JV Media creates world's first 'Virtual Host' in India

Being a new entrant in the Indian market is not a limitation for Mumbai based JV Media. The company is already on a roll, creating potentially creative platforms for their clients and strengthening its identity. Few months back they presented 3D mapping technique for one of their client and now for Idea Cellular they have created a completely new and an innovative platform for branding & marketing that generates an engagement factor. This has been done to coincide with the IPL, as Idea is the official sponsor of Delhi Daredevils team. They hope to engage the team’s fans at the match venue, the Pherozshah Kotla Stadium in Delhi.

Adgully spoke with Anand Agarwal, Brand Activation Head, J V Media to find out more.

On being asked about the brief that Idea gave to JVM, he said, “Engagement is the most important element of an activity designed for Idea. Their sole requirement was to entice and engage the crowd so that it enables brand registration flawlessly. Idea wanted to create an activity which leaves a long lasting mark of the brand in the minds of the people and these activities gives the brand the edge which was required by them over other competitors and also categorizes Idea to be a brand which supports innovation and new ideas.””

JVM designed the concept keeping the brand’s requirement in mind which was a 10”x10” ft replica of Pherozshah Kotla stadium with a proper pitch, wickets, tickers and crowd which also hosts three Virtual Hosts of Virender Sehwag, Ajit Agarkar and Russel Warren. A Virtual Host is an acrylic cut out of a person which is standing in an addressable manner. So any extra movement of hands or neck causes the body of the person to move out of the cut out.

Explaining on the concept part Agarwal said, “The three hosts that we have will be seen conversing with each other in a very sporting manner and there are about six different scripts which the cricketers had to speak and these scripts highlight the sport spirit of the team. Similarly we have erected three virtual hosts at the 3rd terminal of Delhi Airport.  Ideally this kind of installation takes about two to three weeks to be completed but due to urgency of time, we delivered everything within a week. No other concepts were considered.”

The biggest challenge in this campaign for JVM was to make the cricketers act as per the Virtual Host format. But the shoot proved to be good and the cricketers did a fabulous job. This installation started with the first match of IPL in Pherozshah Kotla and ends on the 10th of May.  The airport installation wraps up on the 13th May.

This activity received a great amount of eyeballs and registration. The fans of the team at the stadium lined up in huge numbers to get their video shot with their favourite sports stars. The whole Delhi Daredevil team had visited the installation at the airport and spent a good 10-15 minutes admiring and excitedly chatting about it. It certainly exceeded our expectations.

On asked how they are planning to explore this concept and how it’s going to work, Agarwal said, “Virtual Host is a replacement to your traditional assistants. They send out your message in the most innovative manner and works without fail, 24x7. Now after this activity we have forayed into incorporating brand ambassadors as Virtual Hosts and place them amidst the common man.”

Films have a new medium to promote themselves. Banks can do away with their customer relationship desk and place a host which guides them in the bank. You can place them in exhibitions to guide people towards your stall. Applications are limitless when you think of a technology such as this.

Agarwal added, “Technology is developing rapidly. We at JV Media have about 22 products in our arsenal ranging from Virtual Hosts to Holographs and 3D Mapping. Lucid and Dreamoc are technologies which can create a revolution in FMCG sector and brand placements in retail industry.

He believes that we are surrounded by technological world so, “The most important aspect is that you have the basic technology, now developing something innovative around it determines your potential to use a technology wisely. For example, three virtual hosts talking to each other have been created for the very first time in the world. If you don’t believe me, you can Google it.”

JVM is a part of JV International, a 46 years old ‘Market Expansion Company’ operating in the Middle East which focuses on helping client companies grow their business in new and existing markets. JV Intl works globally,  in Iran, Netherland and India and are specialised in experiential marketing, interactive projects, custom made solutions, branding campaigns, interactive displays, walls, floors and other exhibits that are available globally and are installed in over 10 countries.