Case Study: VR Quad Driving Experience for FRS Training
Over a decade, 10 fatal quad-bike accidents on Irish farms underlined an urgent need for improved safety training.
Together with FRS Training, aiming to boost quad bike safety awareness amid new governmental regulations effective November 20th, 2023, we crafted a bespoke Virtual Reality (VR) Experience for the National Ploughing Championship, an event drawing 70,000 to 115,000 daily attendees.
The dual-purpose VR experience aimed to educate potential buyers on quad safety while serving as a crucial marketing tool for FRS Training.
This case study outlines the design, creation, and deployment of the VR experience, ensuring 3-day festival reliability, and proficiently training staff for on-site management.
Background
Collaborating with the dynamic Neon Agency, a concise storyboard was crafted, outlining an innovative VR quad bike experience. Neon is a globally recognized Brand Experience Agency based in Dublin, boasts a specialty in orchestrating diverse, memorable event experiences and 360-degree brand campaigns across the globe.
FRS Training has been a pinnacle of robust, tailored training solutions for over three decades, offering a diverse array of courses across multiple industries and positioning themselves not merely as a training provider but a catalyst for client growth and success. FRS Training strong brand and reputation in the industry are rooted in their dedication to crafting unique, success-driving learning experiences.
VR R00M stands as a gateway to immersive Virtual Reality (VR), with a commitment to introducing educational yet enjoyable VR experiences. We not only provide but also create customized VR experiences and events, spotlighting VR’s transformative potential across learning, work, and play environments.
The National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois, is more than a championship, drawing between 70,000 to 115,000 attendees daily over its three-day run. It’s a comprehensive celebration of agriculture and rural life in Ireland, blending traditional competitions with a wealth of exhibitions, and annually attracting a vast and varied audience.
The Virtual Reality Experience
Under tight deadlines, we swiftly and efficiently crafted the VR experience in just a few days.
The dual challenge of ensuring its reliability and safety over the three-day event was tackled with meticulous planning and a systematic creation process. Through detailed, on-site training, we empowered FRS Network’s event staff, ensuring they could manage the experience seamlessly throughout the event, striking a balance between engaging entertainment and invaluable safety education.
Pre-production
FRS Training expressed interest in utilizing VR to portray various agricultural scenarios. A rapid development cycle ensued, leading to a proposal and focused storyboard: a checklist-style mini training, followed by a 360-degree video of professional quad driving. The user would be sitting on a quad while going through the experience, providing total immersion in a safe environment.
Production
The production phase was initiated with a comprehensive shooting day in Co. Dublin, where we worked to capture a professional quad driver skillfully maneuvering through various agricultural scenarios. This provided us with the raw footage necessary to build the VR experience intended to immerse users in a 360-degree perspective of adept quad driving.
Following the shoot, development of the experience took place so it is playable as an application on a VR headset. The experience consists of a concise safety checklist, culminating in approximately 2 minutes of immersive 360-degree video footage.
Utilizing top-tier VR software, we stitched the 360-degree footage together to immerse users in the authentic farm environment, observing and absorbing the quad driving experience from every angle.
Event preparation and Training
A day before the festivities started, our team went to the festival grounds to install the VR equipment and ensure its functionality. The FRS Network stand at the National Ploughing Championships was then equipped with all necessary VR hardware to facilitate the VR experience designed to engage attendees over the three-day event.
The pivotal part of this preparation was the extensive on-site training provided to the FRS Network event staff headed by Jane Marks. This involved not only a thorough walkthrough of the VR technology and software but also troubleshooting potential issues and guiding users — ensuring that staff could autonomously manage the VR experience during the event.
“Con and Ben lead us through training on site the day before and offered remote support during the event, which we only needed once and the issue was swiftly dealt with. We were fully trained to run the event ourselves which was great as we could engage with our potential customers.” – Jane Marks, Marketing Manager at FRS Network
Results & Conclusion
Press & Public Response
The FRS VR Quad Bike experience commanded notable attention and success, securing a prominent spot in media and public interest during the National Ploughing Championships.
The notable press coverage included the top position in a piece by the Irish Independent: list of the top 9 things not to miss at the Ploughing 2023.
Agricultural sector media covered the experience extensively with features on Agriland, That’s Farming, Irish Examiner and various other local media.
The Experience attracted social media influencers such as #sheepgame, who loved the experience see here on TikTok and #farmerphil.
Key Insights
“VR helped shift our proposition at the ploughing to an exciting experience for our visitors that was on brand, it created a buzz and effectively launched our new training courses and raised our branding profile.”
— Jane Marks, Marketing Manager at FRS Network
Practical Application: VR emerged as a formidable tool for various events and festivals, proficient in not only entertaining attendees but also facilitating meaningful interactions between sales teams and potential customers.
Exemplary Collaboration: The partnership between VR R00M and FRS Network demonstrated how technology could be utilized to not only attract attention but also address crucial safety issues in an engaging manner.
Future Directions
The initiative set a precedent for the feasible and effective use of VR/AR in sales events and safety education, prompting FRS Network to consider incorporating VR/AR in future sales events.
Similarly, VR R00M is venturing into more analogous projects, refining and expanding their offerings in crafting immersive experiences across varied domains.
In Reflection
The project not only yielded a boost in public and media attention but also provided a tangible, interactive platform for embedding vital safety principles within participants, intertwining learning with an immersive technological experience.
Moving forward, while celebrating the success of this endeavor, both FRS Network and VR R00M are already eyeing the future, enticed to harness the potent combination of immersive technology and safety training, ensuring that every experience is not only engaging but also intrinsically educational and safe.