#47: Augmented Reality Experiences on the Verge of Going Mainstream

In This Article

Around the Block…

• Blockchain / NFTs: Manchester City, AriZona

• AI: Brunello Cucinelli

• AR / VR: Google, The Magnificent Mile Association

• Gaming / Metaverse: Adidas, Marvel, Walmart, Disney

• Roblox: Samsung, PAC-MAN

Chain Reactions!

• Augmented Reality is Heading Mainstream

Around the Block…

Blockchain / NFTs

• Manchester City: Kicks Off Collectible Treasure Hunt with OKX

  • The football club has once again partnered with their official crypto exchange sponsor, OKX, to engage fans. This time, they’ve unveiled an AR treasure hunt taking place in three cities (New York City, Orlando, and Columbus) coinciding with their US summer tour. Fans can participate by finding four digital collectible NFTs hidden among each city’s landmarks. Players must connect a digital wallet to claim each NFT; once they claim all four, they’re eligible for prizes, including merchandise and club retail vouchers.

  • Source: PR Newswire (OKX) / OKX / Unseen City Collectible Quest

• AriZona: Partners with Doodles on Movie Sweepstakes & More

  • The beverage company has joined forces with Doodles NFT brand on a summer sweepstakes. One lucky winner will receive a trip to attend the upcoming Doodle’s ‘Dullsville and the Doodleverse’ movie premiere in Toronto. To enter, participants can scan QR codes on Doodle’s branded AriZona 12-packs, available in select locations in California, Florida, and New York - as well as online - or can enter via the site with no purchase necessary. Entrants also receive digital wearable items for Doodle’s fan hub ‘Stoodio’ that can be claimed on August 13th.

  • Source: Doodles x AriZona

AI

• Brunello Cucinelli: Releases AI-Powered Site Showcasing Values

  • The Italian luxury fashion brand created an interactive website that highlights the brand’s history and ethos - which does not feature products. The experience features no navigation menus, generating an experience based on visitor dialog and questions communicated through a chat box, where AI-enabled responses are generated.

  • Source: brunellocucinelli.ai / Fashionista

AR / VR

• Google: Launches AR Experiences for Parisian Landmarks in Maps

  • Google has released new AR features available through Google Maps (originally unveiled at Google I/O conference in May). Users can search for Parisian landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower and Exposition Universelle, in the app, where they can select the ‘AR Experience’ icon to see visual overlays and historical information about the popular landmarks. The experiences are also available globally for people who select the icon on ‘Street View’ outside of the landmark’s vicinity.

  • Source: Google / Google I/O

• The Magnificent Mile Association: Brings AR Art Project to Chicago

  • AR tech companies Darabase and 8th Wall have partnered to launch an interactive art experience along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. The activation features ten butterfly sculptures designed by local artists - each sculpture is accompanied by a plaque and QR code that launches the AR component where the sculptures come to life.

  • Source: 8th Wall / Darabase

Gaming / Metaverse

• Adidas: Sells Branded Apparel Skin Bundle in Fortnite Item Shop

  • Adidas unveiled the ‘Three Stripe Squad’ skin bundle, which allows players to play as an Adidas character in Fortnite. The character bundle was available for purchase until July 29th and was customizable, with players able to select from ten heads, three colorways, and two logo options.

  • Source: Adidas

• Marvel: Brings Deadpool and Wolverine Skin Bundles to Fortnite

  • Timed with the blockbuster movie release, Fortnite players can participate as Deadpool and Wolverine by purchasing skins and instruments in the game’s Item Shop, costing around $6-$16.

  • Source: X (Fortnite) / ReadWrite

• Walmart: Refreshes ‘Realm’ with Back-To-College Experience

  • Walmart has unveiled its first update to its immersive shopping platform ‘Realm,’ which originally launched in May and was created by the virtual store platform Emperia. The refresh features must-haves for college students - including five interactive dorm rooms showcasing shoppable products selected by influencers and informed by Pinterest and TikTok trends. Visitors can find inspiration while navigating around different dorm room aesthetics - viewing products, playing mini-games, and watching creator video content.

  • Source: Walmart Realm / LinkedIn (Justin Breton)

• Disney: To Feature IP in Blockchain-Backed Metaverse ‘Carriverse’

  • Gaming metaverse platform Carriverse announced that they would be featuring Disney IP within their environment. The partnership was announced on Carriverse's social handles, where they touted characters from Inside Out, Coco, and more would now appear in the experience, along with other Disney products, activities, and props. Carriverse is a blockchain-based open metaverse platform that is popular in Southeast Asia (garnering over 150K daily active users).

  • Source: X (Carriverse) - 1/ X (Carriverse) - 2 / BSCN / Carriverse Whitepaper

Roblox

• Samsung: Integrates into Popular Roblox Games to Promote Z Flip

  • Samsung’s Isreal branch partnered with in-game advertising company ReachPlayers to integrate their new Galaxy Z Flip6 phone into 11 Roblox games. Each experience features Samsung-branded content, including a Z Flip complex and the ability to collect a flying phone that acts as a power-up.

  • Source: LinkedIn (Michael Anav) / Calcalist / ReachPlayers

• PAC-MAN: Brings Iconic Characters & Gameplay to Roblox

  • Game creator Bandai Namco partnered with Roblox developer Super Social to bring PAC-MAN to Roblox. The experience is currently in paid beta, where players can pay 99 Robux (~$1.25) to enter, collect dots, chase ghosts, and level up.

  • Source: Roblox (PAC-MAN Simulator) / Bandai Namco

Chain Reactions!

• Augmented Reality is Heading Mainstream

  • Over the past few months, we’ve seen an increasing number of activations that leverage AR to enhance visitors' experiences. Many of these activations have been tied to tourism as a way to drive exploration and visitor interactivity (see this week’s installations for Manchester City, Google, and Chicago’s Miracle Mile).

  • With Google integrating AR technology directly into their Maps interface, we’re primed to see a flood of similar activations - to the point that augmented content will become the norm for landmarks, events, stores, etc. Right now is the perfect time for a company to capitalize on the newness of these types of experiences, which will create a memorable moment for customer/brand engagement before they become an established tactic for marketers.

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