Description:

Due to COVID-19, Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), North America's most extensive kitchen & bath trade show, was held as a virtual event. As a result, Fisher & Paykel appliances was challenged with creating a virtual experience replacement of their typical bricks & mortar exhibit.

Working closely with the Fisher & Paykel team, we created an online streaming customer experience based on gaming engine technology.

For Fisher & Paykel, communicating their beauty of choice and brand story was critical - to do this, we created four aspirational architectural spaces in iconic New Zealand locations in which customers are guided by a concierge to experience Fisher & Paykel's products in different virtual showroom settings.

We identified that the 'virtual event' formula was becoming repetitive & underwhelming so were challenged with creating an innovative solution that would push beyond expectations. To achieve this, we created a visually immersive 3d virtual showroom where the presenter became an interactive storyteller.

Viewers could attend the presentation on any web browser, & on any device, see the presenter, & interact via a chat window. Being a real-time 3d presentation & reacting to the specific groups (architects, developers, companies), the presenter could customise the experience to each of the attendees.

Our solution offered as close to an “in-person” experience as possible while showcasing F&Ps premium indoor & outdoor kitchen appliance offering. Fisher & Paykel design experts could accommodate up to 500 attendees at any one presentation, walking through each showroom, informing their audience of each product's various functions & features.

A webcam created a personal human touch plus a chat window allowed 2-way questions from the audience to be answered in real-time by 1-3 supporting personnel.

Presenters found the system incredibly intuitive & were at a high level of competency within 10 minutes of using the digital experience.

The biggest issue faced by all stakeholders taking part in the KBIS event was when the entire KBIS web site abruptly shut down, locking out all brands & attendees from the virtual booths initially offered by the event organisers. Since Fisher & Paykel's experience was built to exist outside of the KBIS system, our team could pivot immediately, connecting attendees directly with the experience without delay.

Our Digital Experience redefines what a "virtual showroom" can be, challenging the traditional format of replicating an event stand in a virtual space.

The engagement was exceptional with praise from Fisher & Paykel's architectural partners, retailers & media for delivering a world class personalised virtual experience that was both memorable & educational.

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