Radio Ghost

Radio Ghost

Radio Ghost is a walking game for three participants that uses a binaural audio-led app on cellphones. It takes place in a shopping mall where a team of 3 hunters has to blend in as perfect shoppers. They are guided, through headphones, by the voice and sounds of DJ Iva Toguri (1916–2006), a Japanese-American disc jockey and radio personality who became prominent during World War II on the Zero Hour radio show. They navigate a world that knows the sticker price of everything, and the real cost of nothing, unlocking the ‘ghosts’ that represent the hidden stories of how a product came into existence.

Over the course of the experience, the players are guided to walk slower and slower until, in the end, they are standing still in the busy mall.

The experience is focused on our relationship to consumption after the pandemic. Without shaming the participants, it nevertheless asks how we can better understand the impact of our choices, and work with brands and businesses towards a sustainable future.

ZU-UK’s Radio Ghost won the 2022 Lumen 3D/Interactive Award.

Radio Ghost was co-commissioned by LIFT, Lowry, and Tramway. It was funded by ACE, Innovate UK, and UK-Canada Immersive Exchange.