Today, Sir Elton John enters Roblox with ‘Elton John Presents: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’. This is a watershed moment in the course of musical-based metaverse activations, as this multi-award winning singer, songwriter, pianist and philanthropist represents the most iconic artist yet to take this virtual leap.
Positioned as a persistent experience extending far beyond his farewell tour and real-world retirement, ‘Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ will include timeless music, iconic fashion and interactive challenges for players of every age.
To help realise his vision, Elton John and Universal Music Group tapped GEEIQ’s platform and expertise to ensure the Roblox community and data-led decision making were at the heart of this landmark strategy and activation, with ‘Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ marking the biggest community-led experience in Roblox history.
What can the Roblox community expect?
‘Elton John: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ will allow fans to follow the yellow brick road through an interactive world inspired by Elton John’s life and legacy.
Roblox users can try on his most iconic outfits, including items made in collaboration with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball that hark back to his legendary concert in 1975, nearly 50 years ago. Visitors to the experience will also be able to shop the full collection of items.
And kicking off on November 17th, Elton John will be performing some of his biggest hits in a virtual performance, every hour, until November 20th.
A decade-spanning cultural trailblazer
Elton John may be 75, but staying culturally relevant has never been an issue for the London-born artist. In the US, he holds the record for the longest span between Billboard top 40 hits at 50 years; so a Roblox experience immortalising his legacy is not a surprise move for this trailblazer.
Having recently collaborated with fellow musical icon Britney Spears for her first recording in six years, and creating the song of summer 2021 with Dua Lipa, arguably the hottest pop artist on the planet right now, ‘Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ is just another example of his bridging of the generational gap.
Coinciding with his farewell tour, this Roblox experience ‘is just the latest new frontier that Elton John is embracing during a dazzling period of creativity and cultural relevance from one of the greatest pop culture icons of the 20th and 21st centuries.’
Where does GEEIQ come in?
Elton John and Universal Music Group (UMG) leveraged the GEEIQ platform and our Enterprise expertise to make data-led decisions that put community enrichment at the heart of this activation.
GEEIQ enabled the team to identify the right influencers to amplify the experience, as well as the most consistently performing UGC creators in Roblox across a variety of categories including clothing, eyewear, hats, and accessories. Elton John worked closely with the best to re-interpret his iconic looks.
GEEIQ developed the in-game economy and merchandise strategy, creating an engaging player loop that incentivises repeat visits and extended time spent in the experience. This support will continue throughout the duration of the experience.
What does this mean for music-based activations going forward?
Music-based metaverse activations present an opportunity for artists to scale audiences, reach them in new ways, and monetize them through the sale of digital merchandise and experiences.
As with any brand focused activation, we at GEEIQ encourage subscribers to see these spaces as a new marketing vertical that require long-term strategies, sustained investment and new ways of thinking.
Elton John: Beyond The Yellow Brick Road launches today.
