Yamaha

A motorcycle launch built for the web.

Client
Yamaha
Category
Virtual showroom
Platform
Web-native interactive 3D
Outcome
Became a year-round showroom
The virtual Yamaha showroom: a glass-fronted building with a blue-lit entrance at the end of a road, motorcycles displayed in its windows

At a glance

Challenge
Bring the excitement of a physical showroom and launch event into the browser, for audiences with very different needs.
Approach
A web-native 3D showroom designed like a virtual garage, with a curtain-reveal launch that became a live event with dedicated spaces for each audience.
Result
The launch became a permanent virtual showroom, hosting multiple bike launches and events throughout the year.
Stack
Three.js and interactive 3D, live events, virtual event rooms, audience segmentation.

The brief

A Yamaha motorcycle launch transformed into an immersive 3D experience, built to bring the excitement of a physical showroom and launch event directly into the browser.

The project began with a launch.

We created a web-native 3D Yamaha showroom, designed like a virtual garage where visitors could explore the motorcycle range, discover product details and experience the launch environment before the event even began.

The launch

At the centre of the experience was a motorcycle hidden beneath a curtain.

Visitors could explore the rest of the showroom while waiting for the scheduled launch.

When the launch began, the curtain pulled back and the new Yamaha motorcycle was revealed inside the 3D environment.

The experience then evolved from a product showcase into a live digital event.

Inside the showroom: an orange Yamaha scooter on a lit turntable, with video walls and bike displays around itThe showroom floor: motorcycles on turntables, a lounge area and blue hotspots marking where visitors can move
The virtual garage

The audiences

The platform brought together audiences with different needs and gave each one a dedicated experience.

  • Media

    Access to the launch, Q&A sessions, PR material and relevant content.

  • VVIPs

    Dedicated spaces and exclusive experiences.

  • Customers and enthusiasts

    Exploring the motorcycle, specifications, features and related content.

  • Event participants

    Moving between the launch environment and dedicated virtual rooms.

Why the browser?

The entire experience was built as web-native 3D, rather than requiring a dedicated application.

That meant users could enter directly through a browser and explore a fully interactive environment while retaining the accessibility and distribution advantages of the web.

The result

The success of the launch led to a second idea. Instead of building a virtual environment for a single event, why not make the showroom permanent?

The experience evolved into a persistent virtual Yamaha showroom, where motorcycles could be launched, displayed and explored throughout the year. Multiple bikes were subsequently launched through the platform, alongside multiple events and experiences.

What started as a launch campaign became a long-running digital destination for Yamaha enthusiasts.

The bigger idea

The project demonstrated how 3D on the web could move beyond a marketing gimmick and become a persistent product and brand experience.

  1. 01Launch
  2. 02Showroom
  3. 03Event venue
  4. 04Destination

A launch could become a showroom. A showroom could become an event venue. And an event platform could become a destination that people return to long after the launch is over.

Capabilities

Next project

Lexus Design Awards

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