LSN : Daily Signals : Stat: Barbie’s success signals a big appetite for real-life entertainment

Sara Sadik’s video game wins BMW Open Work at Frieze London

Sara Sadik for BMW, Frieze London, UK

UK – Artist Sara Sadik’s innovative proposal, La Potion (EH), has been selected for the BMW Open Work project at the contemporary art fair Frieze London. The winning creation comprises an interactive video game that uses the unique experiential device of the BMW i5 electric car, along with a complementary film installation. Developed in collaboration with BMW’s gaming and innovation lab experts, the interactive game employs the brand’s AirConsole technology, with the i5’s design team enhancing the gaming experience through sound and light.

Hailing from Marseille, France, Sadik delves into the intersection of art, gaming and digital technology. Her winning project investigates the evolving emotional states of young male characters, particularly their challenges in expressing emotions. This initiative exemplifies BMW’s commitment to experimental artistic practices in collaboration with Frieze London. The artwork will premiere at Koko in London’s Camden Town during the event.

The annual BMW Open Work project for Frieze London is a joint initiative between the car-maker and the art fair to collaborate on visual art, design and technology. It aligns with our Auto Entertainment microtrend report on how the automotive sector is innovating to immerse itself into the entertainment industry and expand its out-of-vehicle universe.

Strategic opportunity

Meaningful collaborations through art and design can offer auto-makers the linguistic and aesthetic language to appeal to and connect with Generation Z – and soon Gen Alpha – drivers

Meet the first bigger-than-life hologram zoo

Axiom Holographics, Australia

Australia – Using cutting-edge AR and 3D technologies, Axiom Holographics has revamped one of the most popular family attractions – the humble zoo.

Located in Brisbane, Australia, the Hologram Zoo playfully merges reality and the virtual world, offering an alternative to the zoo experience. Why visit a holographic zoo instead of a conventional zoo, you may ask? Boasting interactive and immersive 4D animations, the attraction allows visitors to experience nature and discover the animal realm in new ways. The 25 tunnels of the centre take visitors on sensory and realistic journeys, ranging from safari to Arctic landscapes, or a stroll through prehistoric times surrounded by dinosaurs.

‘Hologram entertainment centres are a fantastic way to be teleported to places that you could not normally visit,’ says Bruce Dell, CEO of Axiom. ‘For example, I do not think people really know just how big a whale is, it is something they would normally never get the opportunity to see in real life.’ We expect to see more emotionally smart tech innovations unlocking new experiences, whether to reconnect with bygone landscapes or extinct species, or simply as a means to make animal entertainment more ethical.

Strategic opportunity

The Hologram Zoo is an invitation to rethink what is next for education and entertainment. How can your business harness technologies like AR and holograms to inspire awe and engage your audience?

Stat: Barbie’s success signals a big appetite for real-life entertainment

Barbie, Global

US – While Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie is undoubtedly a culture-defining blockbuster, new data sheds light on the metrics and what the film means for the future of entertainment.

The savvy moves behind the Barbie film’s success have been discussed extensively, from genius marketing activations to the fact that the trailer barely revealed anything of the movie’s feminist agenda. But movie data company The Quorum has added a layer of consumer insights to the conversation with a new study published in August 2023. After surveying nearly 2,000 Barbie ticket-buyers in the US, the firm suggests that the film drew many sporadic movie-goers back to cinemas – 11% of people surveyed could not remember the last film they had seen in a cinema, while another 11% said Barbie was the first film they had seen in a movie theatre since before the start of the pandemic.

These findings reinforce the idea that entertainment is reclaiming its powerhouse status, as viewers are enthusiastic about engaging in real-life activities and more brands enter the entertainment landscape.

Strategic opportunity

While Barbie is a singular example, the movie’s success stresses the growing opportunity for brands to create in-person events and to harness the power of community and experiences