Last month I talked about something I called dual use packaging: the idea that product packages of the future will have an augmented reality layer built in to them to provide added value to the buyer. Sure enough, one of the very possibilities I mentioned, coffee cups to go, is now a reality. Well, an augmented reality.
This holiday season, Starbucks red Christmas cups will come with an AR layer built in. Once you’ve downloaded the Starbucks Cup Magic app you’ll be able to watch augmented reality action sequences on your smart phone’s screen, right off each cup. There’s even a social aspect built in as you can share what you’ve discovered with friends.
There’ve been several articles and blog posts written about the various augmented reality games, instructions and fun animations you can now view directly off a product package. So what’s next? How would an advertiser take this idea to the next level? One way, it seems to me, is to make it competitive.
Perhaps the next mainstream augmented reality game will also be a contest, with high scores stored by the application and national standings viewable on an accompanying web site. Offer prizes that are big or desirable enough, and you might end up boosting sales as more people buy your product in order to play the AR game. You could even add levels to the game with new, minor variations of your product package each week. It would certainly put a new spin on the old enter to win concept.
