After Facebook announced its virtual graduation event for the class of 2020 last week, YouTube has now countered with its own celebration, which won’t be held on the same weekend as Facebook’s online celebration, but will certainly rival The Social Network in regards to star power.

As you can see here, YouTube’s graduation showcase will feature former US President Barack Obama, Lady Gaga and South Korean super-group BTS.

Facebook’s event, for comparison, will include appearances from Awkwafina, Miley Cyrus and Lil Nas X – and a commencement address from Oprah Winfrey.

There are some significant drawcards on both bills – and while it won’t be a traditional graduation ceremony, by any means, you can imagine that the star-power alone will bring in big audiences, and generate alot of attention for both events over the coming weeks.

That could provide an opportunity for relevant marketing tie-ins. Many businesses will be losing out on significant opportunities due to the closure of events, like graduation parties, and these virtual options could provide a way for people to participate, even if they can’t actually leave their homes.

For brands, that could provide options to create themed tie-ins around the same, linking into the broader hype. It won’t act as a replacement for lost revenue, of course, but it could be another way to contribute to a larger moment of respite from what’s been an exhausting COVID-19 news cycle for many.   

YouTube will hold its virtual graduation event on June 6th from 12pm, while Facebook’s event will be on May 15th.