“Are we crazy? There was absolutely no market for TWELVE DLP projectors at 30,000 lumens in the Philippines. Suppliers said we were the first.”
Wency Tan is the head of Media Display Solutions of United Neon. If you don’t know that company, you’ve certainly seen their work. On your commutes along EDSA or the highway, they’ve been managing those billboards for decades. The industry calls this OOH or Out of Home, and it took a beating during the pandemic for obvious reasons.
Sitting across to her, I knew immediately she was one of us. A true nerd who walked me through how she discovered how to float 3D images into the sky as a new concept for out of home advertising. She first discovered 3D projection on a mesh during a trip to Amsterdam where an events tent featured floating objects. As she walked closer, she realized thay they were being projected on an almost invisible canvas which she later on discovered was called a “holo mesh” or “holo gauze.”
It took United Neon three years of R&D to replicate this technology using 12 Panasonic DLP projectors at 30,000 lumens each. At 2K resolution, they’re able to project 3D floating images that can permeate through the mesh. If you have your camera settings just right, or the evening weather conditions are perfect, the mesh looks almost invisible.
The pandemic took a toll on the display industry since nobody was going out. As lockdowns were slowly relaxed, she noticed that BGC became a favorite walking spot because it was outdoors and picturesque. That is when she thought of the 3D billboard concepts we now see along 5th Ave by One Bonifacio and Central Square, now a favorite photo spot for pedestrians. “We wanted something new to cater to foot traffic instead of car traffic,” Wency says. The new display, dubbed “Magic at the 5th” is a floating mesh along 5th Avenue sandwiched by the two 3D billboards, by the intersection of 32nd Street.
“We continuously challenge ourselves in coming up with innovations that entertain, connect with the audience and elicit engagement. For Magic at the 5th, we took inspiration from the simple projector and focused on how we can do executions using that idea on a larger-than-life scale. We collaborated with local and international integrators who have executed similar projects, making sure that this first Sky Projection in Southeast Asia would be nothing short of breathtaking,” explained MDS Head Wency Adrielyne Chavez Tan.
The project is called Magic at the 5th because the Sky Projection was launched at 5th Avenue in BGC where UNMG’s crowd-drawing Integrated 3D billboards are also located.
“We will light up the sky with beautiful stories in crisp, vivid colors that will surely delight everyone,” Tan exclaimed, adding that the main goal of Magic at the 5th is to serve unique, world-class entertainment and an unforgettable experience for people of all ages.
Magic at the 5th will be seen at BGC from November to February with visually compelling stories celebrating Christmas, Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. After BGC, Tan said they plan to bring the “magic” to different locations given the “portability” nature of the technology that UNMG-MDS was able to put together.
