Combining Honda’s ingenuity with some seasonal magic, we surprised kids who were unable to leave the hospital to be home for the holidays. We built a bright and colorful candy-cane lane entirely in virtual reality. This realistic and immersive 360-degree neighborhood was made to resemble one the kids were missing back home. Inside the VR, each child got to experience the beloved tradition of seeing elaborate holiday light displays, and for a moment, they got to escape the routine of hospital life. The virtual journey ended up with a dramatic fireworks finale, and a real gift from Santa was dropped in the lap of each child, merging the VR world with the real world. This campaign not only brought out some smiles, it embodied Honda’s founding belief of bringing the power of dreams to life.

An emotional documentary of the experience was launched across Honda’s Facebook and Twitter during the final weeks of December. For every “like,” we donated $1 to two great charities, for a total of $100K. We also extended the virtual experience online by posting a YouTube version of the VR that could be viewed on home VR headsets or as a 360-degree video. The brand also implemented the VR footage to launch their first 360-degree Snapchat placement. The campaign exceeded expectation with 6.4 million views and 22.4 million impressions. Exposure for the brand and charities continued with a two-and-a-half minute commercial airing of the documentary during the Rose Parade. The video was met with an overwhelmingly positive response, proving that the magic of the holidays can find you anywhere.

In the end, the campaign’s results exceeded expectation. Not only did Honda brighten the holidays of deserving kids, but the campaign gathered over 6.4 million views and 22.4 million impressions over social media alone. Through the help of fans on Facebook, Honda also reached their charity donation goal of $100,000 in just a few days—showing just how many hearts they touched along the way. Exposure for the brand and charities continued with a two-and-a-half minute commercial airing of the documentary during the Rose Parade. No matter where the video was viewed, each showing was met with an overwhelmingly positive response. And Honda, a brand that has always believed in bringing the power of dreams to life, proved that the magic of the holidays can in fact find you anywhere.