5 Coolest Examples of Hologram Marketing (+5 more)

In 2023 holograms are not a mere invention of sci-fi books and movies, it’s a new marketing reality. Kanye West gifted a hologram advertising of Kim K’s late father to her, ABBA has finished a world tour with only holographic versions of themselves, and the interactive light magic is changing retail. It’s time to honor the best examples of hologram marketing, here’s our new compilation.

1. SmartV Hypervsn display wall at The Sphere

Why: who hasn’t heard about The Sphere at this point? This gargantuan Las Vegas arena with a spectacular 580,000 sq ft LED wraparound exterior display has taken over TikTok feeds with a winky face, U2 immersive concert experience, and mind-blowing nature shows. But there’s another thing to get excited about inside The Sphere. We’re talking about the SmartV display wall, a fantastic example of hologram marketing and the latest project of Hypervsn.

The installation measures 9 x 15 meters and occupies the arena’s atrium. It can provide a 360° avatar capture and is comprised of 420 individual SmartV Hypervsn displays. In other words, it’s quite a digital signage of the future that immediately makes you exclaim “wow” upon seeing it in action. Contrary to the 3D billboards and hologram-like TV displays, here the effect actually feels real thanks to the cohesive shape-forming technology.

2. Proto and RTFTK x Nike, Takashi Murakami collab

Why: the future of retail is holographic. Probably. At least Proto Inc. makes it look this way. This American hologram marketing company has taken the fashion and entertainment world by storm in 2022 appearing on Ellen and Jimmi Kimmel, teaming up with Netflix and SuperBowl as well as providing avatars for H&M and Christie’s. Their deal is holographic screens that allow for a realistic motion capture. Although it’s not quite a free-roaming hologram a la Star Wars Empire control room, the brands love it.

The latest project of the company is a collab with RTFKT, a virtual fashion platform (yes, virtual fashion is the thing, guys). The product of the cooperation is Nike sneakers designed by celebrated Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. The launch took place in Tokyo and featured a realistic holographic avatar that interacted with the guests. Metaverse is becoming a reality and we’re already living in it. 

3. Hologram Zoo in Brisbane, Australia

Why: it’s one thing to have a hologram. It’s a whole different level of achievement to open a zoo that is entirely composed of the real-size holograms of the animals. A new interactive attraction has recently opened in Brisbane and it’s a triumph of digital signage-enabled holographic marketing. 1,500 square feet of space host more than 50 animals and feature two 20-meter tunnels furnished with screens. 

That’s exactly how you push the industry forward by going to the next level of what the technology allows. Maybe the quality is still a bit flimsy and holograms are not a hundred percent ideal, but this virtual zoo is a good example of what hologram marketing is capable of.

4. MAGIC AI Fitness Mirror

Why: an intersection of the worlds of digital signage, holograms, AR, and AI, MAGIC AI’s latest creation Fitness Mirror is a curious case of next-gen technology. It’s a mirror-screen with a motion-tracking camera inside that also comes with a personal trainer. Like in good old sci-fi movies, you can interact with your digital fitness couch and this brings a whole different kind of immersion in the personal home setting.

The product is still in the prototype mode so it’s hard to fully understand the capabilities. However, it has all the potential to win the hearts and minds of fitness-obsessed customers who are looking for alternatives to gyms and YouTube video courses.

5. Hologram check-in at Aiden by Best Western

Why: hologram boxes are getting more and more popular across all industries. Here’s an example from hospitality. 30 boutique Aiden by Best Western hotels across Scandinavia use the technology developed by Holoconnects to greet guests. The catch? It’s a realistic hologram advertising that facilitates the check-in, answers questions, and provides all the necessary information.

While the idea of an automated check-in using digital signage technology is not new, the one that’s enabled by the holographic projection is. It’s a perfect way for hotels to both save costs on labor and interact with guests in a more personalized way.

Here's our previous list of 5 Coolest Examples of Hologram Marketing

It’s 2022 and we think it’s high time to honor the best of the best in hologram marketing. “WTH is hologram marketing?” you may ask. Well, there’s a whole new type of advertising and it is using holograms to promote products and services.

3D hologram advertising is alive and well with the colorful future in front of it. Let’s see the most fantastic examples of hologram marketing that nears us closer to the world of Blade Runner and Fifth Element.

1. Barbie Hologram

Why: just when you think you’ve seen it all, Mattel presents a hologram version of the beloved Barbie doll at the New York Toy Fair in 2017. The concept was a success among the fairgoers, the high-tech version of the girl doll made rounds in the press, and marketing-wise it was an amazing stint. How practical is this digitized personal helper-meets-AR initiative? It’s up to debate. But this case works perfectly as an example of hologram marketing. 

It’s interesting that this prototype has never actually made it to the market. In 2017 it was delayed until 2018. And after that, it simply disappeared. What stayed though, are the fair videos of a Mattel representative enthusiastically listing the advantages of this holographic Barbie. She lives in a box, she can react to voice commands in the style of Amazon Echo, and she can change her clothes and appearance. The video also shows us that the virtual doll can even dab.

Is it a cool idea to connect the physical and virtual worlds of Mattel's pink universe? Definitely. Were people in 2017 ready for something like that? Probably not. Still, it’s great as a standalone hologram advertising case.

2. NIKE: Hologram Experience

Why: using hologram marketing novelty and combining it with experiential digital signage wins our hearts. Done for the UAE’s Mall of Emirates, this project brought an interactive holographic box to the Nike store. The box worked in connection with a screen stand where people could customize the shoe and measure the shoe size. The hologram advertising looks nice, the idea is very smart, and the execution is stellar.

When it comes to good digital signage, you want to amaze people, to bring the “wow” moment to their browsing or shopping experience. Takeleap, the company behind this hologram advertising, checked all the boxes to reach this effect. Having a hologram of the trademark Nike shoes in the middle of the store immediately takes all the attention on the product and showcases the models the store wants to sell.

3. 3D Holographic Display for Nike’s London Store

Why: sometimes you want just to create the right atmosphere in your store with digital signage. Nike store's redo by industry leader HYPERVSN is a good example of that. It’s not the hologram itself that takes all the credit here, it’s the customer experience every digital element creates inside the store. 

Every detail is carefully thought-out to provide a bombastic time for customers while browsing the shoes. But while the videowalls ensure the dynamic background, the hologram advertising of the 3D models of the Nike shoes impresses visitors with visual perfection and novelty effect.

4. Mercedes-Benz creates outdoor hologram advertising perfection

Why: with hologram marketing sky is the limit when it comes to creativity. Oldie but goldie, this Mercedes-Benz outdoor campaign has been a hit in 2016. The automotive company chose to raise awareness of cyclist safety on one hand, and promote their Active Blind Spot Assist feature that helps drivers to avoid blind spots on the other. They partnered with outdoor advertising veterans JCDecaux to produce an innovative part-hologram part-OOH that was put on the street in Berlin. 

The company called it a “holographic prism”. The passers-by could see the hologram of a cyclist in the middle of a typically-looking billboard. It was a slick 360-degree multidimensional advertising project and you’ve got to give credit where it’s due. Mercedes-Benz proved that they are one of the automotive industry leaders for a few reasons and doing the campaigns right is one of them.

5. Audi Cup 2017 Holographic Press Conference

Why: in 2017 Audi did something crazy to promote their Audi Cup, a friendly football tournament featuring four teams and taking place in Munich. In the best futuristic traditions of Star Trek and Star Wars, the organizers decided to deploy hologram technology to enable the couches of Liverpool FC and Atlético de Madrid to be both present at one Munich press conference without actually being in Munich. Zoom? No, super-expensive hologram technology. 

But we’re not talking about the meeting convenience here, we’re talking about marketing and Audi nailed this. How cool does a “holographic press conference” sound? The point for Audi was to duly promote their Cup and with this campaign, the media went crazy about the execution and the company created something truly unique and original. That’s what a great hologram marketing campaign is all about.