From Sweating Billboards to a Gaming Adventure to The Met Unit9 ECD Gilles Boisselet Pioneers the Next Frontier of Immersive Brand Experiences
In a world where attention spans are fleeting, Executive Creative Director Gilles Boisselet has mastered the art of creating moments you can’t look away from. As the driving force behind some of Unit9’s most groundbreaking projects, Boisselet uses technology to tell stories and craft experiences that don’t just entertain — they immerse. Whether it’s placing fans inside the sleek, shadowy corridors of the John Wick universe, turning a visit to The Met into an educational gaming adventure, or redefining outdoor advertising with tactile billboards that “sweat,” his work doesn’t simply capture attention; it captures imaginations and reshapes how we engage with the brands we love.
“I develop new creative offerings for brands within the context of communication. It helps my current company to stay relevant as a creative shop, but it also helps develop and diversify it,” says Boisselet, who comes from a pure mathematical background, which he combines with his understanding of art, brands and technology to create innovative communication pieces in the form of entertainment.
Over the years, Boisselet has become known for his work on award-winning projects like the Intel Diplo Drop, a fully virtual concert that captivated audiences during the pandemic, and Swisscom Snow Drawings, a visually stunning land-art installation that won a Bronze Cannes Lion. His contributions have significantly bolstered Unit9’s reputation, which has garnered over 260 awards, including “Tech Company of the Year” by Campaign and “Production Company of the Year” by AdAge. Boisselet himself has played a pivotal role in a substantial portion of these accolades, underscoring his impact on the company’s success.
“Gilles Boisselet has an incredibly rare ability to balance the logical brain with the emotional brain, using technology to hit the heart,” says Unit9 APAC Cofounder Yifei Chai, who worked with Boisselet on numerous projects including the Michelob McEnroe project, The Met x Verizon Replica and the Netflix Extraction 2 billboards.
“His mix of a background in math and sciences with his passion for art allows him to set the strategic and creative direction for projects, combining the latest trends in technology and cultural insights to craft unforgettable, never-before-seen experiences. He’s a walking encyclopedia of cultural innovation, bringing unexpected and valuable insights to every conversation.”
In 2022, Boisselet produced the groundbreaking Michelob ULTRA McEnroe vs. McEnroe experience, which pitted tennis legend John McEnroe against his AI-driven digital avatars in a world-first sports spectacle. The project, which combined motion tracking, AI and live entertainment, earned an impressive 19 awards at The One Show, numerous Clio Sports awards and a Sports Emmy for its innovative approach to blending technology and entertainment. Drawing over 10 million views across ESPN’s channels and exceeding the viewership of the 2021 NBA Finals, the experience quickly became one of the most-watched sports spectacles ever.
As creative director Boisselet orchestrated the complex integration of motion tracking, AI and holographic technology to bring McEnroe’s digital avatars to life; and helped to ensure the experience not only showcased cutting-edge technology but also engaged audiences by capturing McEnroe’s style and spirit.
“You just need to have McEnroe, and have McEnroe actually have fun playing it,” explained Boisselet when asked how they were able to make this tech-driven experience entertaining to ESPN viewers. “We mashed up independent technology to reach a live performance. Cinema is using motion tracking but not doing a live show. This opened the door to a new generation of entertainment, I called it AI entertainment. You can merge the past, the future and you can do it live like a sports event. What about Myke Tyson vs Mohamed Ali?”
When it seems that the advertising industry cannot push the envelope any further, Boisselet comes in and levels up the offering. Some of his most recent innovative projects include the 2023 Netflix Extraction 2 billboard, the John Wick Chapter 4: Continental Experience and The Met x Verizon’s Replica — all groundbreaking projects that showcase his ability to merge cutting-edge technology with storytelling to captivate audiences globally.
“Gilles brings a unique perspective. He’s always thinking about the viewer, user, or experience goer and making the link between the commercial desires of brands and the experience of the people,” says Unit9 Creative Partner Michelle Craig. “His perspective is both artistic and futuristic, he has this almost predictive power to know what’s next. It’s inspiring…even if I’m jealous! As an ECD it’s brilliant watching someone move from page to stage with such ease.”
Last year Boisselet and Unit9 teamed up with Netflix to elevate their advertising offering for the film Extraction 2. As creative director Boisselet developed a campaign that’s effectively redefined outdoor advertising by creating a billboard that actually sweats!
Boisselet conceptualized and executed the idea, working closely with fabricators to create a mechanism that dispersed droplets in real-time, giving the illusion of Extraction 2 star Chris Hemsworth sweating.
A genius when it comes to immersive experiences, Boisselet also developed an innovative approach to get movie goers excited about the film John Wick: Chapter 4 starring Keanu Reeves. As the creative director of the John Wick Chapter 4: Continental Experience, Boisselet helped bring the iconic Continental Hotel to life in New York and Los Angeles in a way that offered fans a high-stakes, gamified adventure that mirrored the film’s intense atmosphere.
A powerful way to launch the legendary franchise, participants at the film’s premiere were immersed in the John Wick universe through curated tastings, prophetic Tarot readings, and hunts for hidden messages in John Wick’s weaponry. From the conceptualization and 3D previsualization of the event to overseeing the integration of digital elements and the many facets of audience engagement, Boisselet’s role was central to every aspect of the experience.
“The challenge for such an experience is to materialize the fandom with respect and proper knowledge, extending it a bit to make it an experience” Boisselet explains. “Leadership is about getting the best from each discipline involved — set, event, digital — and bridging them together.”
Partnering with Lionsgate and Hard Rock, Unit9 created an experience that, guided by Boisselet’s vision, sold out instantly, captured widespread media attention and went viral on TikTok.
“He’s always pushing. He wants it, whatever it is to be the best,” says Craig. “Working with Gilles is very special. Mostly because sometimes you talk about the seed of an idea and then when you next talk, he’s somehow made a whole garden grow.”
Building on his reputation for merging art and technology, Boisselet took on the challenge of reimagining one of the world’s most renowned cultural institutions with The Met x Verizon Replica. Released last year, but conceived during the pandemic, this interactive project brought The Met’s rich history to a global audience through a gamified experience on the virtual universe Roblox and an AR app for museum visitors.
“The initial aim was to bring the museum to people since they couldn’t go to the museum anymore,” Boisselet shares. “Entertainment, like gaming, is a universal language that can naturally engage an audience without explanation.”
Boisselet was pivotal in translating The Met’s physical exhibits into a digital world, where visitors could explore, interact and learn. His strategic decision to use Roblox — a platform already familiar to millions of users — ensured accessibility, while AR brought immersive educational opportunities to those on-site. By leveraging existing technology, he created a seamless experience that combined history, art and play, demonstrating how museums can innovate to remain relevant in a digital age. Not only did Boisselet make The Met accessible to global museum goers from the comfort of their own home, but his work also helped the project earn numerous awards, including seven Clio Awards, an Ad Age Award, several Webby’s and more.
“It could become a new point of presence for the physical institution like The Met. You can resonate with people who won’t be able to go once physically. It’s a branch for the brand,” says Boisselet about the project, adding that it “is great for kids, it gives a path like a treasure hunt and therefore you have their attention.”
Through his groundbreaking work, Gilles Boisselet continues to redefine what it means to engage audiences in the modern age. Whether crafting a high-stakes, gamified experience for John Wick Chapter 4, translating The Met’s rich history into a digital playground, or creating a tactile connection to the intense action of Extraction 2, Boisselet seamlessly merges cutting-edge technology with human-centered storytelling.
With work that transcends traditional advertising whilst offering audiences moments of genuine immersion and connection, there’s no question that Boisselet is a rare force in the industry who continues to raise the bar. Looking ahead, his ability to balance bold creativity with strategic precision positions him not just as a pioneer, but as a visionary shaping the future of experiential marketing, and we look forward to seeing what he comes up with next.
