UK Telecom Brand O2 Is Staging a Show in Fortnite for People Who Miss Live Gigs

U.K. telecom provider O2 is the latest brand to break into Fortnite by creating an interactive music experience within the video game. Created by VCCP, the campaign marks the first time that The O2—an entertainment venue in London—will appear in a video game. It is also the first time that a U.K. music act, the Leicester-based band Easy Life, will play within Fortnite Creative. Easy Life will virtually perform tracks from their debut album Life’s a Beach at The O2 in Fortnite on Thursday (June 24) at 8:30 p.m. local time. The interactive show will come with hoverboards and underwater cinemas, while the band will play in the belly of a large decaying whale. Attendees will be transported to six unique areas, each of which is inspired by a different track from the album. If they miss the live performance, Fortnite players have until midnight on June 27 to catch the gig. The full show will be available on Easy Life’s YouTube channel afterwards. Host of activities Besides the performance, users who visit the virtual venue will be able to explore hidden rooms, backstage areas and The O2 Blueroom, where they can compete in challenges for a chance to receive rewards, such as tickets to future Easy Life shows, from the Priority app. Players can also unlock a lobby track created by Easy Life and Fortnite, which ties into the newly released Fortnite Season 7 Invasion, and collect items in the game such as a “Squeezy life” graffiti spray. O2’s blue robot mascot, Bubl, will appear in the form of statues throughout The O2 in Fortnite Creative. O2 partnered with Easy Life’s label Island Records and Fortnite developer Epic Games on the global activation. Fortnite pro-builders KKSlider, DolphinDom, Hellraiser and Team Cre8 created the experience and built a virtual version of The O2 from scratch. “O2 has a rich heritage in music and we’re committed to providing music fans with unique experiences, so it’s only fitting that we’re bringing the world’s most popular entertainment venue into the world’s biggest game,” Simon Valcarcel, head of brand and consumer marketing communications at O2, said in a statement. “We know how much everyone—us included—has missed going to gigs so we’re excited to bring the U.K.’s hottest up-and-coming act to music fans globally through Fortnite Creative.” Numerous brands have created Fortnite activations since Travis Scott's concert within the game last year attracted millions of viewers. Credits: Chief Marketing Officer: Nina Bibby Director of Brand & Marcomms: Simon Groves Head of Brand & Consumer Marcomms: Simon Valcarcel Consumer Lead, Brand & Marcomms: Johnny Winn Head of Sponsorship: Gareth Griffiths Head of Music Sponsorship: Nuala Donnelly Head of The O2: Rebecca Martin Innovation & Proposition Development Lead: Scott McGregor Marketing Executive: Abigail Ridgwell Senior Communications Manager: Sally Beamand Agency: VCCP Chief Creative Officer: Darren Bailes Creative Director: David Masterman Associate Creative Directors: Ben Hopkins and Morten Legarth Creative: Tom Lee Senior Integrated Producer: Nishita Upadhyay Integrated Producer: Jasmine Willson Head of Integrated Production: Ryan O’Kane Head of O2: Emma Whitmarsh Business Director – Innovation: Alex Dalman Account Directors: Stephen Adams and Xi Chen Account Manager: Nellie Day Planner: Camila Toro Group Planning Director: Jenny Nichols Senior Planner: Alex Scott-Malden Head of Social & Influence: Nicky Palamarczuk Social Producer: Suki Fraser Designer: Carl Sherry Editor: Tom James Group Communications Director: Georgia Wright VP Partnership Management, Globe: Kate Macdonald SVP Strategic Marketing & Partnerships, Globe: Jennifer Hills Senior Account Manager, Globe: Saskia Collins Head of Legal & Business Affairs, Globe: Beth Lawson Director of Streaming and Commerce, Island Records: Alastair Smith Marketing Manager, Island Records: Charlie Smith Senior Social Media Manager, Island Records: Harry Moore Audience Manager, Island Records: Lewis Lister Head of Audience, Island Records: Will Beardmore Production Company: Mercury Studios Director: Greg Barth Executive Producers: Will Nichols and Ramy Dance Production Manager: Harriet Davies Easy Life Creative Director: Charlie Drinkwater Artist Manager, Easy Life: Ollie Slaney Level Design/Planning/Gameplay: Wertandrew Level Design/Gameplay: Hellraiser Art/Level Design: G_Schway Partners: Epic Games, Universal Music Group, Island Records, AEG, Team Cre8 PR Agency: Hope&Glory PR Media Agency: Havas Verizon Brings Major Fortnite Activation to Super Bowl