Gravity MAX, the UK’s largest immersive and experiential leisure operator, has teamed up with the Sidemen, globally renowned content creators and YouTube sensations, to deliver a unique activation at Westfield Stratford, Europe’s largest mall. This collaboration marks a significant first for both parties, showcasing the growing partnership between Gravity and the Sidemen, which has developed over the past four years.
The event revolved around the Sidemen’s popular “Hide and Seek” series, brought to life using Gravity’s cutting-edge electric go-karts in an innovative setting. The activation required months of careful planning and coordination with Westfield and its retailers, ensuring that the 24/7 mall could be temporarily closed for filming without disrupting regular operations.
Luke Miles, Gravity’s Global Performance Director, commented on the complexity and ambition of the project: “This was our most ambitious collaboration with the Sidemen to date. Westfield is a 24/7 operation, and coordinating with the mall’s team and multiple retailers to make this vision a reality was no small feat. Bringing together the Sidemen’s creative influence and Gravity’s cutting-edge technology has been a marketeer’s dream.”
The partnership between Gravity and the Sidemen, who have over 185 million subscribers combined, offers significant commercial and brand benefits. Miles explained: “When content reaches millions of viewers worldwide, it significantly elevates our brand visibility. The Sidemen’s audience is not only massive but highly engaged, which gives us the opportunity to directly interact with a demographic that’s crucial for our business. The return on investment from this kind of exposure is tremendous, as it drives both footfall to our venues and awareness of our technology-driven experiences.”
Joining the seven core Sidemen members – KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, Tobjizzle, Behzinga, Vikkstar123, and WS2 – were other prominent content creators such as ArthurTV, Lachlan Power, and LazerBeam. Together, these influencers brought an additional 50 million subscribers, amplifying the reach of the activation across various platforms.
Beyond Gravity’s involvement, a number of national and international retailers, including Nando’s, JD Sports, and Footlocker, supported the activation. This collaboration underscored the importance of partnerships between brands, with retailers actively participating in the event to further enhance its success.
Tanya Pile, the Sidemen’s Head of Production, shared her excitement about the project, saying, “The last video we created with Gravity trended number one worldwide and resonated with new and existing audiences. We fully expect this new content to have the same global impact. Our ongoing partnership with Gravity continues to find common ground where we can leverage brand value on both sides to create truly inspiring and innovative content.”
The Sidemen, who were recently listed in The Times’ Top 30 Richest Content Creators, have been leaders in digital content creation since 2013. Their latest collaboration with Gravity MAX further cements their status as pioneers in the YouTube space, creating content that resonates with millions of viewers around the world.
