The tequila brand has created an innovative virtual reality tour of its distillery. In the new ‘Art of Patrón Virtual Reality Experience’ fans of the brand have the chance to get a close up look at the Hacienda Patrón distillery in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, through the point of view of a bee.
The immersive virtual reality experience leverages Oculus technology to transport people on an educational journey to the distillery where they can learn more about the process involved in the creation of tequila.
“While many brands are utilising virtual reality largely for entertainment, Patrón is leveraging this incredible interactive technology as a unique educational tool, to give an immersive, behind-the-scenes look into the artisanal process of making our handcrafted tequila,” says Lee Applbaum, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Patrón Spirits.
The benefit of seeing from the perspective of a bee, means that viewers can get right up close to the action, virtually speaking, all the way from the agave fields and through to the sights and sounds of Patrón’s actual production, aging and bottling. The 360-degree virtual reality experience captures the everyday, authentic process and actual members of the Hacienda team.
“Consumers are increasingly eager to learn the stories behind the products and brands they enjoy,” says Applbaum. “It’s relatively easy to write brand education materials or shoot a video, but that doesn’t always capture the full experience. What we’ve created, using the very latest VR technology, is an authentic, intimate and unprecedented look inside our private Hacienda doors, second only to visiting in person.”
The “Art of Patrón Virtual Reality Experience” was filmed on location at the Hacienda Patrón in Jalisco, Mexico, using a specialised drone – sadly not tiny cameras attached to a trained bee – that was custom-built for the project. This drone was outfitted with seven GoPro cameras and operated by a licensed drone pilot due to the complicated nature of the shoot. Binaural (3D) audio was also captured throughout the shoot, which collected sound from all directions to ensure an experience that is authentic and natural to human hearing.
The “Art of Patrón Virtual Reality Experience” will be offered globally at Patrón events, educational seminars, and at select on- and off-premise retailers. A 360-degree web experience will also be posted on www.artofpatron.com, including behind-the-scenes footage.
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