Today, LUNCHABLES® became the first brand to launch a Rewarded AR Ads campaign after global AR leader Niantic revealed the new product at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this June. Rewarded AR Ads are a revolutionary new ad product available in Niantic’s popular real-world game Pokémon GO. With this ad format, players use their smartphone camera to interact with immersive branded content and access exclusive rewards from their favorite brands.
Rewarded AR ads launched at a pivotal moment for spatial computing as the global mobile augmented reality (AR) market is estimated to reach 1.7 billion global users by 2024. Leveraging Niantic’s AR and geolocation technologies, brands can surface the right AR experience at the right time. LUNCHABLES® created its Rewarded AR ads campaign – an extension of its ‘LUNCHABLES® Playables’ brand campaign – to capitalize on the emerging AR advertising space and reach its target audience through highly engaging AR content.
“Rewarded AR Ads are immersive, fun, and an easy way to reach an audience that we know is looking for more ways to engage with the brands they love,” said Niantic Head of Brand Marketing Partnerships, Erica Kovalkoski. “Around 80% of our players love the idea of AR ads in games like Pokémon GO. It’s an enjoyable experience for the player and an opportunity for innovative brands like LUNCHABLES® to deliver a brand experience their customers haven’t seen before.”
Starting today, Pokémon GO players can complete six unique builds using LUNCHABLES® iconic ingredients, including a scooter, seesaw, Eiffel Tower, helicopter, boat and picnic table. Players will be prompted to complete a build to unlock in-game items and can access even more in-game rewards by participating in the Playables rewards program. Niantic developed Rewarded AR Ads to help forward-looking brands encourage conversion and sales by driving foot traffic in-store and the immersive experience feels like a natural extension of Pokémon GO’s gameplay.
The LUNCHABLES® Playables campaign brings to life the imaginative, real food that powers kids forward throughout the day. LUNCHABLES® is more than just fuel for the body – it powers kids’ creativity through buildability and imagination, and with this campaign, Pokémon GO players can participate first-hand in that creativity. Whether a rocket ship, penguin, or UFO, there are endless possibilities for what kids can create with LUNCHABLES® and the Playables campaign allows LUNCHABLES® fans to experience those possibilities through the magic of AR.
“We’re constantly seeking new, innovative ways to grow our brand and when it comes to reaching our parents and kids, we see huge potential in AR advertising,” said Kraft Heinz Associate Brand Manager, Brand Communications, Christina Brown. “It’s exciting to be the first brand partnering with Niantic on a Rewarded AR Ads campaign allowing us to engage with our target audience in a unique and unexpected way to help us grow brand awareness and affinity while encouraging rewards program participation.”
Rewarded AR Ads are powered by 8th Wall, Niantic’s AR development platform, which has been used by top brands to create thousands of WebAR marketing campaigns and engage millions of people across the globe. Rewarded AR Ads use Niantic’s 3D map of the world to help brands reach players near key physical locations. This unique geo-locating ability drives improved results across the purchasing funnel, as brands are able to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time.