Case Study: McDonald's immerses NASCAR fans in a VR pit crew experience with NEXT NOW

McDonald's immerses 6,000 fans in VR pit crew experience with NEXT NOW

McDonald's sought to create an immersive branded experience for NASCAR fans to deepen their engagement with the brand. They partnered with vendor NEXT NOW to develop a virtual reality activation that would place fans directly into the excitement of a race day pit stop.

NEXT NOW developed a highly realistic VR experience using Unreal Engine, motion capture, and live-action sound design. This solution allowed fans to be instructed by driver Jamie McMurray and perform a virtual tire change against the clock. The activation was a major success, generating over 820 hours of brand exposure with more than 6,000 participants. It also won first place at the 2017 EventTech Awards.

McDonald's