The Brief

'Honda 3D Design Archive' is the attempt to co-create a new concept model with the customers by sharing them the 3D data of concept models Honda has introduced in the past. The users are allowed to modify and share their works under Creative Commons license. In the new era of manufacturing brought by the advancement of technology, like internet and affordable 3D printers, the customers are no longer treated as 'users' but 'co-creators'.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

Just as YouTube liberated amateur creatives to engage in video production, we feel that widespread use of 3D printer may bring similar phenomenon to the product design field – dissolving the border between manufacturer and user. Innovation is inevitable. In order to show the world Honda’s pioneering manufacturing spirit, our strategy was not only for Honda to release 3D data, under a new set of copyright licensing standards, Creative Commons licenses. This provided users the right to act like auto manufacturers and allowed them to replicate, modify and share their works – something no other auto manufacture has done.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

During the first month of the launch, more than 53,000 files were downloaded from all over the world. (This number is not a small number compared with the total number of 3D printers shipped during 2013, 68,000 units.) As a result of this radical communication idea Honda was able to introduce the "art of manufacturing" to its users, something that has never been attempted in history, and changed the conventional communication framework between a manufacturer and its users. With a great request from the global 'Makers', the client has decided to add further concept models on the website.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

Due to the latest technological innovations and the introduction of affordable household 3D printers, the 'art of manufacturing' in society is experiencing fundamental change. Against the backdrop of such change, Honda designed this project in an effort to identify new ways of communication beyond the conventional framework between a manufacturer and its users.