Sean Pruen

Formula E: Gen3 Unboxed

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We had this vast space to utilise. We could have filled that space with lots of ‘stuff’. Instead we filled it with sound in a way that no one had ever experienced. It both brought focus to the static car at the centre and put pictures in people’s minds of what the car was built to do – race.

Post the pandemic, it was such a pleasure to be using audio again in ways that truly immerse people. Something that just cannot be achieved when they are sat in front of a screen. Experiential is back, loud and proud.

Sean Pruen, Director, UNIT9

The background

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship wanted to showcase the Gen3: the fastest, lightest, most powerful, and most efficient electric race car ever built. So we designed an immersive experience that gave fans a chance to see the extraordinary new machine up close and in person for the first time.

The execution

Gen3 Unboxed was an exclusive fan experience for London E-Prix attendees. When people stepped into the installation—contained within a sleek monolithic box—we transported them to an otherworldly environment with graphic illuminations and sonic delights.

The centerpiece of the installation was the all-new Gen3, onto which we projected the 11 Formula E teams competing in Season 8 and the new additions for Season 9. Also inside the box, 60 speakers and 16 subwoofers recreated the ambiance of being at a race, filling the space with the sounds of passing cars traveling around the room with thundering clarity. On the walls, we projected a visual collage of Gen3 imagery, impressive performance statistics, and industry-leading sustainability specifications.

Gen3 Unboxed also contained an interactive element: Through a tablet interface, attendees could control and change the lighting, sound, and content projected around the installation.

The results

Such a groundbreaking car deserved an equally as big fanfare, and Gen3 Unboxed more than delivered. The unique combination of spatial audio and projected imagery had a dramatic, head-turning effect, educating fans on the car’s industry-defining performance, sustainability, and efficiency credentials. Over 20,000 attendees came through the experience and left with a true sense that they had been transported to another world.