The premise sounded slightly irresponsible.

Take the world’s best Gran Turismo players, put them behind the wheel of a real race car and see who could make the leap from pixels to pavement.

That became GT Academy, a partnership between Nissan, PlayStation and Gran Turismo. We turned the competition into a reality television series, following gamers from their bedrooms to professional training and, for the winner, the 24 Hours of Dubai.

Season Two attracted more than 400,000 entries. But the real proof came later. GT Academy winners became professional drivers, won races and earned places on teams around the world.

In 2023, the story of winner Jann Mardenborough became Gran Turismo, a Hollywood film directed by Neill Blomkamp.

From a video game to a racetrack to the big screen.

Company: TBWA\Chiat\Day
Role: Executive Creative Director