Consumer mags harness augmented reality
Grazia magazine, the Bauer Media women’s weekly, and GQ, Condé Nast’s men’s monthly, are both launching “Augmented Reality” (AR) initiatives.
Grazia’s AR issue launches tomorrow (23 March) and harnesses 3D technology to show cover star Florence and the Machine singing in 3D.
Bauer says the “3D Walk-in, Talking Grazia” issue means that readers can engage with the title with a number of “interactive editorial and commercial experiences” from advertisers, including Banana Republic.
Readers can view the AR features by holding AR codes published throughout the magazine up to a webcam or iPhone.
AR features include watching a spring trends masterclass from Grazia fashion editors which allows readers to spin the images to see the outfits from every angle, A 3D demonstration of applying make-up from make-up artist Lisa Eldridge and a ’behind the scenes’ look at the Florence Welch shoot.
Emma Sheller, VP Gap marketing for Banana Republic, says AR gives Grazia readers the opportunity to engage with our brands and collections in a much richer, more compelling way.”
Vanessa Clifford, head of press at Mindshare says:”I think augmented reality continues to be a really exciting development for press and another step closer to linking the printed with the digital, being able to use your iphone to access the content really moves it forward to something that consumers will interact with beyond the potential novelty value.”
The initiative has been created by interactive creative agency Wardenclyffe.There is also a free iPhone app, which gives users added AR features.
Separately, GQ, is launching its first ever Augmented Reality advertising with Calvin Klein to support the launch of its X Underwear.
The global AR advertising will appear exclusively in the April issues of GQ in the US, China, Korea, Australia, Mexico, Taiwan, and India, and in the May issues of British GQ, as well as France, Germany, Spain and Italy.
Consumers can view the 3D Calvin Klein films, starring American actors Kellan Lutz and Mehcad Brooks, Spanish tennis star Fernando Verdasco, and Japanese football star Hidetoshi Nakata, by holding up AR codes from the magazine in front of a webcam.
