When looking for design inspiration, sometimes, all you need is a fresh perspective. That’s the gist of a new marketing campaign from VELUX^®, the world leader in skylights and roof windows.

They say the quietest people have the loudest minds, and the same can be said for the most unnoticed yet impactful wall in every room – the ceiling. As an unexpected design space with a direct connection to the great wide open, it’s the fifth wall.

The fifth wall is the gem hiding in plain sight. It’s the blank canvas hungry for pops of color and style, natural light and fresh air. It’s the unexpected window to the great, wide world.

But if people aren’t thinking about a product, how can marketers tell its story?

The challenge

VELUX is a global company based in Europe, where the brand is to skylights as Kleenex® is to tissue in the United States. The simple fact is, Americans don’t think about skylights as naturally as their neighbors across the pond. Here, remodels equal custom cabinets and granite countertops and new faucets. And despite their innate power to transform spaces, skylights often don’t make it into the renovation conversation.

We wanted to help change that.

But first, we had to figure out how to help people experience the magic of skylights without actually standing beneath them. Luckily, VELUX is an innovative, fresh brand that isn’t afraid to push boundaries in its marketing.

What came next was a shoot that stretched our imaginations and transcended anything we’d ever done on a set.

The solution

It all started with an idea.

At Wray Ward, we’re always asking the question, What if? Always going beyond what is and considering what could be, we tackle each challenge with the intent to create unexpected possibilities that differentiate brands and accelerate their success.

So, we thought, what if…we forced people to shift their perspective? To see an ordinary space in a whole new way? What if…we flipped a normal room on its side to film a commercial?

It was an intriguing idea yet also easier said than technically done. In order for it to work, we had to nail the rhythm and cadence. To pull it off, we used a sophisticated motion control camera rig to capture the actress with speed and precision as she rotated 90 degrees. We styled the room sideways and right-ways. Heck, we even composed music that flipped with the shot.

VELUX | Shift Your Outlook from Wray Ward on Vimeo

The beauty of this spot is that it’s all in the camera. What you see on the screen doesn’t rely on special effects or trickery. It’s also shot in a room that’s so warm and natural and inviting, you can’t help but want to spend time there. A room that feels like home. A room that would work even if you removed all the furniture, which only speaks to the power of skylights.

We captured photography for print on the same set, but the print execution presented its own set of unique challenges. We knew that if the image didn’t motivate readers to flip the page on its side, it’d fail. The solution? Put a dog in the room.

The results

The most effective marketing elicits emotion, and this campaign gets it in spades. It’s also a gold mine for content, as the fifth wall concept easily translated to a successful influencer marketing program with five bloggers in five locations all over the country.

Full-scale marketing campaigns often kick off in the spring, but VELUX shared its fifth wall with the world at the beginning of the year to tap into this essential dreaming stage for many consumers. Today, the fifth wall concept is not only eliciting solid results for the brand, it’s also capturing earned media attention and premium print placements. It’s running in the United States and in Europe. And a little more than halfway through the year, the VELUX website whyskylights.com (where the campaign drives consumers in order to lead them from design inspiration to skylight installation) has experienced 60 percent more sessions than in the same period in 2016.

This concept was difficult. This concept was risky. But VELUX shares our passion for big ideas. And the fifth wall reminded us all why sometimes, not taking a calculated risk can be the riskiest move of all.

The fifth wall campaign is just one example of the magic that can result from a great creative marketing idea, and I’m proud of our team for the role they played in showcasing the transformative power of skylights.

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