The idea of virtual reality opening up the potential to a new world without limits is talked about, even awarded, within the tech community, but the demand to actually buy the product outside this relatively niche circle is low. Why?

HTC's virtual reality offering, Vive, was launching in a brand new sector. So how could we successfully drive engagement with a foreign concept amongst a notoriously hard to engage audience?

Vive was a totally unknown product launching in a highly competitive market and with higher costs than the competition. We would make the Vive a commercial success by bringing HTC’s pioneering new vision to life and engaging a millennial audience.

Combining the very best in technology, creative content and media.

A bloody apocalypse was coming to town near you.

People paid to come to our branded experience, with tickets sold by Noma Labs who pushed 6 teaser videos re-targeting the same audience with different edits via Facebook and in-app promotions via their Dojo App. We also had tube posters go live in London for 2 weeks, promoting the event in the geographically relevant major tube stations.

After showing the first teaser video in London, tickets sold out in just over a week. We extended the time period and put on more shows to meet the demand: 900 shows over a three-week period from 19th March to 3rd April, which is the equivalent to a popular West End show running for over two years.

We created the opportunity for future B2B and brand partnerships with an exclusive experience window, which was opened for marketing teams from PepsiCo to Nike to Disney.

On the day, the zombie slashers were picked up by an army truck and taken to the venue, which was in a secret location in East London, adding to the excitement and creepiness of what was to come.

The secret training facility was entered through a dank warehouse that stretched over a kilometre, immediately becoming immersed in the storyline. Eventually the players would take on the living dead in 360° virtual reality on an HTC Vive headset. Vertigo games created a bespoke version of their zombie shooting Arizona Sunshine experience specifically for the gory part-virtual apocalyptic experience.

After spending the day slashing zombies, we followed up with attendees via email inviting them to pre-order the headset and continue experience the pioneering tech in their front rooms.