VR Postcards
The world's first Virtual Reality travelogs share stunning destinations and real travel stories with Marriott guests. With inspirational tales provided virtually through headsets, delivered on demand, hotel guests across the world were able to plot, plan, and dream of their next extraordinary travel experience thanks to the brand's innovative virtual room service.
VR Travel
Building on the success of 2014’s revolutionary ‘Teleporter’, Framestore VR Studio partnered with Relevent to create VR Postcards, a unique virtual travel experience for Marriott guests. Framestore spoke with three adventurers in locations across the globe to create action-motivating virtual travelogs. Each storyteller reveals what travel means to them, sharing inspiring stories for Marriott guests to connect over, reflect upon, and ultimately echo.
Globetrotting
With exotic destinations spanning the Andes mountains in Chile, a bustling market in Beijing, and a local ice cream shop in rural Rwanda, our three portraits provide Marriott guests with an exclusive window to a far-off place through the eyes of someone who knows it intimately. For those involved in the production, inspiration was everywhere.
'Starting in NYC we traveled to Santiago, Chile; from there to Kigali, Rwanda, passing through São Paulo and Johannesburg; then on to Beijing via Uganda and Qatar', recalls Matt Pascuzzi, Lead Compositor. 'It was a massive undertaking – we basically traveled the globe in two weeks'. Now, with VRoom service, Marriott guests can join the adventure from the comfort of their hotel rooms.
Shooting 360º
VR Postcards was a collaborative endeavour for Framestore VR Studio and Framestore Pictures, who managed the production of the incredible continent-hopping shoot. This joint venture pushed the technical and creative capabilities of each team, with both departments determined to showcase the stunning environments and emotive stories at the highest possible quality. Bespoke solutions ensure that Marriott guests focus on the messages being shared. As Director David Mellor explained, ‘We are always looking to hone and develop our Virtual Reality experiences. It is our goal to never spoil the illusion of immersion'.
The redesigned capture system was a valuable solution, allowing the director to maintain intimate contact with the talent whilst capturing the beauty of the locations in breathtaking 360º detail; it would reduce, too, the time needed to stitch the images seamlessly together.
The end result: three unique world-class VR experiences, each delivering a relatable, inspirational story for Marriott.
Press
Your next hotel could offer a virtual reality experience - Fortune
Marriott Tests In-Room Virtual Reality Service - Variety
Marriott Hotels Testing Virtual Reality Service For Guests - Tech Times
Marriott Hotels' Samsung Gear VR postcards are little works of art disguised as adverts - T3
Relevent Sends ‘VR Postcards’ for Marriott - AdWeek
Virtual Reality Postcards: Travel to Chile Without Leaving Your Hotel Room - PSFK