Zoan Studio and Warner Music Brought Photorealistic Helsinki Into Fortnite To Promote Eurovision – Finland's contestant Käärijä makes an appearance
Zoan Studio and Warner Music Finland collaborated on a groundbreaking promotional experience on Fortnite to introduce the Finnish artist's Eurovision entry to a new generation of online audiences through a culturally relevant experience. The Käärijä-themed Fortnite experience took place in Virtual Helsinki – the world's first city with a photorealistic virtual twin on Fortnite.
In Finland, the month of May was defined by the bright green color, courtesy of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. The excitement surrounding Finland’s Eurovision contestant, Käärijä, reached new heights as Metaverse company Zoan Studio harnessed the power of the gaming experience to captivate a massive audience by bringing Helsinki’s iconic Senate Square to the popular game.
The gaming and music experience on Fortnite served as a promotional campaign for Käärijä by connecting with fans in new and exciting ways and pushing the boundaries of traditional marketing strategies. As a result of the campaign, the Käärijä-themed experience spread worldwide in numerous publications from gaming and music industry media to television. To date, the campaign's reach is 130+ M globally, with over 15,000 gamers and Käärijä fans having visited ChaChaChaLand on Fortnite.
"We wanted to tap into the cultural momentum of Käärijä and the Eurovision Song Contest and create a PR moment that extends beyond the Fortnite community. Eurovision, known for its unity and joy, inspired us to bring that spirit into the experience. We were happy to see that the PR story captivated journalists and a wider audience globally¨
Steve BrownCreative Director at United Imaginations
Before and after the Eurovision Song Contest, Fortnite players could explore the Virtual Helsinki’s Senate Square and show off their best dance moves in a designated dance area to the Käärijä’s Cha Cha Cha-themed music. After the ESC 2023, Fortnite will further develop the gaming experience, and both players and Käärijä's fans may also get a chance to influence the content of the playing field.
Helsinki is the world’s first city in the Metaverse
Zoan Studio initially created Virtual Helsinki with Unreal Engine, making it a natural progression to use Fortnite's recently released open-source update, Unreal Editor, to craft the virtual map of Helsinki. Metaverse spaces can be replicated and reused multiple times due to their digital nature, offering scalability and multi-purpose usage. In 2020, ZOAN Group's subsidiary Burst Live hosted the world's first virtual concert by JVG , which gathered 1.4 million people in virtual Helsinki. Zoan Studio is renowned for its expertise in creating immersive virtual experiences and Metaverse worlds for top brands like Nike and Ikea, consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation.
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