Portfolio: The Economics of Metals | LAI Video

The Economics of Metals

We partnered with the Metals Service Center Institute to talk about the significance of their impact on national and local economies. With original design and motion graphics, LAI Video created an infographic-inspired video that walks viewers through the most important (and memorable!) factoids.

Telling the Story of Data

In the wake of the Great Recession, many organizations turned to telling an economic story. Representing a diverse and multi-faceted industry, MSCI had the data to make some powerful assertions of how metals service centers contribute billions to the economy. Billions with a “B!” However thorough, no one was reading this masterpiece report. But we could help. Loizou adapted the dense study into a less-than-two-minute breakdown of the best statistics. Embracing a friendly narrator, the video takes a big step back to remind viewers that every finished metals product — buildings, cars, etc. — has undergone an epic economic journey. A journey that was best explained visually.

World-Building with Triangles

Moving away from the cliché metallic textures of a steel-based industry, we sought an aesthetic as vibrant as the industry itself. The report was black on white and void of any visual interest (not even clipart!), but this was an opportunity for Tiffany to create something from scratch. Loosely inspired by MSCI’s organizational brand, Tiffany relied on tangible triangles to build and rebuild things from scene to scene. Manufacturing facilities fluidly transformed into maps of the United States. As 18-wheeler trucks slid across the frame, colorful communities emerged behind it. The video imbues a sense of positivity for industry that’s truly making a difference. After realizing a type of utopia, the video encourages viewers to read the full report on MSCI’s website.