Augmented Reality everywhere

Webkinz revolutionized the way 8 to 10 year olds played in 2005. If you buy one of their plush toys, you can access the virtual Webkinz World online. Millions of children have collected all kinds of stuffed animals and played with them on the virtual world.

Today Mattel takes it to the next level with another way of virtual interaction: Avatar figurines. These include a tag that when scanned by a webcam activates a 3D version of the toy. You can't see it in your side of the computer, but you are able to see it in your monitor. The tags have buttons that activate different functions in the 3D figurine. As you can see in the video, is a complete different form of interaction with the product.

In February Adidas will launch five sneakers that will also include a scannable code. When placed infront the web cam, a whole world will appear on screen. The sneaker is the controller to navigate through it.

Augmented reality is definitely a very interesting tool that works as a good complement with certain products. Over the last months many companies have been experimenting with it. It is even being used for business cards and catalogs. The over-exposition of this technology will create boredom in the user unless there is a truly interesting content to back it up. It is a complement for substantiated campaigns, not a solution per se.

Oh Chocolate!

What is it about chocolate that we all love? It is the loyal friend of every woman. Having it near is a strong stimulus for the five senses. It is an energy boost and a delicious dessert. There is nothing that compares to it.

For every chocolate lover, Wonderwall has created an amazing concept for Godiva's flagship store in Tokyo.

The shop features design details such as the “melting chocolate” ceiling combined with the classical interior design. Passers-by can view both its entrance as well as the customers enjoying their time with chocolate at the cafeteria.

The sober stores without tables are their norm around the world. The risk taken by the brand to innovate on their classical store branding was necessary.

Smaller chocolate makers around the world such as Cacao Sampaka are already exploiting the potential of the concept of a mix of chocolate store and cafeteria with nice design. At their stores in Spain they include in their menu chocolate fondue with fruit, selection of 3 types of cold drinking chocolate, and iced chocolate truffles with whipped cream among others.

The success of their new flagship store might give the brand the force to expand their line of business around the world by creating a "choco-teria" brand. They have an amazing product with a lot of potential.

Photos by Kozo Takayama

Branding ABC's

How much influence does branding have in our lives? For those who still have their doubts, designer Jason Dean has created a branding ABC.

Many of them are part of your every day. At least five represent different stages of your life. On today's news paper six of them are mentioned. Branding is everywhere. What brands have had a serious impact on the person you've become?

The Real Good chairs

Every night, people who live in New York see a variety of objects left on the sidewalks among the trash. Some of these objects are as good as new and a constant temptation to passers-by.

Mono, an advertising agency, turned this into a new and cool advertising medium. In early November they began scattering Blu Dot's Real Good Chairs (worth $129 USD) on the sidewalks of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Some people loved the chair so much, that they immediately took it home. Certain chairs came with a GPS device that tracked their location. Thanks to it, their new owners were later identified and interviewed. These interviews will be shown as part of Blu Dot New York upcoming first anniversary.

The overall campaign led to more than 300 twitter followers, dozens of blog posts, a column in the New York Times Magazine and extensive word of mouth.

Many people might find the strategy intrusive, but in my opinion it is a great way to create awareness of the brand and to position it in the consumers mind.

Augmented Reality

The last time you watched a cricket or a rugby game, you probably noticed giant brand logos inserted on to the field. If you are more of a football person, you might have noticed the yellow "first down" line seen in TV broadcasts that is not actually drawn in the field. These are examples of early augmented reality.

Augmented reality has three main characteristics:

• combines real and virtual
• is interactive in real time
• is registered in 3D

Today, marketers are considering using augmented reality to promote new products in an interactive way. The most recent example is from Esquire magazine.

The magazine contains a QR code in certain pages. The experience begins when you download the free software and place the code facing a web cam.

Some people have criticized the software by saying that the same information could be fitted on a CD. Others are excited with the process and the experience.

Augmented reality is definitely a good medium for boosting sales on a short period of time. Being an expensive technology it requires an engaged consumer that will take the time to turn on the computer, download the software , and play with it. Not many consumers would be as enthusiastic more than once unless there is a very strong trigger on the content.

A mayor advantage would be for it to have a universal software that only needs to be downloaded once, and that is later on included in computers. It is the beginning of a great idea that needs time to reach its full potential to revolutionize media.