of a simple base in black Plexiglas connected to the main body, a single piece of Nycrotech, a Protocube Reply patented material previously used in high-end projects like the Alfa Romeo merchandise project. Nycrotech can be used in 3D printing processes and guarantees excellent qualities in terms of strength and lightness, as well as aesthetic results that have earned it great praise in various digital crafting projects.

The XChange 2016 Trophy is the result of a complex lattice modelling process. The use of parametric software like Grasshopper, developed by McNeel, makes it possible to generate and manage all of the object’s parameters in terms of its shape and dimensions (credits Protocube Reply)

As such, the design of a trophy able to represent the essential characteristics of additive manufacturing represented a genuine technological challenge in many ways. A very important aspect for a company for whom innovation is one of the cornerstones of its brand.

3D printing technologies also make it possible to specifically adapt to the very diverse and demanding field of events and merchandising with a very variable budget range and often very reasonable development times. For this reason it is essential to be proficient with many technologies and to know how to combine them in the most effective way, according to the goals of each project.

The entire Reply XChange 2016 Trophy development cycle took less than a month with twelve examples produced.

For those interested in learning more about the project, a making of the 3D printed trophy is available on 3D Stories. A chance to reflect on the opportunities and advantages that the use of 3D technologies guarantees in the product design arena.