THE CHALLENGE

Polar’s watches are well known amongst athletes but seldom known by a broader audience. The newly launched Ignite 3 wanted to take a step further: aiming to demonstrate their value to lifestyle audiences. In a world increasingly invested in fitness and health there is a tendency to train our hearts and bodies to exhaustion. Increasingly, research is emphasizing that sleep and recovery are just as important for our wellbeing. With this in mind, the Polar ignite 3 was deployed, tracking the circadian rhythm of the wearer accommodating their own unique experience.

THE STRATEGY

We crafted a concept demonstrating the value of the watch, celebrating ‘The Beauty of Data’. We collaborated with visual artists 3D Studio Racecar as well as data artist Kirell Benzi to create what we touted THE FLOWER. Data whilst functional is lacklustre to many: we aimed to inform the value of the watch whilst increasing engagement and relevance. Flowers were chosen as the appropriate medium as they are universally recognised as beautiful. Their natural shape could mimic the 24-hour life cycle like a clock, easy to read and interpret for the wearer. Recognising our bodies experience millions of signals daily unseen to the eye, we wanted to visually communicate the workings of the circadian rhythm shown through artworks.

To demonstrate this, we amassed three laypeople: a pilot, winemaker, and young professional. We created a new visual language: translating heart rate, body movement and sleep cycles into three FLOWERs representing the wearers lifestyle. 

THE EXECUTION

Once established the system came alive, providing a design that represented the individual’s rhythm. The visualisation featured petals for every 10 minutes of the day, changing colour, shape, and size whenever there was a significant deviation. A deviation could be mid-sleep interruption, a strenuous run in the park, or even a difficult conversation with a colleague. These were tracked via heart rate and displayed within the works of art.  Each of the petals represented a distinct data point based on the user’s unique activity. The flowers were rendered in high definition and displayed during the live global press launch of the Polar Ignite 3. The fantastical works of art were clarified by the participants as well as the participants. 

THE OUTCOME

Polar strives to give people better insights into their health. Now, we have taken a step further through integrating sport with lifestyle data: providing the information people need to pursue healthier, happier lives. The striking visualizations gave insight into the silent language of their lives. Previously unseen underworking’s of their bodily rhythms were able to be displayed as unique artworks, stepping into unchartered territory. The exhibited artworks were unveiled in launch events, live streams, and pioneered tech pavilions around Europe.