Paul Smith in store installation

the brief

To create a physical interactive installation in Paul Smith Jeans which responds graphically to sound. The installation should encourage visitors to sing and shout, increase footfall and generate PR and word of mouth recommendation.

the project

The Paul Smith sound interactive is a suite of sound toys running on a snow white Apple I-mac, without keyboard or mouse. The only way you can interact with the sound toys is via the built in microphone input – by shouting or singing. The software comprises 8 different interactives based around the character of R. Newbold – a workwear brand owned by Paul Smith. There are 5 toys based around the tag line “R. Newbold was a very practical man”. Each toy shows R. Newbold damaging himself in some way or other. For example in one toy he is holding a hair dryer very close to his head. The hair dryer responds to sound input – the louder the input the harder the hair dryer blows. If you shout loud enough the hair dryer blows R. Newbold’s head right off. The remaining 3 toys are abstract representations of sound. They help the user to understand the direct relationship between the ambient sound level in the store and the onscreen visuals.