Stripe City is the original concept of John LePore at Black Box Infinite, who placed an inspired bet on the value of craft in the tech saturated world of online commerce. The team at Stripe, led by Travis McCall, jumped on board and became champions of practical effects throughout every step of the process.

This project involved miniatures, animatronics, and live transaction data, all presented during an interactive 96-hour live stream. Running continuously from Black Friday morning until Giving Tuesday, Stripe City was viewed live by millions of visitors all over the world. It's the most successful Black Friday marketing campaign for Stripe to date.

Our custom-built city featured live digital billboards which displayed real time transaction data to showcase Stripe's role in global commerce. Specific companies were represented with practical signage and animatronic features built into the city. The radar dish swept the sky, on the lookout for transaction fraud, while the clock tower ran in reverse showing time saved. As transaction metrics hit milestones, a human hand would reach in and add a new section to a building or re-position figurines. A custom made miniature Rivian drove along on a mechanical rig, as a skyscraper raised up out of the ground on a motorized lift.

The lighting cycled through day and night with interior lights built into each structure. A working train ran on an elevated track throughout the city. Overhead clouds floated across the sky, along with a miniature blimp, on a motorized rig. Our team also created tiny figures in the likeness of specific business people and placed them as "Easter eggs" to be discovered.

The entire physical process, including design, build, and live stream, was executed in-house at FX WRX. Black Box Infinite provided creative leadership and data logistics. The Stripe team provided creative direction, web design, and the interactive user experience. This project demonstrates that craft and handmade artistry can work in harmony with technology to create something greater, sparking curiosity and imagination.