Footprints is an authorized Birkenstock dealer and retailer of a broad selection of footware, clothing, and leather goods. They maintain walk-in and mail order businesses from an historic building in Lawrence, Kansas. Footprint's commitment to the customer, expert knowledge, and in-house repair shop make them one of the leading Birkenstock outlets in the country.

For over 8 years, Forcade Associates has designed, photographed, and produced the Footprints mail order catalog and print advertising. In addition to these services, Footprints calls upon Forcade Associates to produce their television advertising.

	Forcade Associates created 15 & 30 second versions of the 3d animation for broadcast television

Project Scope
The latest 30 and 15 second spots were aimed at promoting a Footprints as a Birkenstock dealer. The project began as vision of a field of multicolored tulips which could be used to form an image of a Birkenstock Sandal. Central to Footprints' goal was an ad that was visually attractive while using sound and music sparingly. The commercial's look also needed to be thematically linked to their Spring/Summer catalog. Forcade Associates opted to produce the ad using computer animation.

The final animation depicts a spring sunrise with a single tulip blowing gently in the breeze as a distant rooster crows. As the sun rises, the camera pulls back slowly while more and more multicolored flowers appear. As the camera moves through the garden, several tulips are displaced and snap back upright as irritated insects buzz by. The camera gains speed and with a whoosh the viewer is suddenly whisked several hundred feet above the garden.

The aerial view through wispy clouds reveals that the tulip garden is actually shaped like a Birkenstock sandal. The tulip sandal fades into a photo of a real sandal as a super of the store name and address appears. A voice-over announces Footprints' tag line and the image fades. Forcade Associates modeled, animated, and rendered the commercial using 3D animation software. We also directed the post-production audio track editing.

	Still images from the animation were used to create the cover and illustrations for the 24 page color Spring/Summer '98 mail order catalog. The catalog was also designed & produced by Forcade Assoicates.