Mobile Behavior: an Omnicom Group Company

To promote Louisiana's Voodoo Experience music festival, New Orleans agency Zehnder Communications built a custom augmented reality application for use with Layar. Users could find information about performances, attractions, and services by simply looking through their smartphone's camera. Not sure who's on stage right now? Peer through the Voodoo app to find out, and see who's next with artist profiles and web links. We've covered the potential for mobile technology built around music venues and the application of social media with websites like Superglued. Here we discuss  augmented reality and the future of mobile with Dave Maher, Zehnder's Director of Digital Communications.

Were there any specific observations or inspiration that led to the creation of this application? What's the story behind it?

Dave: Layar® awarded Zehnder one of its first 50 developer keys, based on our ideas to utilize the technology. One of those ideas was to enhance the experience of concert/festival visitors, allowing them to find their way around the festival more easily, learn more about the bands playing on stage, and the like.

Voodoo Experience was the perfect venue to launch this application, as it draws a very technology-savvy, early adopter young crowd. Since Layar was relatively new to the United States and brand new on the iPhone platform, we thought this would be key to a successful launch.

Our interactive team worked very closely with the festival producers to launch the application, which was developed in less than four weeks.

Was it constructed specifically for this event or will there be future uses for it?

Dave: While the application was for the Voodoo Experience, the platform lends itself to use for major festivals and concert events. We intend to expand its use in partnership with festival organizers hoping to bring a technology component to their events for the purpose of enhancing the customer experience.

Do you know how many people used it? How did you make people aware of it?

Dave: We are wrapping up a case study on the application and will include usage data. As soon as it is available for release, we will share it with your readers.

The application was promoted through a variety of channels. It received coverage in Fast Company magazine, through the joint PR efforts of Voodoo Experience and our own PR team, and through an amazing amount of online communications (social, bloggers, etc.). Additionally, the application was featured on Apple’s iTunes store with the Layar application, which increased awareness tremendously since Layar was new on the iPhone platform.

Do you have any thoughts on the future of augmented reality? Is it more than just hype?

Dave: Augmented Reality has numerous potential uses from location-based mobile applications to web cam marker-based executions. These could be anything – entertainment, shopping, educational, etc. The real power of AR comes when marketing and development communities find practical uses. It represents the future for how consumers will get much of their information and an entirely new world of marketing opportunities for companies. Over the next year, expect to see the technology improve as well as the strategic executions. The number of AR users is only going to grow as more practical uses are created and the hardware becomes available.

Does Zehnder have any future plans for implementing mobile strategy?

Dave: Absolutely! Louisiana Economic Development (LED) has been instrumental in introducing legislation that specifically targets digital tax credits. We feel like this could be a boon to growing this industry in Louisiana, and at Zehnder specifically.

In addition to Layar’s mobile augmented reality, we are also working on traditional augmented reality projects, applications for iPhone/Android/RIM users, and even some exciting new work with QR codes. The future of mobile is incredibly exciting and we hope to be on the leading edge.

For a better look at the Voodoo app, click here.

About a month ago we discussed observations made at a Phoenix concert, a new morning-after primetime, and the many opportunities that mobile technology has opened up for brands in the music business.  It appears someone has stepped up to the plate, SuperGlued aims to pull together today's concert experience, social media included, into an iPhone application.

Once installed, users can locate and "join" concerts that they are attending to then become immersed in the chatter occurring around them. The app becomes a Twitter client where on-location tweets are collected, creating a conversation around the event and embracing the collision of the digital and physical worlds. Images and video that are captured during the show can be uploaded and tagged to then be published on a show page for all attendees to see. Facebook Connect is implemented, making it easy to share content with friends in your network.

With mobile devices untying us from fixed locations and providing us with powerful on-the-go tools, our wants and needs will evolve accordingly. Founders Rush Doshi and Tom Plunkett observed this change and have developed a prime example of how applications can be built around mobility.

Everyone is aware of the disruptive forces that have been shaking the music industry over the past decade. The number one culprit, of course, is the Internet, which propped up the MP3 format with P2P file-sharing. Big corporations want to keep business the way it was and ignore the fact that music is an ever-changing social phenomenon that needs to be adapted to.

While attending a performance by French band Phoenix last night, we noticed a few things that, if understood, could move the marketing of music to a new level. Here's the scenario:

I. Waiting

You decide to arrive a little early to get good parking, grab your tickets, and find a good seat. People all around are chatting it up with friends, whether it be face-to-face or on their cell phone. You decide to see what people nearby are saying publicly on Twitter (possible now thanks to their new location API) and get an odd sensation. It's almost like you can read the minds of strangers around you. It's a strange feeling, this collision of digital and physical worlds.

II. Watching

The band makes the stage and begins their epic performance; everyone wants to be more than a spectator and capture the experience using their iPhone, BlackBerry, or whatever device they might have. There is the now-familiar cloud of miniature backlit screens every time the the lights dim. Some people are tweeting, while bobbing their head and getting groovy. They are sharing the moment. Or just not that good at focusing.

III. Watching Again

The show was great, everyone is smiling and rushing to their cars to be the first out of the lot. Next morning: Get online. It's either check YouTube and Flickr for footage from last night or be the one uploading it. This is a continuation of the entire experience, extending it beyond the traditional set length. In a sense,  a crowd-sourced encore.

Looking at each of these stages, possibilities come to mind... ways to create an ever-more immersive experience for concert-goers.  The fact is that fans are using their mobile during the performance, and they can be reached. We recently noticed mobile startup Chyngle's desire to market in stadiums. There is a huge opportunity here to reach people during this "morning-after digital primetime."