March 06, 2018
Accenture Interactive Selected by The Walt Disney Studios as Innovation Partner of Disney StudioLAB
Two leaders collaborate on the future of entertainment experiences through emerging technologies
LOS ANGELES; March 6, 2018 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been appointed by The Walt Disney Studios as a founding member and Innovation Partner of StudioLAB, an initiative dedicated to reimagining, designing and prototyping the entertainment experiences and production capabilities of the future using innovative technologies.
The Walt Disney Studios produces feature films from Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios; Pixar Animation Studios; Marvel Studios; and Lucasfilm. It also brings music and stage plays to consumers via The Disney Music Group and Disney Theatrical Group.
Accenture Interactive and its design and innovation unit, Fjord, will play a lead role in helping to establish StudioLAB, as well as define and develop cutting-edge entertainment technology. They will also draw upon the extensive R&D expertise of Accenture Labs to help Disney Studios apply emerging technologies in innovative ways. Initial areas of focus include: immersive entertainment; artificial intelligence; IoT; the future of movie production; and next-generation cinematic platforms.
The new StudioLAB will open its doors later this spring on The Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, CA
In addition to collaborating on R&D, Accenture will partner with the Studios to support the operations of the StudioLAB as part of a 3-year agreement. This includes co-crafting the StudioLAB’s charter and governance, physical lab design, and business operations. In a co-located setup, Accenture personnel will work alongside StudioLAB personnel to incubate and prototype new concepts expected to impact the entertainment industry, advancing the way stories are told.
“Accenture Interactive is thrilled to collaborate with the imaginative minds at The Walt Disney Studios on entertainment R&D to reimagine how people experience storytelling,” said Baiju Shah, chief strategist for Accenture Interactive and global lead, Fjord. “Our partnership demonstrates the true purpose of Accenture Interactive – to create truly remarkable experiences. Accenture is uniquely positioned to bring together the full set of diverse skills – from strategy, design and technology innovation, across emerging technologies like immersive entertainment, artificial intelligence, and IoT -- needed to run a first-class innovation lab and deliver the next generation of entertainment experiences.”
“As we thought about key partners to deliver our vision for StudioLAB, the decision to collaborate with Accenture Interactive was clear,” said Jamie Voris, CTO of The Walt Disney Studios. “Their ability to combine the design and innovation capabilities of a leading digital agency with the applied R&D capabilities of the Accenture Labs and deep industry expertise in media and entertainment makes them an ideal partner to innovate on the future of entertainment experiences. Technology is an essential component of how we make characters, stories and worlds come alive at Disney, and we’re looking forward to the possibilities of what we can imagine and build together.”
StudioLAB teams will apply emerging technologies to create new entertainment experiences. The StudioLAB environment will also provide a unique space for Accenture to host tours and lead innovation workshops with clients to help inspire them on their own innovation journeys.
Accenture has a 25-year history working with The Walt Disney Company, supporting some of its most innovative initiatives – ranging from myMagic+, Disney Movies Anywhere and Marvel Unlimited to Disney’s Enterprise Cloud Program and advanced marketing analytics at ABC. For this initiative, Accenture Interactive will also tap into support from Accenture’s other main businesses -- Accenture Consulting, Accenture Strategy and Accenture Technology – to bring a complete set of transformation skills to co-innovate with The Walt Disney Studios.
About Accenture
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately 435,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
Accenture Interactive helps the world’s leading brands transform their customer experiences across the entire customer journey. Through our connected offerings in design, marketing, content and commerce, we create new ways to win in today’s experience-led economy. Accenture Interactive is ranked the world’s largest digital agency in the latest Ad Age Agency Report. To learn more, follow us @accentureSong and visit www.accentureinteractive.com.
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Contact:
David LaBar
Accenture
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david.labar@accenture.com
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