WhatsApp x F1

An iconic projection racing through NYC

Bringing the Empire State Building to life as a massive projection surface was the kind of wild, exhilarating challenge we thrive on at VTProDesign. Teaming up with WhatsApp and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, we set out to announce their new partnership with a visual spectacle that would light up the New York City skyline and captivate audiences worldwide.

Our mission: transform the Empire State Building into a storytelling masterpiece that celebrated the brand-new WhatsApp Mercedes-AMG F1 Emoji Car. With the building’s iconic stature and rich cultural history as our canvas, we worked hand in hand with WhatsApp to bring the Emoji Car from the app to the streets of New York City, digitally and physically.

The celebration kicked off with the Empire State Building’s facade coming to life via projections. The 3-minute animated film showing the Emoji Car racing through the streets of NYC and past iconic landmarks required a seamless blending of reality and digital art. Using 46 40K projectors on the roof of a building two blocks south allowed us to cover as much surface area as possible and made it the brightest execution ever on the historic building. The show wasn’t just limited to people on the street; our content team captured the event using both aerial footage and on-the-ground reactions to create a social-first stream that shared the event with a global audience.

In tandem with the launch outside, we designed a lobby takeover that greeted visitors with vibrant artwork merging New York’s iconic imagery with WhatsApp and Mercedes F1’s branding. Using a blend of 2D and 3D assets, we crafted a mini 1/10 scale garage loaded with tools, tech, stickers, and WhatsApp easter eggs throughout for guests to explore all the little details of the design. Next to the mini garage, we placed an LED panel screen over a vertical window that held similar proportions to a phone screen, displaying a motion graphic of text messages between the Mercedes F1 team and WhatsApp to celebrate their partnership. In the last window, we designed a playful nod to the projection creative on the Empire State Building.

Down at street level, we brought the excitement of actual Formula 1 racing to life with a fully functional pit stop installation the following day. Complete with roaring pneumatic tools and a synchronized crew, this setup offered a performative reveal of the Emoji Car.

The iconic tower’s rooftop observatory served as a prime photo-op destination. Against the stunning New York skyline, visitors snapped memorable photos.

The Empire State Building project is exactly the kind of thing we live for: the blending of a challenge, technology, and storytelling that creates moments where the physical and digital collide to redefine what’s possible and craft long-lasting impressions.

Scope

  • Concept Development
  • Creative Design
  • Creative Technology
  • Audio / Visual Production
  • Projection Mapping
  • Custom Fabrication
  • Interactive Installation
  • Project Management
  • Operation / Support