verizon x fortnite super bowl stadium
PRODUCT BACKGROUND
During the pandemic and lockdown, Super Bowl LV was destined to be the least attended Super Bowl ever, making it hard for fans to connect and celebrate the biggest moment in Sport. As a sponsor of the event and the nation’s leader in 5G technology, we saw a unique opportunity for Verizon to give every fan the chance to experience the big game through digital partnerships and new technologies.
CHALLENGE
This was our opportunity to reach new fans, create an integration with new technologies, and allow for new ways to let people interact with their NFL heroes.
How do we build a solution for millions of people to attend the first-ever virtual Super Bowl?
As we dive into the ‘Metaverse’ (or now, the Protoverse), the strict definition of coding blends new nuanced skills that can be described as ‘creative platform hacking’. We had to use nascent and emerging technologies to pull off cutting-edge interactivity and immersion for Super Bowl LV.
INSIGHT & Strategy
Verizon powers the technology that moves the world forward. The connection between Verizon’s services, gaming, and sports was natural.
To push it even further, the ‘aha’ moment came when we identified a strategic crossroads between Verizon 5G, Fortnite, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Verizon’s claim is that their 5G is ‘Built Right’ and Fortnite had launched a playing mode that gave players the opportunity to ‘Build’ their own virtual worlds. There was also a need to build the right solution for millions of Super Bowl fans during the pandemic. This common mission led us to the idea of building the Super Bowl stadium in Fortnite using Verizon 5G.
the build
It’s such an exciting time to build digital experiences because of the accelerated pace of innovation and unleashed creativity. In the past, we were limited to what technology would allow us to create. Today, technology is advancing at such a high rate that the possibilities are endless in what we can do and create.
Rather than collaborate with traditional digital vendors, we scoured the Web for the absolute best builders in the Fortnite metaverse and partnered up with them.
Shride, Pimit & MakaMakes - Shoutout to you guys. They are collectively known as Team Beyond, and we worked closely with them to design and build the experience using the elaborate World Building tools within Fortnite. To achieve the level of fidelity we desired, we pushed the tools to the absolute max and created things that had never been done before on the platform - all in record speed!
The Verizon 5G Stadium in Fortnite
modeled on the real raymond james stadium
but taken to the next level
created by the best builders in fortnite
built on verizon 5g ultra wideband
featuring 5 game modes
designed and built with nfl stars
and celebrity gaming tournaments
Played and live streamed over 5g
results
Epic Games loved the project so much that they made Verizon the first brand to be featured in the Fortnite Hub, which contributed to an unfathomable number of visitors. Super Bowl LV became the most attended Super Bowl in history.
40M+ participating fans
Traditional IRL Super Bowl attendance is ~40,000
3.4M+ LIVESTREAM VIEWS
28+ Awards, including…
webby WINNER
Individual Game or Application
D&AD AWARDS:
2021 Wood Pencil in Experiential: Online Experiences
2021 Shortlist in Experiential: CommunitY
andy AWARDS:
Best Idea: Verizon Fortnite Stadium
EX AWARDS:
Best pandemic-era pivot
Best sports activation
Best integrated digital + live campaign
Best use of pandemic-era technology