SK Innovation's VR art ad tops 30 mil. views on YouTube

By Baek Byung-yeul

SK Innovation has created online buzz with an advertisement featuring virtual reality (VR) technology that has surpassed 30 million views.

The Korean chemical and battery firm unveiled the advertisement Aug. 15 showing an artist using VR techniques to demonstrate how the firm has expanded its business throughout the world.

The advertisement shows German artist Tobias Wustefeld drawing architectural sculptures in an empty virtual reality space, wearing VR head gear and using a tilt brush.

Under the title “Big Picture of INNOVATION,” SK Innovation has released its advertisement to showcase the expansion of its business operations throughout the world. This advertisement is the fifth in the series.

Since its release on YouTube, Aug. 15, the video has garnered about 30 million views including 10 million here and 20 million abroad. SK Innovation said the video of the TV commercial has already become the most viewed among its advertisements and is expected to hit 50 million views by the end of the month.

Once it reaches the 50 million viewer milestone, SK Innovation promises it will spend 50 million won in social contribution activities.

SK Innovation said it produced the ad with the purpose that “advertisements should become platforms that introduce new culture to consumers.”

“We will make more attempts in order to effectively deliver the innovation image of the company,” SK Innovation said.

“The ad could gain attention from people, especially young people, as the VR technique stimulates their curiosity,” an official from the company said. “Indeed, making film of making the advertisement also has garnered 1.5 million views.”