Cutting Edge Sees Advil Speed Through Pain in Futuristic VR Campaign

Cutting Edge has revealed its fully CG virtual reality experience as part of high-energy rebrand campaign, ‘Virtual World’ for Pfizer Advil via Matterhorn Advertising.

The two minute VR film created for the Samsung Gear headset, lets people experience the benefits of Advil first hand, inviting them into a high stakes, hyper-real ride that leaves pain for dead. The campaign also includes a combined CGI and live-action commercial and seamless 360 online video. Cutting Edge director and VFX supervisor Simon Maddison led both the VR experience and TVC.

“The TVC lent itself perfectly to virtual reality; the viewer is the rider, racing through a fully CG world, smashing through pain 'crystals' as the environment constantly builds and moves around them,” said Maddison.

Maddison says the complexity of the Advil VR experience is not something he has seen before; a virtual environment of over 3,500 frames of liquid, moving mountains made up of two million fully reflective blocks and crystal simulations in stunning 4K. 

The team used the latest 3D scanning technology available to build a bespoke proxy motorbike that was proportionally correct to the approved design, allowing them to direct real performances of turning, accelerating and stopping that was then transferred to the digital double.

Executive Producer Samantha Daley says, “VR offers clients the ability to immerse their consumers inside their vision in a way never been done before, and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of this technology.”

Matterhorn Advertising founder Matt Kemsley said: “Working with Simon Maddison and the team at Cutting Edge has been a fantastic experience and from the treatment to the production they have over delivered with their creativity and effort.”

“At every stage their suggestions and ideas have made the concept stronger. Plus, because they're all such nice people the process was simple, professional and ego free. I look forward to working with them again,” Kemsley added.

The Advil ‘Virtual World’ campaign airs with 15-sec and 30-sec spots that will run on broadcast and online.