Pringles - "Uncanny"

Today, Schweppes is introducing a groundbreaking immersive audio experience with the launch of “The Social Sound.” According to a survey by the music lifestyle brand Sol Republic, 73% of people admit to wearing headphones to avoid social interactions, effectively shielding them from the outside world. With "The Social Sound," Schweppes has found an innovative way to use technology as a conduit for social connection—transforming headphones from an antisocial device into a social one.

As a brand, Schweppes encourages people to live as they were born: social. In collaboration with Amapiano artist Daliwonga, the brand disrupted a live-stream performance of his popular/chart-topping song to invite fans to experience the IRL version in concert with one catch: the only way to find the exclusive show’s location was to listen.

Using a cutting-edge 3D soundscape, fans turned their headphones into a navigation system to guide them towards the secret venue by following Daliwonga’s track “Howa You.” Thanks to spatial audio and the built-in GPS of their smartphone, the Social Sound detected exactly where people were and in which direction they were headed. By following the sound: walking left, right, front or back, the music grew louder as Daliwonga’s fans got closer to the venue in the city center of Cape Town, South Africa.

Powered by 360-degree spatial audio technology processed in real time, the music track resonated in the distance, dynamically adjusting its proximity and volume—growing richer and more expansive as users walked closer, serving as an audible beacon indicating the direction to follow. Conversely, as participants moved away, the music receded, its essence filtered, creating an auditory compass. Arriving at the destination, attendees were rewarded with an exclusive live concert event hosted, of course, with Schweppes beverages and cocktails.

Pietro Pio Cirsone, Global Creative Strategy Director at The Coca-Cola Company said, “As an icon of any socializing occasion, Schweppes wants to restate the importance of getting together in real life. The idea is to disrupt one of those moments - screens’ overscrolling - encouraging people to rediscover the joy of genuine socialization in real life instead of on their phones.”

The campaign and experience was created by WPP Open X, led by Grey. Grey Global Executive Creative Director Hope Nardini adds “At the same time, this immersive experience is proof that technology can actually play a pivotal role in strengthening our social fabric, something core to Schweppes’ Born Social campaign. By leveraging spatial audio, we rewarded people with an exclusive digital experience that culminated in an IRL one. It’s not just about music; it's a catalyst for rekindling human interaction, encouraging us to embrace the richness of shared moments.”

Brian Yessian, whose company Yessian handled sound engineering for the project, added: “From a sound perspective, we meticulously deconstructed Daliwonga’s track into six distinct stems–bass, drums, FX, music, melody, percussion and vocals–each layer building as the listener progressed toward the destination. Coupled with an ambisonic audio mix, the music undergoes meticulous sonic enhancement that builds excitement and compels listeners to the final location. This interplay of music, sound effects, and the arrival moment crafts a journey to steadily amplify the excitement and anticipation of the live show.”