Augmented Reality
Just talked to one of my collegaues, who are working on a digital project using augmented reality (AR). So surfed the Internet for some more info on AR… AR deals with the combination of real-world and computer-generated data (virtual reality), where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real time.
AR could of course be used in many ways in connection with digital campaigns. I found one great example by GE, using AR to engage viewers and encourage them to interact directly with the message: GE’s Plug Into The Smart Grid
Furthermore GE does do a few unique and innovative things with it:
- You have to ‘open the door’ – By twisting and turning the Smart Grid marker, you are actually activating it, so that right from the start you feel like a part of the experience.
- You can interact with the model – By blowing into the microphone, you actually cause the wind turbines to spin, which encourages you to interact with the experience and experiment with what’s possible. You can also tilt the Solar Energy model back and forth to move the sun and cause the solar panels to follow.
- You can see through the page – By turning the marker into a ‘window’, GE has added an extra dimension to the experience. Instead of looking at a semi-3D model that pops off the page, it actually looks like it has become a part of the page, and that you’re holding a whole little world in your hands.
In addition to the details of the model, there are a couple of interesting ways that GE has extended the campaign to reach an even larger audience.
- GE used a YouTube video to demonstrate the technology – By taping into the YouTube community, they opened up the experience to a whole new audience. Plus, it’s such a new and interesting idea that people want to watch and pass along the video demo all on its own, leading to more than a million views in less than a month! You can see the video here:
For more info on AR, check out this site: http://www.howstuffworks.com/augmented-reality.htm
