Tag Delivers Virtual Rodin 'The Thinker' to University of Louisville 2020 Graduations

Tag, the global creative production partner to brands and agencies, delivered an augmented reality experience to allow graduates to pose with monumental Rodin ‘The Thinker’ sculpture, virtually, in celebration of the University of Louisville graduation, on May 9th, 2020. The sculpture, which has been at the heart of the university campus since 1949, is tradition for the commencement experience and graduation portraits.  

Tag’s creative production team, Taylor James, was selected as the strategic partner to the agency BVK to help them bring their big idea to life: a microsite for the University of Louisville where graduates who are not on campus due to the Covid-19 pandemic can still take part in this graduation tradition – having their portrait taken with Rodin’s statue of The Thinker. Students are able to access an augmented reality version of the figure and take photographs using their smartphones. Photographs are shared across social channels with the hashtag UofLGrads2020.

To create the statue, Tag’s creative production team built a 3D rendering of the statue using computer generated imagery (CGI,) built in texture and lighting and virtually brought the statue into the homes of the students. The CGI model was exported to a graduation microsite to be easily accessed via smartphone augmented reality technology. 

“We’ve created these experiences for the automotive industry, for consumer brands and retail and are thrilled to be using our creative technology to help students celebrate their accomplishments in this difficult time,” explains Ajit Kara, CEO Tag Americas. 

The AR model allows the 3D representation of ‘The Thinker’ to be projected at scale and the student at home to stand alongside the statue and have someone take their picture, just as they would on campus.  

To view the AR rendering, visit here.