How Tech Brands Have Activated the Las Vegas Sphere

Sin City might be where large-scale advertising is catching a glimpse of its future, creating spectacle and generating awe to capture attention.

Since September, Sphere has attracted advertising from Microsoft’s Xbox, Sony, the NBA, Aston Martin and Heineken with activations using the building’s programmable LED exterior that’s become a whole new attraction for local and online audiences. Now, add Shopify, Google and McLaren to that list.

Does it offer long-term ad appeal?

The prospect of a second version of Sphere has been rejected by London’s mayor for environmental reasons after a proposed music and entertainment venue was to be built in the Stratford area. Critics of the decision have cited the potential advertising revenue generated for the economy as one reason to have approved the new venue.
“From an advertiser’s perspective, these custom-built structures offer a big appeal and potentially huge ROI,” said Svenja Frahm, creative director for immersive design and production studio Pixel Artworks. “Beyond providing a canvas for unique content, they captivate audiences, inspiring them to film, document and share something strikingly different, which widens the reach with user-generated content,” She added. “No audience would film their TV screen at home when the ads come on.”