In 2022, I had the opportunity to scuba dive with manta rays and it was absolutely breathtaking - I wanted to recreate and channel that beauty into an object I could idly watch on my desk. The final lamp consists of three mechanically actuated manta rays that individually flap their wings as they swim around the periphery of a tank filled with mineral oil.
To create the appearance of swimming, I decided to make the mechanisms out of clear acrylic and fill the tank with mineral oil. Since they have a similar refractive index, the acrylic “disappears” and all that’s left is the manta. Also, mineral oil does not short circuit electronics, making it a safer option to fill the tank than water.
To recreate the fluid motion of swimming mantas, I laser cut kerf bending pattern into the manta ray, allowing the acrylic to flex. Then, I tied fishing line to the tips of the wings to create a flexible joint. Finally, I installed linear actuators to move a plate connected to the fishing line the wings up and down.
Using an Arduino, I set each linear actuator to have variable cycle times and offset their start to make them seem more natural. The linear actuators were set on a large gear and connected to a DC motor, allowing the mantas to spin around the tank. Finally, I sewed a cover for the top half of the tank to cover the mechanism and it was complete!
So how is any writer supposed to pen a stunning piece of advertising copy — copy that sizzles and sells? The following tips will jumpstart your creative thinking and help you write a better ad. Consumers are inundated with ads, so it’s vital that your ad catches the eye and immediately grabs interest.
You could do this with a headline or slogan (such as VW’s “Drivers Wanted” campaign), color or layout (Target’s new colorful, simple ads are a testimony to this) or illustration (such as the Red Bull characters or Zoloft’s depressed ball and his ladybug friend). All good advertising copy is comprised of the same basic elements.
Magazine advertising is the most versatile, but this is solely dependent on the size of your ad and how many other ads compete with yours.
Grabbing the consumer’s attention isn’t enough; you have to keep that attention for at least a few seconds. This is where your benefits come into play or a product description that sets your offer apart from the others.
If you have a full page ad, feel free to experiment; more page space gives you more creative space. If the ad is tiny, you’ll need to keep things as simple as possible.
