Mar 17, 2016 | By Kira
Last year, diaper brand Huggies brought us the heart-warming story of visually impaired mother-to-be Tatiana, who came to know her unborn son for the very first time thanks to a life-like 3D printed model of his ultrasound. The advertising clip, titled Meeting Murilo, was undeniably powerful, spreading the message that the power of touch is absolutely essential to the mother-child relationship—even if, as in this case, it requires a little technological assistance by way of 3D printing.
Now, Huggies Brazil is back with a follow-up film, Murilo’s First 100 Days, in which we get to see how Tatiana and Murilo are getting along now that she doesn’t need to rely on 3D printing technology to know the beautiful details of her baby boy’s face.
In Meeting Murilo, which has now been viewed more than 13 million times, we are introduced to Tatiana at an ultrasound appointment. She glows with excitement as she describes how she imagines her unborn son might look, however we soon come to understand that Tatiana is visually impaired, and therefore relies on her sense of touch to ‘see’ and know the world—her son included.
In order to give this blind mom-to-be the experience every mother deserves, Huggies Brazil and ad agency Mood teamed with a 3D printing company The Goodfellas to create a life-like, 3D printed sculpture of Murilo’s face based on the ultrasound her doctors had just taken. The moment she realizes what is happening is beautifully moving, proving that even something as mechanical as 3D printing can, in fact, stir powerful human emotions.
In contrast, Murilo’s First 100 Days, created once again by Mood and directed by Jorge Brivilati, is centered entirely on the intimate, unmediated moments between mother and son: she gently bathes him, caresses his head, and feeds him—never losing touch with his perfect, baby-soft skin.
The three-minute clip was designed to emphasize not only the emotional power of touch, but its health benefits as well. According to Huggies, which runs the No Baby Unhugged initiative, only 12% of people associate love and affection with a baby’s development, yet affection—shown through the power of hugs—allows babies to feel safe, strengthens their immune systems, and can even promote brain development.
It’s an important message to share, and the video itself is poignant and beautiful to watch. Yet at the same time, Huggie’s sequel is somewhat less moving than its now-viral predecessor, suggesting that, at least when it comes to advertising, a 3D printed hug can be just as powerful as the real thing.
Read about other ways in which 3D printing is helping the visually impaired, and watch Huggie's Meeting Murilo and Murilo's First 100 Days below to see the power of both 3D printed and real-life touch in all its heart-warming glory:
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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