«By participating in an experience, a memory is generated that you connect with the brand»

Julio Obelleiro and his Wildbytes Agency, of which he co -founder, went in history when he worked together in creating the first interactive advertising seam of Times Square. The success of this increased reality experience was such that Forever 21, the brand that hired the work, maintained the five years (2010-2015). Something that seems unthinkable, given that the price of every second advertisements on this mythical square, located in the heart of Manhattan, is one of the most expensive in the world.

Nowadays Obelleiro, a Spanish computer engineer who has been converted into a ‘magician’ of art and the most innovative technology, has become a reference of experimental design and collects success in 71 countries. The experiences he creates are unique, not only for the technological innovation that supports them, but because they offer experiences and emotions are recorded in memory.

Just arrived from New York, was in charge of closing the fifth edition of Experience Fighters, the greatest innovation and creation of user experiences in Spain, held in Madrid on 5 and 6 June.

-One of the most famous works of Wildbytes is that of Forever 21, who spent five years on Times Square. What was it?

-In the increased reality experience for Space150 and Forever 21, we do great research work and we develop a bestial software to generate interactions on that scale. Gigantic models that had interaction with pedestrians appeared on the screen: they kissed them and turned them into a frog; They took them by hand and placed them elsewhere; They took photos … All this was done in real time. Regarding any other square screen, the average attention time was multiplied by 20.

-Now you have returned to Times Square, because you are part of the team that developed the first 3D screen with real movement. What role have you played?

-The Cocacola has been a five-year project (2012-2017) in which eight companies have collaborated. I am in the three patents of the invention of the screen. Our company was in the ideas of the project and we developed a lot of the initial conceptualization technology, such as the simulator to test the experience. It is a project of those who put the chicken skin.

-In Spain you have also launched different disturbing experiences for different brands. Which do you feel most proud of?

-The truth is that they are very diverse projects and it is difficult for me to choose. In the Plaza de Callao in Madrid we launched the first kinematic experience (with the movement of cameras) from augmented reality of the world. It was a task for Fox and other international channels in which we made people feel in their favorite series, such as Walking Dead of Homeland.

-You also work a lot for beauty and cosmetic brands …

-Yes. One of the experiences with which we have harvested the most successes, and for which they continue to contact a lot, it is what we have done with Sephora to launch the Kat von -Tattooist D.’s make -up brand. We organize a Face Mapping video with movement (tracking) in real time. Kat von D came on stage and while playing a string quartet we projected a 10 -minute story on his face. This was shown on his face, like a kind of digital skin, as a makeup that cost life. It had a lot of impact, some came to consider it the art of the future and generated almost a million impressions online. Three and a half years later it is still the most shared content of the Facebook channel of Sephora Spain.

-In your intervention in experiential hunters you talk about the beauty of the unpredictable and the importance of knowing consumers and then being able to break through the schemes. Are the keys to the success of your work?

-Er should not make communication messages, but contexts in which the public can live the DNA of the brand, who feel that they can influence it. In other words, with an experience or content that we generate, whatever, but that they have a voice at the participatory level.

-In relationship with this you commented on the importance of switching from the ROI (‘Return of Investment’) to De Roe (‘Return of Emotions’) when measuring the effectiveness of an advertising campaign.

-The world of traditional advertisements lives on the number of impressions, the number of people who see the announcement. But the average time needed to forget what you have seen on a screen is six seconds. We are so overwhelmed by content that we see something and it is as background noise. That stops with disturbing and interactive experiences. During participation, people have personally emotions and a memory is generated that connects you with the brand at an essential level.

-Sight -experiences, making contact with all types of target groups or especially with the youngest?

-All connects the world but undoubtedly the youngest audience has more construction. At the moment, Millennial only understands experience language. Unidirectional messages that drill their heads or have no effect on or even cause side effects.

-In all those years, which technology has worked best for you?

-Omos an experiential innovation agency and we do not focus on a specific technology. The most important thing is to concentrate on the emotions you want to produce in the audience and then you will see which technology is best to help you. Everything has its context and its goal. In addition to virtual reality, augmented reality or face making, we now work hard with smart mirrors for the retail trade. These mirrors recognize what you are wearing, what kind of look you have, what your mood is and to personalize the experience based on all this.

-A a prediction to finish: which technology will be the most groundbreaking in the future?

-The virtual reality, nor the increased, the most groundbreaking, is the mixed reality (which both combine). It is the most futuristic thing there is now. I think he has a lot of potential to create experiences because the majority of the audience has not tried it yet.