Samsung, Meta, Google, and more light up Las Vegas with gigantic OOH ads

Imagine waking up in the morning to the sight of a colossal smiling emoji welcoming you just outside your window. That would indeed be a delightful sight, wouldn't it?

That's precisely the daily spectacle for residents in the vicinity of the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, United States.

Situated off the Las Vegas strip and east of the Venetian resort, the MSG Sphere has become a prominent talking point on social media, thanks to its captivating exterior dome.

Beyond being a groundbreaking entertainment venue, the MSG Sphere has evolved into a focal point for advertisers and brands, positioning itself as a beacon for a new era of Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising.

The Sphere's exterior, aptly named the Exosphere, boasts an immense LED screen composed of 1.2 million LED discs. This remarkable feature establishes the Exosphere as the world's largest LED screen

During the daytime, the Sphere resembles a black extraterrestrial object, capturing attention with its unique appearance. However, as night falls, this spherical structure transforms into one of the world's largest screens, displaying captivating visuals to onlookers.

The construction of the MSG Sphere came at a substantial cost, with an estimated investment of around $2.3 billion.

The Sphere stands at an impressive height of 111.5 meters and boasts a diameter of 157.2 meters. Within this colossal globe-like structure, a concert venue has been crafted to accommodate approximately 18,500 seats. This makes the interior of the MSG Sphere a massive and immersive space for entertainment events.

In September 2023, the Sphere entertainment venue opened to the public with a series of concerts headlined by the iconic band U2.

According to a leaked pitch deck on X, featuring an advertisement for a single day on the Sphere comes with a price tag of approximately $450,000, and for a week, it amounts to $650,000 for the brand. These costs include the services of MSG's extensive team, comprising over 300 designers working on the creative aspects of the advertisement.

Despite the significant investment required, numerous brands find the opportunity compelling and opt to secure advertising space on the Las Vegas Sphere.

The estimated reach of these advertisements is substantial, with the modern marvel effortlessly attracting eyeballs. It generates approximately 4.7 million impressions. This includes 300,000 in-person views, with an average of 88,000 tourists passing by daily, and a remarkable 4.4 million impressions on various social media platforms.

Clips of every new ad, along with the Sphere's emoji avatar observing planes and traffic or playfully trolling golfers on a nearby course, easily gain traction on social media platforms, while also receiving coverage from news channels.

Here's a list of some noteworthy brands that have chosen to advertise on the MSG Sphere:

NBA 

The NBA (National Basketball Association) holds the distinction of being the inaugural brand to advertise on the Sphere, utilizing the platform to promote its Summer League. In a visually striking display, the Sphere was illuminated to resemble a basketball.

Samsung 

The technology company is set to host its Galaxy Unpacked event on January 17, 2024. In preparation for this event, the company entered into a partnership with Marvel to launch a teaser campaign. This campaign was prominently showcased at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

The teaser clip featured Doctor Strange, who provided hints about the new features that would soon be introduced to Galaxy devices.

YouTube 

The online streaming giant ventured into its first paid-for advertisement by promoting its NFL (National Football League) Sunday Ticket offer. The LED exterior of the Sphere featured a dynamic display, showcasing a spinning American football helmet.

Google 

Google made a significant impact with dual advertisements on the Sphere. Initially, in November 2023, Google Cloud decided to troll Amazon during its AWS Re: Invent event by strategically placing their ad in the city, where the event was taking place. 

Later that month, Google orchestrated a second showcase, featuring both a Google Cloud campaign and a Chrome ad on the Sphere, coinciding with the electrifying atmosphere of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Meta

Partly a promotion for the Meta Quest 3 and partly for Stranger Things, Meta’s Sphere ad depicted the series’ Mind Flayer monster opening a rift in Vegas before cutting to the release of their VR headset in November, 2023.  

Microsoft

In Oct, 2023, Microsoft lit up The Sphere with its new Xbox campaign. Microsoft worked with BCN Visuals to create its Xbox Sphere display. 

Sony 

In October 2023, Sony collaborated with the Sphere, presenting its own 90-second spot that showcased scenes from Spider-Man 2, featuring the dramatic emergence of the character Venom.

Marvel 

In November 2023, Marvel joined forces with Autodesk to run an advertisement on the Sphere. The promotion featured Goose, the cat-like alien creature known from Captain Marvel, making a return in The Marvels. This pre-release advertisement provided a sneak peek ahead of The Marvels' theatrical debut.

Coca-Cola 

In November, Coca-Cola seized the advertising space on the Sphere to promote its AI-inspired Y3000 Zero Sugar soda.

The Sphere transformed into a captivating scene where it bubbled with caramel liquid before transitioning to reveal a futuristic city named Destination Y3000. Viewers were treated to various Easter eggs, including items from a clothing line created in collaboration with the designer brand Ambush.