Social media giant Snap is teaming with Universal Pictures to present its first-ever virtual concert, starring Jennifer Lopez and Colombian singer Maluma.
The Santa Monica-based social media firm isn’t exactly hosting the event, which won’t be carried on its Snapchat platform and will be open to the public online. But Snapchat users are able to join the show and participate virtually via their Bitmoji avatars, who can watch, dance and interact with proceedings in real-time. The event marks Snap’s first foray into virtual concerts, which have grown in popularity during the pandemic.
The virtual concert will stream on Thursday evening to promote the upcoming rom-com “Marry Me,” starring Lopez and Owen Wilson. J.Lo and Maluma, who also stars in the movie, will take the stage in avatar form and perform songs from the film’s soundtrack.
Big-name artists from Justin Bieber to Ariana Grande have recently performed in virtual concerts, giving fans the chance to see their shows without venturing into large crowds amid the pandemic. Virtual reality concerts are also emerging as a metaverse-related business opportunity, with investors betting on VR startups that stream concerts.
Snapchat’s Bitmoji avatars pose on the red carpet for Jennifer Lopez’s new movie “Marry Me."Image courtesy of Snapchat
While Snap is one of the biggest names in augmented reality (AR)—which it is deploying with success as an ecommerce offering—this week’s show is not an AR experience. It’s more like an interactive video that fans can access through a website, where they can see their Bitmoji avatar in the crowd and make them dance or blow bubbles. The virtual concert was developed by virtual events company OZ.
John Imah, Snap’s head of brands and games partnerships, said in a statement that the virtual concert speaks to how brands and consumers are “mov[ing] closer to a future in which the virtual and real worlds… complement one another.”
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