Using Cutting Edge Technology at Events | Porsche

Can a sports car become a musical canvas?

Background

Porsche’s E-performance vehicles were the car giant’s first-ever electric vehicles and one of its most important products in decades. Second Story, a part of Razorfish, teamed up with XD Agency to help Porsche create an unforgettable launch event for the cars by connecting an electric guitar to an electric car—and electrifying a crowd.

Special lights on the car would actually respond to my guitar—that was amazing!

Dave Navarro
Musician

Journey

Held at LA’s Porsche Experience Center, the E-Performance launch event blended classic rock with cutting-edge technology. Our team mounted custom displays to the spoiler of two Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid models. When rock legend (and Porsche superfan) Dave Navarro hit the stage to wow the VIP crowd, his live guitar signal drove a lo-fi music visualizer on the back of each car. As they raced around the track, the vehicles became part of the performance.

A gathered crowd listens to music onstage — Event stage from overhead

Custom display mounted to Porsche spoiler — Porsche Panamera 4E-Hybrids

Our job was to design a responsive extension of the guitar.

Joel Krieger
Chief Creative Officer • Second Story, a part of Razorfish

Outcomes

The “Engine Notes” concert was a one-of-a-kind event that brought together man, music, and machine. Rolling Stone called it “an asphalt-kicking E-performance.” Major music publications worldwide ran features on the event. And hundreds of attendees were treated to a performance unlike any they’d seen before.

250 test drives at event
4.5M video views
10M press impressions in a week

Live audio processing and frequency analysis—this is Dave Navarro’s personal music visualizer.

Matt Lewis
Technology Lead • Second Story, a part of Razorfish

What are people saying?

Can’t think of anyone else who could’ve done this better. All kinds of awesome, Dave

@CelesteJMarek
Sign me up for a Porsche haha ♯♭♭

@andrewmartinmusic