SEGA launches Sonic The Hedgehog Augmented Reality iPhone App in Australia
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog, JWT Sydney and SEGA have launched a multi-platform campaign based around an augmented reality app that can be used in conjunction with out-of-home, TV, magazines, online banners and websites. The campaign has launched exclusively in Australia and the Sonic Vision app is only available in the Australian iTunes store.
To catch Sonic, players can point their iPhone at a poster and a gold ring appears on screen. Sonic speeds past onscreen and players have to respond quickly to capture him. The markers also appear on websites, banners, in magazines and on TV.
SEGA is also distributing Augmented Reality Markers to bloggers and gaming websites encouraging them to be part of the campaign by voluntarily embedding the markers (example below) within their pages to attract Sonic Vision players.
Capture Sonic Here - A Sonic Vision AR marker for blog owners
Fans can also submit their points to a leaderboard and follow the progress of other players, win Sonic prizes and share their scores on Facebook.
"JWT has recognised the rising prominence of mobile amongst gamers and created an experience that is a fitting celebration of a gaming icon like Sonic the Hedgehog," said SEGA marketing manager Neroli Baird.
The campaign also coincides with the much anticipated release of Sonic Generations for Nintendo DS, PS3, Xbox 360 & PC. Sonic Generations delivers the definitive gaming experience for Sonic fans new and old and is considered the ultimate celebration of 20 Years of Sonic gaming,
Banner+aid helps the online community to give their paid banner advertising a temporary makeover and help spread the word for charities to give to those in need.
It's a webpage process that enables flash banners to be labeled with a special corner that expands to reveal messages for charity. It's a way for worthy causes to piggyback on paid for media without cost. It's a way for business and media buying companies to show support for people in need.
The cause of the moment is Red Cross helping those in need through Japanese quake and Pacific Tsunami.
The additional layer does not affect the existing messaging, animation, click through or interaction within the original banner that was uploaded in most cases. The total extra file weight of the processed banner is around 6kb.
Formats supported are all standard IAB sizes (300x250 MREC, 160x600 Widesky, 120x600 Sky, 468x60 standard banner and 420x600 Monster).
Anybody advertising online can upload and process a banner to contain the added layer by visiting https://banneraid.net , and use the updated outputted banner to replace existing trafficked banner ads OR as a final step before trafficking a new banner.
Banner+Aid is a not for profit messaging tool which allocates it's messages to a current and visible cause, by offering a direct link through to a donation page or other relevant information areas from within existing online display banners.
It feels like every week there is another creative use of Youtube or they are releasing a new feature or R&D initiative. While looking for more examples I stumbled onto their global blog which covers most of the interesting Youtube news.
Here is just a few of the recent examples I have been exposed to. There were even more in the blog but these have made there way to me via multiple links, tweets and emails.
And the best free music player out there is Youtube Disco. You just need to close your eyes :)
What About Facebook?
Compare this splurge on creativity to Facebook which seems to be actively trying to stop agencies and their users having fun with their platform.
Whopper Sacrifice:shutdown Idea Tag Photo: sorry against the terms of service Promotions on your wall:Not allowed (unless you spend big and get written approval)
Facebook also have a blog but it's a little more dry than Youtubes.
On the upside the "Like" button has been a huge success and I'm also excited for Facebook Credits and it's applications for advertisers and potential to become a global web currency.
It seems to be that recently Facebook has spent most of it's time fighting fires, than actually doing anything interesting with the platform.
Note: I'm not a Facebook hater, just right now I'd rather hang out on "Youtube Party Island" than "Facebook Rule Town".
Great little campaign from Nike. Is it even a "campaign"? They've just created a useful/fun tool and branded it. Lovely stuff. A big tradition in the Tour De France is for fans to write messages of encouragement on the road in chalk for the riders as they go by. Nike has made it so that anybody in the world can submit a message and have it written on the road. Thanks to Chalkbot. An internet-connected chalk tool that will etch people's messages that have been submitted via twitter or the website. As some people have said, it's a great merging of the digital and physical worlds. Or a bridge between the two perhaps. It's also a great example of how good digital ideas are light enough to travel around social networks, rather than the meat of it being based in a microsite. And any ad idea that has robots in it automatically wins in my book.
