This is a groundbreaking metaverse experience with the potential to change the future of music entertainment. A perfect pairing; one of would’s most influential tech firms with the biggest virtual band. Before ‘Gorillaz Presents’, artists could only give live shows in the locations they were physically in, or through a live stream. Now with AR and Geospatial API, artists can be anywhere in the world, in multiple places at once, allowing every fan to fill a front row seat. An unforgettable experience that could be scaled not just by other artists but also brands and creators, anywhere in the world.

We partnered with Google and the world’s biggest virtual band, Gorillaz, for the release of their track ‘Skinny Ape’ and explore the future of music entertainment with a first of its kind immersive activation that would be specific to Times Square, New York and Piccadilly Circus, London. We set out to demonstrate how augmented reality can transform and interact with public spaces by creating a concert like no other using technology easily accessed from a mobile device. The augmented reality (AR) experience is featured in Gorillaz official music video and helps us drive thought leadership for the future of Google’s immersive computing

Gorillaz Presents was an ambitious project from conception to delivery. We set out to create two epic performances powered Google’s Geospatial API that would allow fans to witness the band in larger than life AR. The promotional campaign began ten days before the launch, with global press coverage and activity across every production partner’s social media channels that sparked a wave of reactions online from fans, general public and industry peers, that culminated in 20,000 downloads in the first week, 1.7 million ARCore requests in the first month and 10.2 million views of the Skinny Ape music video on YouTube alone. In a strategic move, we completely took over the two locations with Gorillaz-obsessed visuals on screens and hyped up the crowds, potentially birthing a new trend in the music entertainment landscape. The audience response of excitement and awe is still palpable now, nearly 5 months later.

We set out to blend the virtual and the real to enhance live music experiences, making them more interactive and engaging for fans. The AR versions of the Gorillaz members interacted with the physical world, enveloping the audience - the general public in a performance of their new single ‘Skinny Ape’. To deliver a jaw-dropping concert experience in heavily crowded areas, the team took careful considerations to ensure user experience, accessible technology and the architecture of the landmarks into were all taken into consideration. This project set out to help developers make AR real for today’s consumers and inspire creators to build innovative immersive experiences, while also driving awareness of Google’s ARCore and Geospatial API. To open up 15+ years of Google Maps contextual and location-based understanding for developers to easily build world-anchored immersive experiences in 100+ countries, making immersive content more accessible and discoverable through first-of-its-kind integration with Google

Our implementation involved a complex mix of cutting-edge technologies, including real-time animation, immersive technology, and geospatial mapping. The timeline was tight, with the event taking place over two consecutive days in two different cities with different architecture and at different scales. Placement was key, along with the safety of the audience, rather than focusing on one one point of interest, the virtual action surrounded the viewer, with performances happening on top of multiple buildings and billboards. We also had to give good consideration for safety and keep the geo-fenced areas in the walkable areas only. On-site staff were decked out in signature Gorillaz pink and on hand for general assistance and gifting free merchandise.

The public response was off the charts. On-site, crowds too large to count collectively danced and sang to Gorillaz’s performance, and online, Gorillaz Presents amassed more than 3 Million views on Gorillaz’s channels alone, as well as global coverage in over 230 different articles, including the most coveted global publications including Forbes, HYPEBEAST, Tech Crunch, RollingStone, VRScout, and reaching nearly 20,000 downloads in the first week of its launch. We also took over some of the most famous Out of Home landmarks, including Northeast Domination in the epicentre of New York's Times Square, and London's Piccadilly Lights. Immersing thousands of city-goers in the world of Gorillaz, the multiple billboards included screens with bespoke 3D animations, a staged newsflash and the band's new album artwork. Pairing OOH with the immersive activation resulted in a first of its kind demonstration of the Metaverse at scale in public spaces.

As the quintessential virtual band, Gorillaz have a history of over twenty-one years of bringing sensational sounds to a blend of real and digital spaces. They have a diehard fanbase who look for narrative clues in everything they put out, so weaving in easter eggs that’ll lead them to past and future segments of the ongoing story. From the very start, we were very clear, this is a performance, not an AR filter or stunt. It had to measure up to previous Gorillaz concerts and show real entertainment value in the Metaverse.