North American Leaders in Augmented Reality and Astral Out-of-Home launch first AR outdoor advertising application

HALIFAX, Aug. 30, 2012 /CNW/ - Ad-Dispatch, North America's leader in Augmented Reality development, have partnered with Astral Out-of-Home, leaders in outdoor advertising, to launch the first ever universal augmented reality application for those looking to advertise on billboards, transit shelters, and other forms of outdoor signage.

While the use of Augmented Reality (AR) isn't new to marketing strategy, this unique partnership is the first of its kind. The application, Iris AR, is an easy-to-install smartphone or tablet application that allows users to unlock an interactive AR experience within 2-dimensional advertisements; such as those seen in out-of-home. It will also be the first bilingual AR app of its kind.

"Iris allows users to experience a new level of engagement when viewing advertisements," says VP of Sales for Ad-Dispatch, Jonathan Burns. "It essentially opens the eyes of your audience and strengthens brand messaging as the user is experiencing the brand unlike ever before."

What does this mean for the face of advertising? Canadian advertisers can connect with their consumers on a whole new level while giving them something of value and engaging with their audience in a meaningful way. The synergy between AR and out-of-home advertising will see Canadians experiencing Augmented Reality in one place, in real-time, on out-of-home products across Canada.

"Advertisers now have the power to leave a lasting impression on consumers by creating a unique and interactive experience that they will remember and share with others," says Burns.

Toronto was the first city to try out Iris AR when Ad-Dispatch and Astral Out-of-Home launched the experience earlier this week, on August 27th. The public will soon be able to experience Drambuie's Taste of the Extraordinary in transit shelters displaying the campaign. These shelters will be strategically located in some of Toronto's trendiest neighborhoods allowing trendsetters of Toronto to get a taste of Drambuie in an Augmented Reality first.

Earlier in the year, Ad-Dispatch partnered with retail giant Walmart and Hollywood Studios (Marvel, Disney, and Nickelodeon) to offer Augmented Reality experiences in-store to consumers.

About Ad-Dispatch
Founded in 1999, Ad‐Dispatch is a North‐American leader in Augmented Reality (#AR). Always on the cutting-edge of technology, the company has evolved over the last 12 years into an interactive content creation powerhouse, recognized globally for their unique ability to integrate augmented reality technology into the marketing mainstream without sacrificing creative campaign objectives. Ad‐Dispatch has worked with North America's finest marketing agencies and big brands like Chevrolet, Mercedes and the Home Depot to create memorable and meaningful consumer experiences. In 2012, the company teamed up with Walmart and Hollywood studios (Marvel, Disney, and Nickelodeon) to offer in-store AR experiences for Spiderman, Avengers, and more. The company is headquartered in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. For more information, visit www.ad-dispatch.com or follow us on Twitter @addispatch

Link to app in iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/iris-augmented-reality/id550289005?mt=8

Video with caption: "North American Leaders in Augmented Reality and Astral Out-of-Home launch first AR outdoor advertising application". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBNYCL1zzBA&feature=youtu.be

Image with caption: "Ad-Dispatch and Astral Out-of-Home launch first AR outdoor advertising application, inviting the public to experience DRAMBUIE® A Taste of the Extraordinary through Augmented Reality (CNW Group/Ad-Dispatch)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120830_C2449_PHOTO_EN_17359.jpg

SOURCE: Ad-Dispatch

Emily Farlow
MT&L Public Relations
902.425.1860 ext 254
[email protected]