The Vans X Anderson .Paak Car Wash
After Vans made Grammy-winning artist Anderson .Paak their first global music ambassador, they wanted an event experience in LA to create buzz around his new collection, which featured products named after and inspired by his first two albums, Venice and Malibu.
The Shift to an Immersive, COVID-Safe Experience
Then the pandemic happened. Luckily, we drew inspiration from Anderson .Paak’s love of classic cars and quickly shifted gears to craft a unique, COVID-safe experience to showcase the collection.
Client
Vans
Archrival
Our Role
Projection Mapping
Content Creation
Location
Los Angeles, California
The Car Wash
Enter the Vans Anderson .Paak Car Wash, a creative and immersive projection mapped installation that merged the real and virtual worlds, providing a unique look at the collection and telling the story behind the collaboration.
Technology and Creative Elements
Using the latest technology creative, we transformed the car wash into a captivating display of projection art, lighting mapping, and the best projections that surrounded visitors from all angles. Multiple 27’x15′ foot screens and a giant replica of one of the new shoes served as canvases for the 3d projection mapping, creating a 180-degree diorama-meets-collage story that Anderson .Paak narrated in his own words.
As guests enjoyed the show in complete safety with their windows rolled up, they were surrounded by mapping projection and wall projections that featured stunning 3D projection art. In the grand finale, the giant shoe replica turned out to be a shoe car, rolling out onto center stage to give our guests a proper sendoff.
Unique Brand Activation with Experiential Marketing Agency
To build excitement, our experiential marketing agency partner created a car-themed seeding kit inspired by Anderson .Paak’s classic Impala. We sent them to a who’s who list of celebrities, each featuring products from the new collection, a personalized license plate, and custom ocean-scented air fresheners to hang from the rearview.
Showtime
When it was time, each vehicle entered our crazy, abstract notion of a car wash featuring numerous details and effects throughout, from projected effects and lighting to bubbles and suds.
As Anderson .Paak closed the show by surprising everyone with the drop of his new single and music video, Jewelz, the room projection transformed into a show mapping, featuring dancers who performed perfectly in sync with the music video, creating an unforgettable experience for every passenger.
Results
We achieved everything we set out to do—and beyond! There were well over 30 million impressions on social media alone, with hype from celebrities such as Big Sean and The Game. Millions more in earned media impressions with features on most major sneaker rags, including Hypebeast, Sole Collector, Sneakerfreaker, and Kicks on Fire.
The Vans x Anderson .Paak Car Wash was an excellent example of our expertise in experiential marketing, and the use of projection mapping and 3D projection technology to create an immersive, audio-visual experience that engaged and entertained guests while maintaining a safe, socially-distanced environment.
Technology and Creative Elements
Our unique use of projection mapping, 3d projection, and lighting mapping created one of the best projections in the industry, captivating audiences and generating massive engagement. The collection flew off the shelves, proving that experiential marketing and brand activations can drive sales even in a pandemic.
We were proud to be among the first to pull off a responsible, COVID-safe event during the pandemic, and the success of the Vans Anderson .Paak Car Wash is a testament to the resilience of the experiential marketing industry. As an experiential marketing agency partner, we specialize in creating immersive brand activations that leverage the latest technology, creative storytelling, and cutting-edge techniques, such as projection mapping and video projection.
The Resilience of Experiential Marketing
In conclusion, the Vans Anderson .Paak Car Wash was one of the best projections and experiential marketing events of the year, and we’re thrilled to have been a part of it. We look forward to creating more immersive and engaging experiences that leverage the latest technology and techniques to create memorable brand activations.