How it got made Prime Video/ Staraoke “Like watching miracle”

Lavinia Francia, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy Italy, shares how determination, coordination

and a little magic helped Prime Video pull off an “unprecedented experience”

 

What was the brief?

To promote Prime Video’s new film about Laura Pausini; an international superstar with a

community of fans. But we didn’t want to just appeal to her fandom; we needed to create an

unprecedented experience that would appeal to all music lovers.

What sparked the idea of using karaoke?

Going to watch your idol perform can be quite passive. At karaoke, you take the stage, show

your emotions and feel part of something. It brings out a very specific connection between

music lovers and their idols; fans know the lyrics and share their favorite songs with the people

around them.

 

Why did you choose a live, rather than a digital event?

Live events have a communal aspect which became even more relevant after COVID-19. At the

beginning of the pandemic, people in Italy were sharing music from their windows as a way to

connect to others. Being present and living a shared experience is the best way to build a

memory and make and impact.

 

Tell us about the technology involved.

We collaborated with an Italian production company who coordinated a team of French drone

engineers and technicians who made 500 drones sync to the music – which was the hardest

part of the performance. It took three weeks of rehearsals.

 

Were there any other challenges?

Securing the location. We had to pass a huge list of permissions to fly in the Colosseum area,

which is close to the Vatican premises. An Italian Air Force representative had to be present to

oversee the whole process in case the Pope needed to fly. The weather was also an issue – the

drones wouldn’t be able to fly in heavy rain, and this was forecast on the day of the event. The

whole team downloaded three or four weather apps and checked them every minute. We were

so anxious. Like magic, it started raining a second after the last drone had landed.

 

How did it feel to see the event take place?

Given all the factors against us, It was like watching a miracle. We watched the first drone take

off in complete awe. It was even better than we had imagined, because Pausini’s enthusiasm in

taking part in the karaoke made it even more magical.

 

What has the reaction been?

We were overwhelmed by the participants' joy. We thought they would be a bit shy in taking the

stage. Because of the central location, people kept passing by and joining in. It turned into a

party: people wouldn’t leave the premises and kept singing afterwards. We edited the video that

night and the news spread quickly. And Laura Pausini’s film was the most viewed film on Prime

Video in Italy and Spain on the day of launch.

 

What lesson would you take from the experience?

What we think is impossible – and a lot of people were telling us this couldn’t happen – maybe it’s not.

It happened because we met people that were as determined as we were. We all met around

the idea of doing something that had never been done before. When you find a brave client and

a passionate team, magic can happen.