Polyhedron VR: Pioneer of virtual reality storytelling
Client: Polyhedron VR
Challenge: Product Innovation, Brand Strategy, Design Strategy
My role: Brand Strategist
Agency: makhalova.com
February - November 2017
New York, New York & Beijing, China
Pioneer of virtual reality storytelling
As Virtual Reality continues to flourish and explore its boundaries, it yet struggles to finds its value and meaning. Italy-founded Polyhedron VR, a global pioneers, strives to claim its role in this new domain, becoming the avatar for virtual reality storytelling. To do so, we not only considered the company’s opportunities, but also investigated possible trajectories for cinematic VR’s development.
VR movies is a contradiction within itself
VR movies is a contradiction within itself. There is more to experiencing a movie than the movie itself: the smell of popcorn, memories of the date, and the conversations afterwards about heroes and directors. All amazing experiences of community, none of which VR can offer. In fact, the VR experience--wearing panoramic VR glasses and earphones that blanket the senses--is very isolating.
The problem is well admitted by the industry, which is investing billions in finding the solution. Mark Zuckerberg, for example, promised to make VR “the most sociable platform” in the future. But what If the problem is the solution?
We are more connected but less related than ever before
We live on a planet of 7 billion, and are constantly bombarded by information from social media and commercials and strangers and friends alike. We are more connected but less related than ever before. It feels like authentic, intimate experiences of relating are harder and harder to find.
Stories with meaning
“Stories with meaning” is a Polyhedron VR brand promise, which focuses on the intimate, relational aspects of storytelling. When we are one-on-one with someone, we are more likely to actually hear what they have to say, regardless of how similar or different they are to us. To relate this way is to gain greater understanding of ourselves and others, and to reach self-actualization. The brand promise informs the approach to the movie production choices, visual identity, and communication strategy. Two of the first release movies, The 7th Night of Thelema and Come Closer, aimed to challenge the understanding of love in a person’s life, and the expression of close, intimate space found its home in the company’s logo.
Visual identity of Polyhedron VR -- expression of intimate experiences, which only VR can offer
To the Cannes Film festival and beyond
Results of the branding strategy were outstanding. The 7th Night of Thelema and Come Closer premiered during the 2017 Cannes Film Festival in May of 2017. As the company’s CEO added during his press conference in Cannes: “I am thrilled to give this nudge to people, to think about the meaning of their existence through this new medium.” We are on the way to learn to relate authentically to each other again.
