Gamers around the globe have been anticipating this week’s release of the next saga in one of the world’s most popular videogame franchises - Assassin’s Creed 3. For those in the Netherlands, a new ad campaign from CBS Outdoor Advertising and Bol.com provides a special discount for anyone who scans a new billboard ad and buys the game.
As seen in the photo to the right, the ad has begun popping up in Holland’s many train stations. Eager gamers can scan the ad to see a video trailer of the game and instantly buy the game with a €5 discount on Bol.com, the largest online retailer in the Netherlands and Belgium.
This summer, we announced that Bol.com had hooked its database of product packaging (books, DVDs, games and more) into Layar, enabling users to shop for products online by simply scanning them with Layar. Now, Bol.com is taking part in a new kind of Layar campaign, one on a much larger scale!
This is a great example of the versatility of the Layar Creator. Whether your print is as small as a business card, or as big as an outdoor billboard, the Creator can quickly and easily add engaging digital content on top. By offering a discount, Bol.com is enhancing the viewer experience and providing valuable engagement with their advertising - a concept we heard Nissan discuss recently at our Toronto event.
Perhaps the best aspect of the Assassin’s Creed III campaign is the large and clear call-to-action. Translated, the text reads “Scan with Layar for discount!” The capitalized red text makes sure people see it, and the Layar logo lets people know they need to download the app to scan it.
Renowned Dutch printer Senefelder Misset has partnered with Layar to make an interactive edition of the well-known comic strip, Eppo.
Now readers of the popular strip, which collects many of the Netherlands’ most popular strips into one publication, can interact with the comics in new ways using augmented reality. With Layar, readers can scan the pages to view bonus materials, including original sketches of the comics, as well as video extras that help bring the pages to life.
“With the advent of digitization, publishers have provided their advertisers with measurable responses to their campaigns,” said Erik Ernens, Commercial Director of Senefelder Misset. “Until now, the publishers have not been able to add direct response capabilities to the printed page. But with new innovative technologies like Layar, the printed magazine can come alive with direct responses and achieve conversion.”
“Eppo is proud to be the first comic in the Netherlands in which Layar could be applied,” said Rob van Bavel, publisher of the Don Lawrence Collection. “Eppo offers readers additional information, additional videos, sketches of different strips, the ability to “Like” the Facebook fan-pages and the direct purchase of comics and merchandising in the shop. All in all, a great opportunity to add value to the printed edition!”
Try the sample page after the jump to see how it works, and watch for the latest issue of Eppo which goes on sale this week!
In addition to LINDA., we’ve also had an exciting Layar partnership brewing in the US with popular do-it-yourself technology magazine MAKE.
MAKE magazine enriched this month’s Toys and Games issue with Layar technology, adding videos, social sharing, links to additional online content and more.
The Toys and Games issue is on newsstands now in the US, so pick up a copy and launch the “MAKE Magazine #28” layer, or take a sneak peak at the digital content in this demo video.
We’re excited to announce that Layar 6.0 including Vision is now available in the App Store, just in time for iPhone users to experience the awesome AR content in the latest issue of LINDA. magazine.
LINDA., the largest women’s glossy in the Netherlands, partnered with Layar to create the first Dutch augmented magazine, showing infotainment and commerce to be a natural fit with augmented reality.
More than 50 pages inside this month’s edition of LINDA. magazine have been augmented with digital buttons that enable readers to access additional digital content using their smartphones. These buttons link to specific websites, videos, app stores and phone numbers.
A total of 120 augments can be found throughout the magazine for readers to view and interact with.
Some examples from the magazine include:
Unique backstage video footage of the cover shoot
One-click access to sites selling the fashion featured in the articles
The ability to book a test drive for the advertised cars
“We are thrilled LINDA. wanted to work with us and use Layar,” said Claire Boonstra, Layar co-founder. “Not just because it is a great magazine, but it proves what we said with the launch of Layar Vision; this is a utility that generates value for brands, retailers and online merchants by making physical items interactive.”
Watch the video to see LINDA.‘s pages come to life with Augmented Reality.
A few months ago we wrote about Spain’s Frikoño 2011 layer and the awesome 3D models of Star Wars spacecrafts therein.
Now developer David Contreras of Spanish technology group ESIDEA has upped his game, adding animation (and lasers!) to simulate battles between the aforementioned Star Wars spacecrafts.
Choose from nine different battle scenes, including the Millennium Falcon vs. a Star Destroyer, X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter and more. There’s even a reenactment of the Battle of Hoth, for all you AT-AT Walker fans.
Perhaps the best improvement in the new Frikoño 2.0 layer, however, is that you can view it from anywhere in the world. The layer text is in Spanish, but chances are most Star Wars fans will figure out what a “Halcón Milenario” is.
As seen in the photo to the right, the ad has begun popping up in Holland’s many train stations. Eager gamers can scan the ad to see a video trailer of the game and instantly buy the game with a €5 discount on Bol.com, the largest online retailer in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Renowned Dutch printer 
Last week we announced 
We’re excited to announce that Layar 6.0 including Vision is now available in the 
A few months ago