In celebration of its 25th anniversary year, Martin Professional held a special “Innovation and Inspiration” event for industry professionals at two of London’s premiere locations, the landmark BT Tower and the award-winning headquarters of creative communications company Imagination. The day featured presentations by senior Imagination member Paul Scott, as well as leading UK lighting designer Bernie Davis.
Because consumer brands are increasingly judged by the experiences they offer, Paul Scott put forward for attendees Imagination’s overriding philosophy to imagine a more creative future for their clients.
“We have always tried to push innovation and lighting technology and one main distinction is that we rarely think of the medium first – we think of a way of doing something first, and then apply whatever medium is applicable,” he said. “It is always our policy to decide what needs to be achieved, and then find a way of doing it.”
Where there is no lighting fixture or equipment to do what is wanted, Imagination has often asked manufacturers to develop these for them, which is how their relationship with Martin Professional’s R+D team came about.
Scott’s presentation was illustrated with examples of both early and recent Imagination architectural lighting projects, from the unconventional blue-lit Lloyd’s building, to the 360-degree BT Tower’s Olympic LED information band, through to the most recent cruise liners for Disney Cruise Line. These latter commissions incorporated the first-time use of derivative versions of Martin Exterior 400™ LED fixtures for all deck and funnel lighting. In addition, there are 1,600 customized Martin FlexDOT LED pixels illuminating the length of a 765 ft long water coaster tube ride.
Bernie Davis, lighting designer behind a large variety of high-profile productions including three royal weddings, and winner of several lighting industry awards, shared some of his industry experience.
“I was very pleased and rather flattered to be invited to speak at the Imagination event hosted by Martin Professional,” he said. “Imagination has an international reputation for producing spectacular events and I was pleased I had the chance to visit them and learn more about what they did, and of course Martin Professional has made products that I use on most of my shows so I always want to find out what they are bringing out next. Lucky for me it was a day I was not working.”
Martin Professional’s Director of Strategic Global Accounts, Morten Gjøtz, was pleased with the event, emphasizing the quality of the presentations as well as the clients involved.
“Both Paul and Bernie shared valuable insight and experience that is extremely beneficial to hear and not easy to come by,” he said. “ We place great value on having direct contact with and creating strategic partnerships with leading designers and design companies like Bernie and Imagination, as well as high-profile end users like BT. Their participation was greatly appreciated. They are exactly the types of win-win partnerships that we wish to nurture with installation projects going forward.”
