Savvy planners know that one of the best ways to create a memorable experience for guests is to make it interactive rather than passive; even better if that experience is also innovative and exclusive. Canon incorporated all of those elements into its sponsor activation at London Fashion Weekend, a consumer showcase September 18 to 21 that offered shopping, catwalk shows, pop-up shops, and educational sessions at London’s Somerset House.
Using Oculus Rift headsets, Canon gave more than 3,000 visitors the chance to experience the hectic life of a high-fashion model. During London Fashion Week, an industry event held prior to Fashion Weekend, Canon shot video of a dress rehearsal at the Sibling of London show. Producers used seven Canon cameras that worked in unison to capture footage in 360 degrees. The videos were edited together, and when guests viewed the final production in the Oculus Rift headsets, they experienced a virtual version of activities such as exiting a car to awaiting paparazzi, having their hair and makeup done, and walking the catwalk.
To make the experience even more immersive, Canon added an LED light to each of the seven headsets. The light was synchronized to the video, alerting staff to apply real lipstick and blush and pretend to dress the participant at the moments they were seeing similar images in the headset. Subbaiah Kuttanda, Canon Europe’s senior brand and sponsorships professional, reported positive reactions from guests.
In addition to the Oculus Rift aspect, the Canon 360 Studio also offered guests an opportunity to have their “model head shots” snapped by Canon photographers and then printed on site. Canon also partnered with four fashion influencers—a photographer, blogger, model, and design house—to produce video diaries of a day in their lives. Canon shared the videos and related images on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook using the hashtag #canonfashion and also posted still images in the Canon 360 Studio.
