VIRTUAL MEMORIES
As part of the ‘Let the Memories Begin’ campaign, Disney Parks, the theme park arm of the Walt Disney Company, launched a live augmented reality experience in Times Square. I pitched the idea to the brand marketing team directly. My team at Grand Visual and our expert partners worked for 6 months behind the scenes to bring this exhibit to the people of New York.
GROUND BREAKING & INNOVATIVE
In a media first, members of the public were able to interact with live Disney characters such as Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, and star in their own billboard campaign.
“Let the Memories Begin” was designed to deliver an emotional, one-of-a-kind Disney Park memory for kids and families in NYC. Participants stood in the interactive zone and looked up to see themselves larger than life on the giant Disney Store Screen soaring above. Tinkerbell suddenly flew over the screen, sprinkling magic and revealing a Disney character who interacted with the participants in real time. The character then posed for a photograph with the families, who were sent their shot digitally by Disney, encouraging guests to share their experience online.
Produced by the creative technology specialist Grand Visual in collaboration with Disney, the campaign featured real Disney characters beamed in live from a green screen studio nearby. Grand Visual’s AR and vision-mixing technology merged the Disney character on screen with live footage of the families in Times Square.
The activity created virtual memories in the form of photographs, which were screened on the Disney Store board and instantly shared both online and on the giant American Eagle LED screen measuring 15,000 square feet. Outdoor media was booked by ABC and supported by a broader television, digital, and press campaign.
Brewer Lister, event director at Disney Parks, said:
“We wanted to create an immersive Disney family experience that left the impression that their best Disney memories were yet to come at the Parks. The colorful parade of Disney’s most beloved characters delivered an exciting experiential campaign that could be easily shared through mobile and social media channels to generate word of mouth.”
And my take:
“It was always great to work with adventurous brands that were willing to push the envelope on technology to drive engagement. We knew from our own study that fun, interactive brand experiences created longer-lasting and more accessible memories. This compelling interactive experience also created assets that could gain momentum online for maximum exposure.”
