CASE STUDY
COLDPLAY: UNFRAMED
Live VR Broadcast + Global EXPERIENTIAL Extensions FOR LIVE NATION / SAMSUNG
Description
Coldplay’s ‘A Head Full Of Dreams’ tour was the visual and audio spectacle of 2017; a global tour that was two hours of pure magic - incredible setlist, coupled with amazing pyrotechnics, confetti blasts, lasers, and LED bracelets on every fan in the stadium. But many of their most passionate fans will never get the chance to see them play live.
If we could let fans around the world experience this show live, in a headset, this would be THE defining VR moment of 2017 … the largest global VR livestream concert performance and production in history, showing the world the power of Samsung Gear VR.
The full Coldplay concert was captured and streamed live, exclusively via Samsung VR Live Pass, available to watch on the Gear VR headset or the Samsung Mobile VR app, giving fans a one of a kind immersive experience. Afterwards, the performance was made available on-demand, for free, for 3 months.
Brief
While Virtual Reality is a transformative new medium for storytelling, today’s challenge is to actually get consumers into headsets to experience the magic for themselves. To that end, Live Nation partnered with Samsung and Coldplay to create a record breaking immersive VR concert livestream, enabling fans anywhere in the world to experience the band’s jaw dropping live show via their mobile device or Gear VR Headset.
Objective
Position the Samsung Gear VR headset as the ultimate ticket to the best gig on earth.
Strategy
Our approach was to capture the attention of Coldplay fans around the world who were unable to attend in person and invite them to an exclusive concert livestream only accessible with the Gear VR headset and Samsung Mobile devices - perfectly aligning with the brand’s overarching philosophy of Do What You Can’t. By targeting the audience of a band with millions of fans in over 50 counties, we were able to create a global cultural moment and introduce Samsung’s platforms + devices to thousands of new consumers in a never before seen way. VR was the only medium that could make this happen.
Execution
The production was ambitious and extensive — and required thousands of hours of planning across 5 cities in 3 continents. We filmed Coldplay and followed Chris Martin across 3 stages taking up the space of an entire football field.
Using 17 stereoscopic 360° VR cameras, 14 4k cameras, over 12,000 feet of fiber-optic cabling, two satellite transmission trucks, and real time high-tech live stitch and render servers combined with live audio mixing, color timing and motion graphics, we captured the full concert and streamed it LIVE in VR for the first time ever.
Not only was the production a feat in itself, but the reach was unprecedented, with the livestream being broadcast to 50+ countries across the globe – free to access for fans with a Samsung Gear VR headset.
Experiential
Samsung held special live viewing events across multiple countries, including Canada, Brazil, Korea and across the United States, leading up to the Live Nation concert to help drive user engagement for the momentous event.
These events gave fans an opportunity to “attend” the live broadcast viewable on the big screen, and experience the magic of VR for themselves.
Outcome
Consumers around the world were completely immersed in magical moments that only live music can bring. The livestream turned out to be Samsung’s most watched piece of VR content to-date, eclipsing all other content on their platform.
My Role
Biz Dev // Strategy // Executive Producer // Creative Director // Production Supervision
In my role as Director, XR Creative + Production and VP, Creative, Innovation for Live Nation’s Media & Sponsorship division, I envisioned, developed and pitched this global VR broadcast event to both Samsung and Coldplay. Once the concept was approved and the deal was done, I worked in my role as Creative Director and Production Supervisor across the broadcast components, working with the incredible teams at Live Nation, Samsung, RG/A, Publicis, vantage.tv, and Coldplay to bring the concept to life.
Impact
Samsung’s most watched piece of VR content to-date, eclipsing all other content on their platform.
The largest, global VR livestream in history, broadcast live in 50+ countries.
99% positive response to the media & content.
21% increase in awareness of Samsung Gear VR.
48% increase in interest in Gear VR.
9.6 million impressions of the livestream.
57.4% increase in active user engagement.
11.2% increase in new users on the VR mobile app.
88MM+ digital and social media impressions
Awards
Cannes Lions 2018 >
Shortlist, Entertainment Innovation in Branded Content