As a longtime sponsor of Essence Festival, Ford wanted to maintain a strong brand presence when the 2020 event shifted from an in-person festival to a virtual experience because of the COVID pandemic.
With traditional on-site activations no longer possible, Ford partnered with UWG and Bluewater to create a digital booth experience that could keep the brand visible, engaging, and connected to festival attendees.
Bluewater worked alongside Ford and UWG to translate the energy of an in-person brand activation into a fully virtual environment. The goal was to create an experience that allowed attendees to explore Ford’s presence at the festival, engage with branded content, and participate in interactive moments from wherever they were watching.
The experience was designed to keep content front and center while giving attendees multiple ways to interact with the Ford brand throughout the virtual festival. Today, Bluewater continues to support digital and hybrid event experiences through Parallel, our event engagement platform designed to help teams manage content, connect with audiences, and extend the value of their events.
Before the virtual Essence Festival experience opened to attendees, Ford needed a way to connect with the press and preview what was in store. As the first virtual Essence Festival and Ford’s first virtual consumer event, there was excitement around how the experience would come to life and how the Essence community would engage in a new format.
Bluewater worked with Ford and UWG to produce a highly branded virtual press experience for a select group of media professionals. The production included multi-participant views, one-up speaker layouts, and seamless video streams, giving Ford a polished platform to introduce the upcoming experience and answer questions ahead of the main event.
The virtual Ford booth gave attendees the ability to explore Ford vehicles, including interactive navigation into vehicle interiors and access to video content. A dedicated virtual Ford stage housed live and on-demand programming tied to Ford’s presence at Essence Festival, helping extend the value of the brand’s sponsorship beyond a traditional booth footprint.
The experience also included a password-protected Ford Owners Lounge, created exclusively for Ford owners and premium giveaway recipients. This private area included special content and a celebrity meet-and-greet, giving invited guests a more exclusive festival experience.
To add another layer of engagement, Bluewater and UWG also created a virtual photo activation where attendees could select a branded overlay, take a photo, and download it to share across multiple platforms.
The virtual booth helped Ford stay connected to Essence Festival attendees during a year when live events looked very different. Instead of stepping away from the festival, Ford was able to reimagine its presence and continue delivering a memorable brand experience in a new format.
Essence Festival recognized the activation as a dynamic and interactive space that brought the spirit of the traditional in-person festival experience to life virtually.
By moving quickly and collaborating closely with UWG and Ford, Bluewater helped create a first-of-its-kind virtual festival presence that kept audiences engaged and gave Ford a meaningful way to show up for the Essence Festival community. Explore Parallel to see how Bluewater helps brands extend the value of their event content.
Bluewater is the only woman-owned business of its kind, operating four industry-leading business units that support sensory storytelling through digital & physical canvases.
© 2026 Bluewater.
