2015: New York Times pairs up with GE to let readers experience virtual reality
To celebrate the Ad Club of New York's 120th anniversary, The Drum is inviting readers to share their favorite marketing moments from the past 120 years.
Google cardboard NYT
Today’s marketing moment was chosen by Gabrielle Fratangelo, senior account executive at Atrium PR. Below, find out why The Grid's work to help the New York Times give its readers the chance to experience virtual reality is her favorite marketing moment.
The Grid (a partnership between OMD + Giant Spoon), along with client GE, The New York Times, and Google Cardboard, recently created an activation that put VR into the hands of the consumer for the first time – at scale. This move allowed The New York Times to re-define journalism and create a new canvas for its global readership.
On 5 November, 2015, the NYT‘s app launched with a VR edition of the Sunday Times, including a film, focusing on the ways nature inspires innovation in aviation, energy, and communications. Subscribers received the magazine, which featured GE ads and branded Google Cardboards. By doing this, GE gave consumers the capability of experiencing VR, guided by one of the world’s greatest storytellers.
Overall, 1.3 million subscribers received GE-branded Google Cardboard headsets, and an additional 500K readers requested the headsets online for free. GE enjoyed 40K social mentions, with over 99 per cent positive sentiment from its display and mobile activations across channels. The activation also garnered media coverage in Advertising Age, Gizmodo, Fast Company, Forbes, and Fortune.
See the full 120 Marketing Moments in the dedicated online section and find out how to purchase the exclusive book.