Augmented reality has established itself as a powerful marketing tool and this aspect of the technology has not been lost to non-profit groups in the United Kingdom. The Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, a group devoted to the care and service of children with shortened life expectancies, has adoption augmented reality to reach out to high-tech consumers. Like most non-profit advocacy groups, Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice depends on donations to continue providing service. The organization believes that augmented reality is a viable way to boost fund raising efforts and ensure such campaigns reach tech-savvy individuals.
Organization teams with Rother Print
The Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice has teamed with Rother Print, a printing services company based in the UK. Together, the duo will make use of the Layar augmented reality platform to develop a campaign that hopes to engage a multitude of consumers. Through this campaign, consumers will be able to access digital content provided by the non-profit group and be able to make donations to the organization online through their smart phones or similar mobile devices.
Approximately 500 beer mats associated with the campaign are already in circulation in Travellers Rest in Laughton. Patrons can use their smart phones to activate the augmented reality content that is contained within these beer mats, which ranges from videos to text. The beer mats have already proven quite popular amongst patrons, many of whom have donated to the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice using their mobile devices.
Technology may help secure new funding
Augmented reality has proven that it can engage a wide audience of mobile consumers in the past. These consumers have also proven their love of augmented reality by engaging in the various marketing campaigns that have made use of the technology over the years. This marketing potential could translate into serious benefits for non-profits groups looking to engage a growing audience that often goes untapped in the world of advocacy.
Augmented reality featured on cover of Rolling Stone
Augmented reality has come to South Africa. The technology, which is acclaimed for its ability to engage consumers with high quality digital content, has been experiencing a rapid rate of growth and adoption all over the world. Augmented reality is capable of providing consumers with a dynamic experience where they would have otherwise found nothing, which is part of the reason the technology has become so popular with businesses. This week, the South African edition of Rolling Stone magazine brought the technology into the limelight by featuring augmented reality on its cover.
Cover content unlocked using Layar
The cover of the magazine, as well as some of the pages therein, are embedded with digital experiences that can be unlocked using a smart phone. These experiences were crafted with the help of Layar, one of the world’s leading augmented reality platforms. Much of the digital content that consumers can unlock is concerned with musician Anno Carstens. This content, much of which takes the form of interactive video, can be seen using the Layar mobile application, which is available for both Android and iOS platforms.
Sony’s Wonderbook also arrives in South Africa
The magazine is not the only ship that brought augmented reality to South Africa. Acclaimed game maker Sony has also launched a new title called Wonderbook in the country. Wonderbook is a peripheral system for the Playstation 3, which allows gamers to experience augmented reality content. The first title that will be associated with the Wonderbook platform comes from prestigious author J.K. Rowling and will feature that magical spells that Rowling’s Harry Potter has become known for.
Country could become a valued market for augmented reality products in the future
Augmented reality is making waves around the world. South Africa is one of the latest countries to see augmented reality find its way into magazines and games. If consumers respond favorably to the technology, South Africa may become a primary market for companies that are interested in providing digital services and content based upon this technology.
onsumers. Through this campaign, consumers will be able to access digital content provided by the non-profit group and be able to make donations to the organization online through their smart phones or similar mobile devices.