CorpComms Magazine

A new app that allows visitors to New York City to see augmented reality advertisements instead of real-life advertisements through their smartphones has been launched.

The innovative 'Augmented Reality Advertising Takeover' app, which was launched by Public Ad Campaign and Heavy Projects, designed for smartphones and iPads virtually replaces outdoor advertisements around Times Square.

The app allows the user to hold their handheld device in front of an advertisement posted on a wall, and the camera on their device will transform that advertisement into one on-screen.

Currently, the app only works on selected advertisements, which include horizontal advertisements in various phone booths for the newly released films 'Horrible Bosses', '30 Minutes or Less', 'Crazy Stupid Love' and the final Harry Potter film. The app also works on a larger advertisement for 'Crazy Stupid Love' on a subway entrance, and 'Aliens and Cowboys' on a billboard on 42nd Street and 7th avenue SWC.

The Public Ad Campaign website said that: '(its company)acts on the assumption that public space and the public's interaction with that space is a vital component of our city's health. By visually altering and physically interacting with the public environment, residents become psychologically invested in their community.'

Public Ad Campaign also said: 'Outdoor advertising is the primary obstacle to open public communications.'

The five street artists responsible for the artwork included Ron English, John Fekner, 'PosterBoy', 'Doctor D' and 'Ox'.

share me: del.icio.us | digg | reddit | Tweet