August 29, 2024 — Channel 4’s consumer investment arm, Channel 4 Ventures, has secured an investment deal worth £1.75million with immersive entertainment specialists Layered Reality.

The deal supports Channel 4’s goal of diversifying its revenue streams as it transitions to become the first public service streamer, as laid out in its Fast Forward Strategy. It follows Channel 4 Ventures securing two investment deals in recent weeks: into Fy!, the home and living marketplace and Vinterior, the second-hand furniture marketplace.

The media for equity deal enables Layered Reality’s immersive experiences to reach a TV audience for the first time. Over the course of a year, ‘The Gunpowder Plot’, ‘Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience’ and the forthcoming ‘Elvis Evolution’ will tap into advertising airtime around a range of Channel 4 programming.

The deal is the next step in British company Layered Reality’s rapid growth, having secured the global rights to create an immersive experience based on Elvis Presley’s life from Authentic Brands Group earlier this year. The broadcast deal with Channel 4 Ventures underlines Layered Reality’s credentials as the leader in the fast-emerging immersive entertainment space.

Opening in London in Spring 2025, ‘Elvis Evolution’ will bring the global musical icon back through the power of AI, augmented reality, live theatre and multi-sensory effects in a celebration of his life and legacy. Production of the TV spot is underway with Bristol-based creative agency Hey! What? and tickets for ‘Elvis Evolution’ are due to go on sale later this year.

Andrew McGuinness, Founder and CEO of Layered Reality, said “Layered Reality is determined to be best in class at what we do. This means seeking out similarly minded partners and Channel 4 is certainly one of those. We are delighted to be working with them to help bring high quality immersive entertainment to ever-wider audiences.”

Vinay Solanki, head of Channel 4 Ventures, said “We’re leading the way in showcasing the potential of media-for-equity for brands, and we’re proud to invest in another business which is a leader in its field. We think live events might be the best use case for AR and VR, and we believe there is a fit using globally recognised brands and IP, like Elvis. This deal is another example of how we can deliver commercial impact for businesses that team up with us.”

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About Channel 4 Ventures

Channel 4 Ventures is the leading consumer venture capital investor which re-invests returns into Channel 4. The fund is a pioneer of the media-for-equity investment model in the UK, investing in consumer companies from the seed to pre-IPO stages using Channel 4’s advertising space and in return receiving equity stakes in the companies it backs.

About Layered Reality

Layered Reality is the creator of London’s longest running and most highly rated immersive experiences, with ‘Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds Immersive Experience’ https://thewaroftheworldsimmersive.com celebrating its fifth year, and along with The Gunpowder Plot https://gunpowderimmersive.com placed in the top 10% of attractions globally by TripAdvisor reviewers. In production, ‘Elvis Evolution’ immersive experience https://elvis.layeredreality.com/ will celebrate the world’s biggest star of stage and screen; his life, music and legacy. For more information about Layered Reality including forthcoming IP announcements, visit https://www.layeredreality.com/

About Authentic Brands Group

Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, which owns a portfolio of more than 50 iconic and world-renowned Lifestyle, Entertainment and Media brands. Headquartered in New York City, with offices around the world, Authentic connects strong brands with best-in-class partners and a global network of operators, distributors and retailers to build long-term value in the marketplace. Its brands generate more than $29 billion in global annual retail sales and have an expansive retail footprint in 150 countries, including 13,100-plus freestanding stores and shop-in-shops and 370,000 points of sale.

Authentic is committed to transforming brands by delivering powerful storytelling, compelling content, innovative business models and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media. Authentic’s brand portfolio includes Marilyn Monroe®, ELVIS™ Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O’Neal®, David Beckham®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Sports Illustrated®, Reebok®, Brooks Brothers®, Barneys New York®, Judith Leiber®, Ted Baker®, Hunter®, Vince®, Hervé Léger®, Hickey Freeman®, Frye®, Nautica®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Aéropostale®, Forever 21®, Nine West®, Rockport®, Eddie Bauer®, Boardriders®, Quiksilver®, Billabong®, Roxy®, DC Shoes®, RVCA®, Element®, VonZipper®, Honolua®, Spyder®, Volcom®, Shark®, Tretorn®, Prince®, Airwalk®, Izod®, Jones New York®, Van Heusen®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Arrow® and Thomasville®.

For more information, visit corporate.authentic.com.