Whatdoyoudowhenover20,000fansoftheEintrachtFrankfurtfootballclubspendadayinthestadiumfortheseasonopener,buttheteamisn'tthere?Youbringtheplayerstolifevirtually.
Client
Deutsche Börse x Eintracht Frankfurt
Industry
Insurance & Financial Services
Services
Technical ConsultingUX DesignVisual DesignSoftware DevelopmentDevOpsProducing
Augmented Reality brings Eintracht heroes directly to the fans.
More than 20,000 fans filled the season opener, but the players were not present.
The challenge was to meet the expectation of closeness to the players, create emotional experiences, and generate shareable memories without the team being physically present.
The solution was an AR Photo Experience that allowed fans to have virtual encounters with Timothy Chandler and Nicolai Müller, delivering personal photos instantly.
An AR Photo Experience brought virtual players to touch.
Two high-resolution 4K screens in portrait format served as eye-catchers and a private shooting area, accompanied by a 4K camera, allowing passersby to be attracted and visitors in the experience area to interact casually with the virtual players.
This is how we implemented the experience.
We worked through the phases of Discover, Prototype, Build, and Launch to iteratively validate UX, crowd flow, and technical credibility.
In Discover, we defined the experience and visitor flows; in Prototype, we tested live acting and compositing; in Build, the 3D assets and setup were created; and in Launch, the team ensured smooth operation and maximum participation.
An invisible actor controlled the characters via motion capture in real-time and responded individually to the fans, making the encounters surprisingly real and personal.
Live acting was the magical moment.
Our technology combined photogrammetrically created 3D models with specially developed shaders and flexible real-time compositing, allowing the virtual and real worlds to visually harmonize.
Photogrammetry, real-time shaders, and 4K hardware ensured visual credibility.
The actor wore a motion capture system with over 50 points and could see the camera image, allowing gaze direction and gestures to be precisely aligned with the visitors, resulting in natural, spontaneous reactions.
Visitors experienced hugs, high fives, and individual group photos; the installation attracted long lines and many social shares, creating closeness to the brand and generating lasting memories.
Emotional memories and high participation demonstrate success.