A nationwide rollout of Proto boxes in malls and cinemas lets fans learn Michael Jackson choreography, pointing to a more interactive, experience-driven approach to film marketing.
Proto: Lionsgate Launches 57-Site Hologram-ish Activation to Promote “Michael”
Lionsgate has partnered with Proto Hologram and Hologram Media Network to launch a U.S.-wide promotional campaign for the film Michael, using hologram-ish installations to turn movie marketing into a participatory experience.
The campaign spans 57 locations across major markets, placing Proto’s display units in a mix of high-traffic malls and cinemas. The activations coincided with the film’s theatrical release on April 24 and are scheduled to run through at least May 2.
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The installations feature holographic appearances by Jaafar Jackson, who portrays Michael Jackson in the film, alongside dancer and choreographer Tone Talauega, one of Jackson’s longtime collaborators. Visitors are guided through signature moves such as the Moonwalk, with the volumetric display format emphasizing depth and movement in ways conventional screens cannot.
The concept blends experiential retail media with entertainment marketing, using physical locations to extend engagement beyond traditional trailers and social media. By placing the units inside shopping centers and theater lobbies, the campaign targets audiences already in leisure and entertainment settings, where dwell time and willingness to interact are typically higher.
Proto positions its platform as a spatial computing system capable of delivering lifelike, three-dimensional content across sectors such as retail, healthcare, and education. Hologram Media Network, meanwhile, is building out a distributed network of such installations, aimed at advertisers seeking more immersive formats than standard digital-out-of-home.
For cinema and retail operators, the deployment highlights a growing overlap between digital-out-of-home, experiential marketing, and location-based entertainment. Campaigns like this suggest studios are increasingly willing to invest in interactive formats that create shareable moments and potentially measurable engagement as theatrical releases compete for attention.
While still niche compared to large-scale DooH networks, holographic activations are being tested as a premium layer within broader campaigns, particularly for entertainment launches where fan participation and shareable moments that extend the campaign beyond the physical locations