Monash University
A Future Without Change
- Virtual Reality
- Serious Games
Monash University is one of Australia’s leading universities and ranks among the world’s top 100.
VMLY&R Melbourne and Monash University identified that every year high school students are bombarded by university recruitment campaigns. So, while other universities showed students a perfect future, Monash University stood out by showing one plagued by problems.
A Future Without Change gives students a glimpse into what our world could become if we merely adapt to the issues we face instead of changing them. The campaign urges us to consider that a future without change is no future at all.
Experiencing new realities
Monash University challenged us to design and develop these futures, giving people the chance to experience this dystopia for themselves. Virtual reality was the natural choice.
The bold activation explores mental health, education, environmental sustainability and cyber-crime and provokes audiences to consider the consequences of inaction - helping to inspire and recruit the next generation to change these potential realities.
Virtual worlds give us the power to create and experience impossible (or at the very least, hopefully very unlikely) realities. Worlds where breakfast cereals are packed with antidepressants, people wear masks to hide from facial recognition technology, and cryogenic chambers help to pass the time in over-burdened hospital waiting rooms.
Maximising impact
Monash took advantage of the newly released Oculus Quest, the first truly standalone VR device. Not being tethered to a computer allowed Monash to reach a greater audience, reduce user and setup friction at activations and keep costs down.
Developing for standalone devices, which have much lower graphics capabilities, is always a welcome challenge. We strive to eke out every last bit of performance, maintaining a smooth user experience without sacrificing the interest and immersion of the in-game environment.
A Future Without Change is being used across the country to help inspire and recruit the next generation of change-makers. A simplified version of the VR experience lives online to give users without access to VR technology the chance to experience it.
The virtual execution of this powerful idea is giving the campaign reach and longevity far beyond the initial physical activation.
