OnePlus

Overview

OnePlus—a hungry, young start-up with a passionate community of fans—wanted to launch their latest phone. But they didn’t want to do the typical mobile product launch—a CEO in on a stage standing in front of a big projection screen and talking for hours. More importantly, OnePlus wanted more than just press coverage; they wanted to engage their international community of fans, who helped build the brand.

They needed a brand experience that would deliver global reach, showcase the product, offer a unique experience and resonate with fans as well as media.

The idea

Inside/Out: The World’s First Product Launch in VR.

Instead of bringing the phone to the world though the press, we brought the world to the phone through the OnePlus community.

We wanted to invite each and every person around the world to be introduced to the new smartphone at the same time. So we set out to take OnePlus fans and the media on an immersive journey right in the OnePlus headquarters for their very own one to one reveal with the world’s first VR product launch–filmed in 360 degrees.

The experience

We invited the community’s most loyal members to watch the event live via our Android app, or on YouTube. The first 30,000 members of the community who raised their hands would receive a free custom Google Cardboard headset. All were registered within the first 24 hours.

Using a cutting-edge video rig, we visited OnePlus HQ. Filming in full-360 at all times, we had the members of the team do the talking, including OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei.

On the day of the launch, the community was given the same access as the press. Virtual attendees were treated to loads of fun, secret moments and hidden invites to purchase the OnePlus2 first. We made sure the 360 experience was maximized so that viewers would watch again and again to find all the hidden secrets.

The community, the public, and the press loved the experience.