Michael Jackson will return as hologram to go on tour with his brothers and sell Pepsi

Concert performances with deceased stars became much more of a reality last week when Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg used hologram technology to bring Tupac Shakur out on to the stage during their headline slot at the Coachella festival. The Tupac hologram was actually Peppers Ghost with updated computer graphics.

Pepper’s ghost is an illusionary technique used in theatre and in some magic tricks. Using a plate glass and special lighting techniques, it can make objects seem to appear or disappear, to become transparent, or to make one object morph into another. It is named after John Henry Pepper, who attempted to popularize the effect. The technique was first described by an Italian scientist in the 16th century.

The audience needs to be able to see into the main room, but not into an adjacent hidden room. In the case of the Tupac “hologram,” that’s the main stage where a real-life Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre were sharing the limelight. However, hidden on stage is a piece of glass, where the images can be reflected from and pushed into a target area that makes it seem like a single room. But off to the side, behind the glass, there’s a hidden room that has the original object being projected.

These days, AV Concepts, the San Diego-based company behind the Tupac performance, uses a proprietary Mylar foil, known as Musion Eyeliner, rather than glass. The company said in a press release on Monday that its on-site server “delivered uncompressed media for 3 stacked 1920 x 1080 images, delivering 54,000 lumens of incredibly clear projected imagery.”

Naturally, it was only a matter of time before groups affected by losing a key member of their number jumped onto the trend and it seems that The Jackson 5 could be the first to run with the technology.

While Michael Jackson was alive, his brothers could rarely get him to tour with them after he left the Jackson 5 in 1975

The other groups that will try to copy this move will be groups that are missing the lead performer and who have those controlling the estate and the remaining group members needing to return to glory days (because of need for money or attention).

LA Times – PepsiCo Inc. desperately needs some razzle dazzle to boost its brand. Who better to help than Michael Jackson, the music icon whose career made short work of attendance and album sales records?

So what if the King of Pop is no longer alive? The beverage brand, which has struggled to eclipse rival Coca Cola Co., is pairing with Sony Music and Jackson’s estate to roll out an exclusive campaign pegged to the 25th anniversary of the performer’s multiplatinum “Bad” album and tour.

One billion special edition soda cans featuring Jackson’s image will be sold around the world, Pepsi said. China will get the first batch, launching Saturday. Later this month, special-edition 16-ounce cans will be available in the U.S., followed by rollouts in Asia, South America and Europe.

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