C2 Montreal
A virtual reality game to create a memorable brand experience
We launched a 3D virtual exploration through space for C2 Montreal’s international business conference. Made possible thanks to the power of VR and gamification, the interactive video game Moonquake created a memorable brand experience.
When commerce and creativity meets experiential marketing
Montreal-based C2 is known for its avant-garde conferences that represent the intersection of commerce and creativity. Each year, the world-renowned conference hosts over 7,500 entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and innovators from all around the world for several days of just that. As might be expected, their mission is to delight, surprise, and inspire its participants through experiential marketing and a new theme each year. In 2017, the theme was Ecosystems; decidedly chosen to arouse appreciation for the interconnectedness of our modern-day world.
Brainstorming ideas for connection
The C2 Montreal philosophy is all about bringing people out of their comfort zones so that they can think outside of the box, connect with other creative minds and brainstorm ingenious ideas. We were honored to be called upon as an official partner to capture the theme in an innovative way. Our aim was for participants to not only leave the conference with new Linkedin connections, but truly having lived something remarkable. Seeing as 3D real-time rendering allows for any vision to come to life, the possibilities were virtually endless. As the sub-theme Moonshots was revealed, we began to question: “what are the next leaps for mankind”? That is when the concept for Moonquake was born - a VR video game in which players experience the thrill of flying through outer space. After all, what’s more out of one’s comfort zone than leaving our very planet?
An immersive marketing tool
As shown in the video above, the goal of the Moonquake VR game is to fly through space and gain points by jumping through the golden hoops, all while avoiding the passing meteorites that whizz by faster and faster towards the user. We custom-coded three levels of difficulty to make the expedition increasingly more exciting. Even as players came back down to Earth, taking off their Oculus Rift headset, the experience continued to delight them. Attendees could check out their accumulated points and compare with the day’s high score. This built a sense of camaraderie and healthy competition, as people were already feeling the creative juices flowing through them. It didn’t stop there! An added technical feature allowed us to collect email addresses and continue the brand experience past the actual C2 Montreal event. This immersive game then became an effective marketing tool enabling the continuation of the conversation and further the client journey with new offers sent directly to their inbox.
Overcoming the challenges of VR
Despite creating a video game, it wasn’t always fun and games at the studio. We poured hours of research and development to understand how to counter the effects of motion sickness experienced in the virtual world. Afterall, most of us aren’t used to flying through space with a sense of zero gravity weightlessness. Through the buildout of Moonquake, we were able to use multiple sensors to track the user’s headset in the given space, and thereby allow for a fluid gaming experience. In addition, it was exploring the depths of the commercial software Unreal Engine that allowed our team at Edge Dimension to bring this celestial vision to a life-like reality.
A fully computer-generated virtual experience
In our day and age where individuals are bombarded with promotions and advertisements, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to retain consumer attention. Knowing that engagement and retention are much higher through the stimulation of the senses, blasting off into space with virtual reality was the perfect solution for this forward-thinking event. Thanks to the limitless possibilities of computer-generated VR games, we effectively communicated C2 Montreal’s Moonshots theme. Our team at Edge Dimension was able to entertain and inspire hundreds of people and create a truly memorable experience in the consumer’s mind. Surely, attendees will be buzzing about their expedition into outer space for years to come!