Viewers save the day at the Virgin Media VIVID house party

Over 1 million people join the party viewing 360 YouTube experience in first week

Virgin Media, in partnership with Manning Gottlieb OMD, has today released its first 3D virtual reality campaign. An extension of the VIVID 200 house party TV ads and 360 digital campaign, the one of a kind 3D virtual reality film invites consumers to step inside a Virgin Media party and uses narrative techniques to involve the viewer as they move through the crowd.

The 2.5 minute film, which goes live on the 7th of April, has been produced for use with Samsung Gear but can also be experienced using Google Cardboard as a 360 extension within YouTube. The film can also be experienced in 3D using the dedicated Jaunt Smartphone application and in 2D using YouTube and Google Cardboard.

Virgin Media is the first major advertiser in the UK to tell a brand story based on its TV ad campaigns using live action film and a moving VR camera. This is combined with motion graphics and 3D sound to create a truly immersive experience.

As well as driving online interaction with the brand, Virgin Media is using the Virtual Vivid House Party to boost in-store customer experiences, making the video and specially made headsets available throughout 20 high street stores across the UK.

Kerris Bright, Chief Marketing Officer, Virgin Media said: “With 360 video and 3D virtual reality technology we’re taking our communication to the cutting edge and creating immersive experiences we know resonate with our audiences. Virtual reality will play a huge part in the future of advertising helping customers do more and experience more with our brands and our products.”

Sam Battams, Technology Innovation Director, Manning Gottlieb OMD adds: “We’re very excited to work with Virgin Media on their first virtual reality experience. We see virtual reality as part of a new wave of technology that enables brands to interact with consumers using more immersive, sensory forms of content. Virgin Media demonstrate leadership and bravery by being the first UK brands to adopt this technology to tell a brand story, something we think will place them in an advantageous position as this type of technology takes off. We can’t wait to see this roll out across stores.”

About the experience

The film begins with the viewer entering the VIVID House Party. They are then led through the party towards the DJ and are greeted by the partygoers around them, filmed using a moving robotic buggy – again, a UK first for VR film.  After an accident causes the party to grind to a halt, the viewer saves the day thanks to Virgin Media’s VIVID 200 broadband by connecting to Spotify to restart the party.

The film was shot and directed in collaboration with Vision3, a leading 3D stereo technology company whose recent work includes Oscar winner Gravity and Disney backed Jaunt VR, a Palo Alto VR studio. It used a one-of-a-kind cutting edge 26 lens 360 camera, the film was a single take shoot using over 100 cast members and a technical crew of 90.

The 3D Virtual Reality videos will be available to experience in the following stores using Google Cardbaord headsets from 7th April:

• Solihull
• Harlow
• Croydon
• Clifton
• Slough
• St Helens
• Colchester
• Kingston
• London Wood Green
• Exeter
• Ipswich
• Bolton
• Stockport
• Hounslow
• Dundee
• Hanley
• Mansfield
• Newcastle
• Peterborough
• Northampton

Useful links:

The 2D 360 degree ad experience can be viewed here:  YouTube 360

Download the Jaunt VR Smartphone app and search for ‘Virgin Media House Party’ here: App Store or Google Play

Download Google Cardboard cut outs to make your own virtual reality goggles here: Google Cardboard

View Virgin Media’s original Vivid House Party TV campaign here: YouTube

Founded in 1990, Manning Gottlieb OMD

Founded in 1990, Manning Gottlieb OMD is a member of Omnicom Media Group’s leading media network, OMD – the second largest UK agency group by agency billings (source: NMR). Manning Gottlieb OMD provides creative media communications ideas and solutions that have a real tangible effect on its clients’ businesses.

Manning Gottlieb OMD’s diverse range of over 60 clients include Virgin Media, Sony, TSB, Specsavers, and the John Lewis Partnership.

Manning Gottlieb OMD was Media Week’s ‘Media Agency of the Year 2013’ and achieved a media agency first in 2012 by winning the Media Grand Prix at Cannes and the Grand Prix at The IPA Effectiveness Awards in the same year.

Virgin Media offers four multi award-winning services across the UK and Ireland: broadband, TV, mobile phone and landline.

The company’s dedicated, ultrafast network delivers the fastest widely available broadband speeds to homes and businesses. And we’re expanding this through our £3bn Project Lightning programme, which will reach 17 million premises.

Our interactive TV service brings live programmes, thousands of hours of on-demand programming and the best apps and games in a set-top box, as well as on-the-go for tablets and smartphones.

We launched the world’s first virtual mobile network, offering fantastic value and services to customers. We are also one of the largest fixed-line home phone providers in the UK and Ireland.

Through Virgin Media Business we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering the fastest widely available broadband speeds and tailor-made services.

Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international cable company. Together Virgin Media and Liberty Global serve 27 million customers across 14 countries.