Zehnder Communications, a Louisiana-based, fully integrated advertising firm, announces an agreement with the New Orleans Voodoo Festival to design a custom augmented reality (AR) mobile application for the 2009 festival, the first AR application developed for a music concert.
Zehnder’s application is based on the Layar Reality Browser 2.0, a free software download. Festival-goers with Layar-enabled phones will get information on performances, attractions and services simply by pointing their phone cameras toward concert stages, vendor booths and other electronically tagged objects:
Zehnder’s custom AR layers will include:
- Concert stages – lineups, schedules and current artists performing, including artist profiles and Web links to more information.
- Vendors – menus, pricing, etc.
- Points of interest – vendor locations, artist displays, restrooms, ATMs, entrances and exits, medical sites and other services.
- The annual Voodoo Festival, a major event for New Orleans’ music scene, is set for Oct. 30-Nov. 1 at historic City Park. Headliners at this year’s event include Jane’s Addiction, The Flaming Lips, Eminem and rock legend KISS.
“Festival-goers who use the application can get the most out of their ticket by spending more time enjoying the music,” said Rob Hudak, Zehnder’s interactive creative director. “This should make it much easier to find your way around and move through the festival crowds.”
AR technology uses a phone’s built-in camera to blend computer-generated information into real-time, on-screen images similar to the yellow first-down marker in TV football broadcasts. Zehnder was one the first 50 firms worldwide named as developers of the Layar platform, the world’s first AR browser for mobile devices.
“This really is cutting-edge technology,” said Dave Maher, Zehnder’s director of digital communications. “It represents the future for how consumers will get much of their information and an entirely new world of marketing opportunities for companies.”
The Layar Reality Browser is available for mobile devices that use the Android operating system. Dirk Groten, Layar’s chief technology officer, said the next platform will be the iPhone 3GS. “We are currently investigating other platforms that support our functionalities,” Groten said.
Zehnder Communications, Inc. is a fully integrated advertising agency providing a wide range of services, including strategic marketing, public relations, media placement, creative services, interactive design and programming. With offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the agency has been serving the greater Southeast region for 13 years.
