Augmented Reality
Augmented reality for events and brands in Dubai and the UAE. Web AR that opens from a QR code with no app to install, AR games and AR for stands.
Augmented reality for events, campaigns and products
Augmented reality (AR) adds digital content to the real world, seen through the camera of a phone or tablet. A poster starts to move, a character steps out of its frame, or a car that visitors designed themselves stands in front of them at full size.
We design and build AR experiences from start to finish, from the idea and the 3D models to the animation and the software. Based in Dubai, we have delivered augmented reality in the UAE for brands, agencies and government entities since 2016, as Web AR in the browser and as apps for iOS and Android.
Web AR: no app to download
Web AR opens straight in the phone's browser. Visitors scan a QR code, allow the camera and the experience starts within seconds. That removes the biggest hurdle of augmented reality, since most people will not install an app for a single event or campaign.
Try it: Web AR demo
This demo is a web app. It runs directly in the browser of your phone, without installing anything. Load the racing car, and place it in front of you through the camera. Augmented reality for your event or campaign can work the same way.
- Netflix, cinemas across Saudi Arabia: pointing a phone at the popcorn box plays an animated scene on the packaging. Visitors record the moment with a branded watermark and share it.
- Nissan Altima launch, Jeddah: seven artworks in a gallery at the event came to life through the visitor's phone.
- Gallery Eden, The Dubai Mall: five artworks animated in 3D for the gallery opening, with a capture button for photos and videos.
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit: fans designed their own Formula 1 car on their phone and placed it on the ground in front of them.
- Gilead, Middle East: a 3D robot appears on the doctor's desk and introduces a new educational platform. It needs no printed image to scan.
AR games and brand activations
A game gives people a reason to take part, and the product can be part of the play.
- Sony Xperia, Mall of the Emirates: shoppers played an AR game on a large screen with the new phone as the controller. 3,068 games were registered, and sales in the mall rose by 86% during the ten days of the activation.
- Nesquik, Quicky's World: three games for children around the brand mascot, including a colouring book that starts from the product pack.
- Fine, GERMINATOR: a game in which players defend against the Germ Squad, built around the brand's hygiene message.
AR for exhibition stands, models and museums
A physical model or exhibit gives visitors something real to walk around. AR adds the movement, the stories and the information that a static object cannot show.
- Legoland Dubai at the Arabian Travel Market: visitors pointed iPads at a model of the park built from 150,000 LEGO bricks, and animated 3D content appeared on top of it.
- depa at the Dubai International Boat Show: the group's projects from around the world, shown as one city in AR.
- ICBA Soil Museum, Dubai: a museum guide that shows animations, films and facts when visitors scan an exhibit.
AR in healthcare and education
Complex topics are easier to follow when someone explains them. For Gilead, we built an app with a 3D doctor in augmented reality, modelled on a real doctor. He appears on the table in front of the user and explains nine healthcare areas in his own voice. The app was used across the Middle East and North Africa.
Web AR or an app?
- Web AR suits campaigns, packaging, print and events, where as many people as possible should join in quickly.
- An app suits detailed 3D content, longer games and places without a reliable connection, or when people will use it more than once.
- With a marker: the content is tied to an image, such as a poster, a pack or a model on your stand.
- Without a marker: the content is placed on the floor or a table, wherever the visitor happens to be.
Tell us where your audience is and what they should see, and we will recommend the right approach.
Where AR works well
- Product launches and campaigns: packaging, posters and invitations become the starting point of the experience.
- Exhibition stands and trade shows: products or buildings that are too large to bring are shown at full size or on a model.
- Museums, galleries and visitor centres: exhibits explain themselves in several languages.
- Real estate and automotive: buyers see a development or a car in front of them and change it as they like.
- Healthcare and training: 3D explanations that stay in mind longer than a brochure.
Frequently asked questions
Does Web AR need an app?
No. Web AR opens in the phone's browser. Visitors scan a QR code or open a link, allow the camera and the experience starts, with nothing to download or install.
When is an app the better choice for augmented reality?
An app suits detailed 3D content, longer games, places without a reliable connection, and experiences people use more than once. Web AR suits campaigns, packaging, print and events, where as many people as possible should join in quickly.
What can start an AR experience?
A QR code, a printed image such as a poster, a pack or an invitation, or a physical model on a stand. AR can also work without any image. The content is then placed on the floor or a table in front of the visitor.
Do you create the 3D models and animation?
Yes. We handle the whole process, from the idea and the character and model design to the animation and the AR software. For Gallery Eden in The Dubai Mall we modelled and animated five artworks, and for Gilead we designed a 3D robot from the first sketch.
How early should we get in touch?
That depends on the project. For many formats we do not start from scratch. We build on a proven framework and adapt it to your design and content, which saves time. A completely new development needs longer for design, development and testing. Contact us as early as you can, and we will tell you what is realistic for your date.
Is your team on site at the event?
Yes. We set up and test the installation and support it on site, in the UAE and abroad.
More in Augmented Reality
Thinking about AR for your event?
Tell us about your event and audience. We will suggest what fits and send you a proposal.