Creative agency Boys+Girls, in collaboration with Three and Samsung Ireland, have launched the world’s first ‘Connected Restaurant’ that is split between two cities, Dublin and Sydney.
The unique pop-up style restaurant will bring families split between Ireland and Australia together for Christmas, despite the distance and time difference between them.
Reservations for this fully complementary dining experience were made online at TheConnectedRestaurant.com by families separated between the two cities. Demand was exceptionally high, with enough table requests to fill the four day pop up for three months straight.
Combining Samsung technology with Three’s high-speed network, the two halves of the table will seamlessly connect across time zones, bringing friends and family together at a time when they feel the separation most.
Boys+Girls collaborated with innovation production studio, UNIT9, to create the high-tech experience where the technology effectively disappears for the guests to make a human connection. Multiple high-definition cameras and targeted microphones are synced instantaneously across the globe and relayed to the latest Samsung screens. Every element of the experience is seamlessly co-ordinated in both locations, from technology to table service, to ensure that the diners are connected as though they were seated at the same table.
This specially designed restaurant will be located on Clarendon Street in Dublin city centre with the other half on Holt St, Surry Hills in Sydney Australia.
According to Rory Hamilton, Boys+Girls Executive Creative Director: “A connected restaurant is the perfect way of bringing together families at Christmas, and also highlights Three and Samsung’s brand positioning of connectivity. There have been obstacles involved in creating this experience regarding the technology, and tackling time differences, but we have decided to make a virtue of this and have even injected humour into the experience as well!”
Aislinn O’Connor, Three’s Head of Brand and Marketing Communications adds: “At Three, we understand that people use our network every day for creating and sharing their special moments with loved ones far and near. Christmas, in particular, is the time of year that we want to take time to catch up with family and friends, but for many reasons not everyone can make it home for Christmas in Ireland. This is why we have teamed up with Samsung to create the world’s first Connected Restaurant. We look forward to opening the doors to this experience on the 29th of November.”
