• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, March 29, 2016

Andrew Lloyd Webber released a 360-degree YouTube video that reached 1 million views in three days, bringing awareness to its latest Broadway show, "School of Rock." It's the first time a Broadway musical has used the video media.

Although "School of Rock" arrived on Broadway December 2015, with a cast of live musical talent and budding rock stars, the producers wanted more. So Steam Motion, which describes itself as a "moving image agency," and Sound UK helped to create the Broadway's first 360-degree video.

The format makes the viewer turn the video to interact with the content as the teacher -- the main character -- interacts with students around the classroom playing instruments. Zack plays the guitar; Katie plays the bass; Lawrence, the keys; and Freddy, the drums. Their real names are Brandon Niederauer, Evie Dolan, Jared Parker, and Dante Melucci, respectively.

The Broadway hit tells the story of a wannabe rock star who poses as a substitute teacher in a prep school. He coaxes his fifth graders to form a rock group to compete in the Battle of the Bands.

The video, part of a campaign to create awareness, drove a 160% spike in the show's ticketing site traffic and 550% spike in the show's Web site traffic.

Backed by a multichannel paid media campaign to target potential ticket buyers, "School of Rock" has sold $1 million in regular weekly sales for the musical. The campaign included a short teaser and the full 360-degree video advertisement on YouTube’s TrueView.