tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14414268758252378312024-02-18T22:59:11.328-05:00THE IDEA MUG.Take a sip of the future and explore creative uses of augmented reality.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-2150233817570515022013-05-16T18:09:00.000-04:002013-05-16T18:11:37.674-04:00From Online Dating to Google Glass (i)<h3>
<b>What is the next evolutionary step of dating services?</b></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgd1xnWxT9YC4MWw3TD5J12kCehbeXHKbt_tEF3KVrKnS6-bDo5lFCWbUNDwB7-Hsq3qZOLAOh2esIyKj7t1BDkUaFjSOYpgUhcZUmLi1lgUXDPrHQ7KpZskUU2C8BMR-o_fz6g_uK9z-f/s1600/hellogoodlooking.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgd1xnWxT9YC4MWw3TD5J12kCehbeXHKbt_tEF3KVrKnS6-bDo5lFCWbUNDwB7-Hsq3qZOLAOh2esIyKj7t1BDkUaFjSOYpgUhcZUmLi1lgUXDPrHQ7KpZskUU2C8BMR-o_fz6g_uK9z-f/s320/hellogoodlooking.png" width="319" /></a><i>Lavalife</i>, <i>OKCupid</i>, <i>PlentyofFish... </i>these brands were the "household names" of online dating communities a few years back. Now, all eyes are on <i><a href="http://www.gotinder.com/" target="_blank">Tinder</a></i>, <i><a href="http://grindr.com/" target="_blank">Grinder</a></i>, and other new and hip mobile dating applications.<br />
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Powered by local-based smartphones, these dating apps gave birth to a new social behaviour. Rather than blatantly searching for love (or a night of passion, whatever your objectives are) based merely on finding the right match, meeting new people has become a fun and immediate <b>social adventure</b>.<br />
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Alex and I were casually chatting technology over of a glass<i> (possibly more than one glass)</i> of margarita. Despite my unaccepting attitude towards Google Glass, I was fairly awed by his idealized use case of Augmented Reality dating apps.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDx-4XNF1tjg3aZCacVJ_Acq2jJr1TmhuUWk9FMUvbaerfWSwTjZKo4BrDDvV-hSeZhbxa3xZb_3W5-yUDQzHVd2GHKe0WjtZ1AcyLdWrkMcyhUbYFNeGOqb-nXC4nqGlqydM5WvQ6Ubz/s1600/tindermatch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDx-4XNF1tjg3aZCacVJ_Acq2jJr1TmhuUWk9FMUvbaerfWSwTjZKo4BrDDvV-hSeZhbxa3xZb_3W5-yUDQzHVd2GHKe0WjtZ1AcyLdWrkMcyhUbYFNeGOqb-nXC4nqGlqydM5WvQ6Ubz/s320/tindermatch.png" width="213" /></a></div>
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On <i>Tinder</i>, whenever both parties "liked" each other, the app sends them a "It's a Match" notification and creates a spark (aka an excuse to connect... or "connect"). How can augmented reality on Google Glass take this to the next level?<br />
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I'll reveal Alex's idea and the detail our discussion in the next article. Meanwhile, feel free to give this topic some thoughts. Comments are welcome!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-46400009502426797632013-05-09T16:56:00.000-04:002013-05-10T17:03:05.013-04:00Augmented Reality - A Personified Modern Marketer [INFOGRAPHIC]<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3uML6GkQKBGKXPOAnMMy_ZNEABUsvforgRW-hiBgKictKUARAdAtD5UFxjN9rhxXxh0-wxaXfjloOZVc4vvwYWBN-Si73f_IUN-IVvogRYRlZx3Nyb4-pi0t_FJ3t5KFa4yF1QKFXaM9/s1600/livblogger.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3uML6GkQKBGKXPOAnMMy_ZNEABUsvforgRW-hiBgKictKUARAdAtD5UFxjN9rhxXxh0-wxaXfjloOZVc4vvwYWBN-Si73f_IUN-IVvogRYRlZx3Nyb4-pi0t_FJ3t5KFa4yF1QKFXaM9/s1600/livblogger.png" /></a><b>Recently, </b>I came across an infographic published on the <a href="http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/" target="_blank">Salesforce blog</a> that spoke to me and the work I do. Working in an agency that powers emerging technologies made me realize the charming Mad Men style of advertising no longer reflects today's tech-infused industry. For those who pursued marketing/advertising as a way to bid farewell to number-crunching, <a href="http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/2013/04/the-modern-marketer-part-artist-part-scientist-infographic.html" target="_blank">The Modern Marketer: Part Artist, Part Scientist</a> reminds us that every thing we do is ultimately a number-driven game. </div>
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This brings us to another point – Augmented Reality is a great marketing technology. If we had to personify it, this technology would be the epitome of a modern marketer. It calls for a perfect balance between soft and hard skills. Without the artists, Augmented Reality would be a lackluster experience and a far cry from strong emotional appeal. Without the scientists, there would be a problem with creating the experience and optimizing performance (and to <i>really</i> spell it out for you... the technology wouldn't have existed in the first place). By combining the best of engineers, scientists, artists and strategists, the spotlight is on this modern marketer; ready to create some kickass experiences that invoke emotions and bring brands to life. </div>
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In fact, when the agency was coming up with a tagline, they took the above points into consideration, condensed them into two words, and summed up the essence of the business: <a href="http://www.merchlar.com/" target="_blank">engineered art. </a></div>
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<i>Click <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUkRrXbElIQ_0xctrK7h0ye6Nd7-nSKYxYHgMiHoZO_77A6-dbESJHoJJZvX2EpHb9kX53m7QskT2mPwE-4DsY6Ms9otV_3xFvrubgyPk8FP0khsJVklySAUT1BpLh6S6Q1lhyphenhyphen9QeQWgJ/s1600/6a00e54ee3905b8833017d428025a6970c.jpg" target="_blank">here</a> to see a larger version:</i></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" height="855" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMUkRrXbElIQ_0xctrK7h0ye6Nd7-nSKYxYHgMiHoZO_77A6-dbESJHoJJZvX2EpHb9kX53m7QskT2mPwE-4DsY6Ms9otV_3xFvrubgyPk8FP0khsJVklySAUT1BpLh6S6Q1lhyphenhyphen9QeQWgJ/s640/6a00e54ee3905b8833017d428025a6970c.jpg" title="" /></div>
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<a href="http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/2013/04/the-modern-marketer-part-artist-part-scientist-infographic.html" target="_blank">The Modern Marketer: Part Artist, Part Scientist</a> is written by <a href="http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/author.html?author=6p017d428022fc970c&blogid=95759099151095564" target="_blank">Matt Wesson</a>, Marketing Content Specialist at <a href="http://www.pardot.com/" target="_blank">Pardot</a>.</div>
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<tr><td><b><span style="color: #00ace1;"><span style="font-size: small;">ABOUT </span>THE AUTHOR</span></b><br />
Olivia Siu is the Marketing Director at Merchlar.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-74734911010752455402013-05-09T11:48:00.002-04:002013-05-09T13:20:39.988-04:00Augmented Reality: A Creative Perspective<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba7zs6yFyDlugCbxfL_afVU8pxfkkMd3eD_8lTOqf-04nmehDemMls79u9O5YneXMmkeQSJ1XGwCfdx7-ZPltU_2GkPxBLZX8Nlg2UE9SF2Fgj8GstVgRysz1IrsD8qX8gRiWFLXxSvef/s1600/MEGANblogger.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba7zs6yFyDlugCbxfL_afVU8pxfkkMd3eD_8lTOqf-04nmehDemMls79u9O5YneXMmkeQSJ1XGwCfdx7-ZPltU_2GkPxBLZX8Nlg2UE9SF2Fgj8GstVgRysz1IrsD8qX8gRiWFLXxSvef/s1600/MEGANblogger.png" /></a><b></b><br />
<b>In my second year of school </b>at Algonqun College, my teacher decided to introduce his class to this new, soon to be huge, technology. He started the lecture by asking if any of us had ever heard of Augmented Reality (AR) and...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_x3-nMGHuFySOGeoQPtVOgrtlUAk0KsOq2omUnNv8AEomiHENWBH9C2aAg503uu8h1yODamkeX3lRFy0ftEBo0RQs9xEeo_u3431lruUKp0NVWxN_PqEU7PiHPYEnjdihyAdntiSZAeb/s1600/meme-face-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_x3-nMGHuFySOGeoQPtVOgrtlUAk0KsOq2omUnNv8AEomiHENWBH9C2aAg503uu8h1yODamkeX3lRFy0ftEBo0RQs9xEeo_u3431lruUKp0NVWxN_PqEU7PiHPYEnjdihyAdntiSZAeb/s200/meme-face-2.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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...we all just gave him blank stares.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jO7qc_XFPIH7G-BryC-qYPz-cWx4Z6N7x3c3Z_NB-9kHkNWLt3P808JI15GWaZT0MhnOtfOiMXy0TN41QbINTPQUeVVEukasQkgurFu_kibj3CMoAE-9ra4Hw7bE3O2HptpO4KZVFj9f/s1600/Augmented_reality_marker.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jO7qc_XFPIH7G-BryC-qYPz-cWx4Z6N7x3c3Z_NB-9kHkNWLt3P808JI15GWaZT0MhnOtfOiMXy0TN41QbINTPQUeVVEukasQkgurFu_kibj3CMoAE-9ra4Hw7bE3O2HptpO4KZVFj9f/s200/Augmented_reality_marker.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Augmented Reality marker</td></tr>
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He told us to go to two websites, and print out these black and white square icons on a sheet of paper (later I learned they are actually Augmented Reality markers).<br />
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As we followed the instructions on the websites and held these markers up to our webcam, the entire class gasped when 3D images popped out of the marker. When we moved, the image on the screen moved. When we rotated the paper to see what would happen, the 3D image rotated, too! We were pretty amazed with this earlier generation of AR.<br />
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Ideas started pouring into our heads about how and where this could be used (we were creatives, nonetheless), and how this could change the future of immersive technology.<br />
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I just finished a six-week internship at Merchlar and am very fortunate to be working here full-time as a designer. The Augmented Reality landscape has evolved from the black-and-white-squared-icons markers and simple 3D images to an array of high-quality, practical, and immersive artwork. I am very excited to learn more about this technology and see all of it's creative uses in application.<br />
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<tr><td><b><span style="color: #00ace1;"><span style="font-size: small;">ABOUT </span>THE AUTHOR</span></b><br />
Megan MacNaughton is the Designer at Merchlar.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-83327261842260133432013-05-07T11:17:00.000-04:002013-05-07T11:26:25.236-04:00Augmented Reality - Behind the Scenes Part I: Image Processing<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Fe-WhuMHB4sJoMgB4sEXN1A8-XexbQB5cZI3Csbs-3wmagpLmIGgtz51Km5d95APcgqqQxMm3D3CZqxyIYNpPVRn0SwvxRJtO7I8KN2FO7ByFKZCNfbkPnmx91zQVIZ6EflEXSzvBMHW/s1600/adolfoblogger.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Fe-WhuMHB4sJoMgB4sEXN1A8-XexbQB5cZI3Csbs-3wmagpLmIGgtz51Km5d95APcgqqQxMm3D3CZqxyIYNpPVRn0SwvxRJtO7I8KN2FO7ByFKZCNfbkPnmx91zQVIZ6EflEXSzvBMHW/s1600/adolfoblogger.png" /></a><b>Augmented reality</b> is the art of adding information to the raw data perceived by a device. This perceived raw data is usually in the form of camera input; some 30 images every second. In order to be able to add relevant information to these images, the device must go through a highly sophisticated process of understanding the input.<br />
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This is known as image processing.<br />
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Take this image of São Paulo for example.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrGli6dPc33XNL4Rf-8Ds9EOwoIBkvRGLiHstHThqsbNOd4jpvm9pyMrha3_v2RJ7GRV-awyhZPVvT7ROAxqsYxEzThGefc7h4X8WEPZLo9N29T9433Dj1sNQd4O70pFBMO9JRFbmFEq9/s1600/sao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrGli6dPc33XNL4Rf-8Ds9EOwoIBkvRGLiHstHThqsbNOd4jpvm9pyMrha3_v2RJ7GRV-awyhZPVvT7ROAxqsYxEzThGefc7h4X8WEPZLo9N29T9433Dj1sNQd4O70pFBMO9JRFbmFEq9/s640/sao.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To a human like myself it is rather easy to understand what this image represents. I see lots of buildings, most of them residential and built between 1960 and 1990. I deduce this is a large and dense city. From there, I could easily count how many floors there are in some of the buildings and draw huge floating numbers on top of them so no one else has to count them, ever.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0YfjdKk7YGSuZHQBWPeAhOz53hYTcOWo1UyAnPKe1con2H2oEOUS3CW1PBClY9jQcUxQQWghzvq1NNgzUZ79wNIgTW4KGCptpbZbvfzM6ZpCbuqHFiseYPYS0mQuoAFeFvEywv-_Amtv/s1600/sao1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0YfjdKk7YGSuZHQBWPeAhOz53hYTcOWo1UyAnPKe1con2H2oEOUS3CW1PBClY9jQcUxQQWghzvq1NNgzUZ79wNIgTW4KGCptpbZbvfzM6ZpCbuqHFiseYPYS0mQuoAFeFvEywv-_Amtv/s1600/sao1.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Human-made augmented reality</td></tr>
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What my device's camera sees is very different, however. She (my device is a she) sees an array of pixels, each of which has a very precise colour assigned to it. To put ourselves in my device's shoes, we zoom in until we can no longer recognize individual objects.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_grOTbRH7-gfUFrvy1iQHpVlHtqIi-um5pyaXcqlwuF12WQh2TmH2wjhx6Ss7wjf_9erirERD4QhvcWhed-fhSoxYdfW6RbQt0tj8XN3P9-aI4lo_qdoYeNp1CLO8kzAlbw8glVlvQLmF/s1600/sao3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_grOTbRH7-gfUFrvy1iQHpVlHtqIi-um5pyaXcqlwuF12WQh2TmH2wjhx6Ss7wjf_9erirERD4QhvcWhed-fhSoxYdfW6RbQt0tj8XN3P9-aI4lo_qdoYeNp1CLO8kzAlbw8glVlvQLmF/s640/sao3.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What my device sees</td></tr>
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She (I'm still talking about my device) is free to scroll around, but she is still unable to recognize buildings, let alone counting the floors. She can only obtain very "local" information about parts of the image. By looking around she realizes that a certain pixel is much darker than its neighbour to the right. Another one over there is much lighter than its neighbour below. It occurs to her that by following contrasting pixels, she can obtain "contours" which may lead her to deducing the shapes of individual buildings in the image.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPINSRq6SbdsqSB8nC_WGHB2yDfCVn7vexpSLKsVa_Og_FnSksgWm-M9bCqYzWoT4q761h68SXab_ZcLCkDnuIB8Q9u6DvJivIiuu2sykd5gp0-VmPLSgZwxe2Drti4swS_jz4hC7SuEz/s1600/sao4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJPINSRq6SbdsqSB8nC_WGHB2yDfCVn7vexpSLKsVa_Og_FnSksgWm-M9bCqYzWoT4q761h68SXab_ZcLCkDnuIB8Q9u6DvJivIiuu2sykd5gp0-VmPLSgZwxe2Drti4swS_jz4hC7SuEz/s640/sao4.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contours (as seen by a human)</td></tr>
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This is the basis of image processing: Obtaining relevant object information from an image by putting together clusters of local information. My job as a developer is to research, come up with, and write down the algorithms that make a device able to perform image processing. This is not limited to finding contours, and sometimes it involves concepts as deep as "teaching" the device to to improve its processing methods by analyzing its own output.<br />
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In a sequel to this blog post we will learn a little bit more about image processing and how it is possible for a device to deduce perspective information from camera input.<br />
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<tr><td><b><span style="color: #00ace1;"><span style="font-size: small;">ABOUT </span>THE AUTHOR</span></b><br />
Dr. Adolfo Rodriguez is the Head of Research and Development at Merchlar.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-13597750010678897412013-05-06T14:29:00.000-04:002013-05-07T11:18:33.181-04:00Sales Confidential: Augmented Reality<h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2xTgO34SRnhEd9Ro7dAoKKFbv_wxeNDrzye0fw1krisqcVLWmtgWd31JdhbmxSYR1-MUld1E6fviqMl1IfMtc1xhc4_mYm7qgGl7rSofQjSdCkFLN37IubOTzY-D36Tk98ejtyEBRtX3/s1600/kambiblogger.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2xTgO34SRnhEd9Ro7dAoKKFbv_wxeNDrzye0fw1krisqcVLWmtgWd31JdhbmxSYR1-MUld1E6fviqMl1IfMtc1xhc4_mYm7qgGl7rSofQjSdCkFLN37IubOTzY-D36Tk98ejtyEBRtX3/s1600/kambiblogger.png" /></a><b>Reteaching years of misunderstanding.</b></h4>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As Vice President of Sales and Development at Merchlar. I spend a great deal of my day and time meeting with clients. After being in this business for two years, I find selling new technology more thrilling than <a href="mailto:adekambi@merchlar.com" target="_blank">selling rain in Dubai</a>.</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<a name='more'></a><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a stigma that surrounds two words, Augmented Reality (also known as “AR”). One Tuesday morning I walked into an initial client meeting, realizing four out of five of them were confused and looked at me as if I was from Planet X. Well then I started my presentation, introduced myself and ask if anybody knows what AR is. Guess what?</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Four of them shook their heads, and the fifth person replied, "Yes I do, and [AR] sucks!"</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To their surprises and everybody else's, they have no real idea to what AR truly is and the endless capabilities and possibilities this technology can offer.</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This blog will share my journey in reteaching a culture of know-it-alls, and bring them to an epiphany that they actually... don’t quite know it all. I hope you have your seat belt on, because it’s been a bump ride thus far.</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<tr><td><b><span style="color: #00ace1;"><span style="font-size: small;">ABOUT </span>THE AUTHOR</span></b><br />
Adekambi Laleye (Kambi) is the VP Sales and Development at Merchlar.</td></tr>
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</span></span></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-60555403283041668322013-03-18T11:39:00.000-04:002013-05-07T11:15:12.561-04:00Welcome to the Golden Era of Film... Previews. <div>
<a href="https://skitch-img.s3.amazonaws.com/20120731-btejahpuib4cbac4c4b438axw8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://skitch-img.s3.amazonaws.com/20120731-btejahpuib4cbac4c4b438axw8.jpg" title="Welcome to the Golden Era of Film... Previews." /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">With augmented reality (AR) we’ve developed applications that instantly launch movie previews just by pointing your phone at the poster. No more making choices purely on jazzy posters and a good rating on IMDB.</span><br />
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Ten years ago, the digital age sped up and raised red flags to film companies. I was 13 back then, and was thrilled by the possibility to download an entire movie from the Internet (... illegally). Rather than going to the theatres, I could spend that $10 on <a href="http://stoysnetcdn.com/tgtg/tgtgsp1213214/tgtgsp1213214_0.jpg" target="_blank">my favourite sparkly gel-pen collection</a>. Win!<br />
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Ten years later, I grew up (or so I thought). The <a href="http://electroshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Rothman-Fox.jpg" target="_blank">CEO of 20th Century Fox</a> did not jump. Alliance Films is still making Oscar-winning movies, and thankfully, people are still going to movie theaters.<br />
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There is something about going to the cinema, so unique, that no home theater can offer the same level of satisfaction. Sitting with butter flavor oil-slicked popcorn and a 64oz Sprite the size of your face, the trailer plays, giving you the perfect excuse to lean into your movie date and whisper, “Oh, we’re definitely seeing that”.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8_O4HQkFU6aqluK5hGDz59KbjUiUoOARZim2uqCDXYdPXeQkLRLye3UW6Ohkkv1IbEfFe4zp77u8CltVL_2Tr_GaFVez_PrbRe2DbciD1BZYlGgN2RfAO4bo1ddIHk7y2HPsPsAwcEZE/s1600/movie-theater.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8_O4HQkFU6aqluK5hGDz59KbjUiUoOARZim2uqCDXYdPXeQkLRLye3UW6Ohkkv1IbEfFe4zp77u8CltVL_2Tr_GaFVez_PrbRe2DbciD1BZYlGgN2RfAO4bo1ddIHk7y2HPsPsAwcEZE/s400/movie-theater.jpeg" title="Welcome to the Golden Era of Film... Previews." width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image from <a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/" target="_blank">Digital Trends</a></i></td></tr>
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Not only can previews throw audience into a frenzy of anticipation; they are also one of the most important marketing investments film companies can make. One of the most popular channels to play trailers is during Super Bowl Commercials. However, is it the most cost-effective way to advertise a movie? CBS charged as much as $4 million for a 30-second commercial to be shown during Super Bowl XLVII; and it kept rising. Is this enough motivation for film marketers to find low cost and unconventional ways to distributing movie trailers?<br />
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Recently, we have been making moves to cater to film marketers who are up for a new adventure.<br />
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We want to save movie-goers from the disppointment of their film-of-choice being sold out, gazing starry-eyed at the “Now Playing” posters plastering the movie theatre walls. With augmented reality (AR) we’ve developed applications that instantly launch movie previews just by pointing your phone at the poster. No more making choices purely on jazzy posters and a good rating on IMDB. Another benefit AR can offer to film marketers is an added dimension of digital effects that can leave a lasting impression in the audience's mind. Here is an example:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/56830111?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=a80e03" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> </div>
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/56830111">Django Trailer Unchained</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/merchlar">Merchlar</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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Part of the magic of the movies is sitting in the dark with a bunch of strangers while riding whatever cinematic roller coaster you’ve chosen. Movies are meant to be experienced on the big screen, we see this even more with the advent of 3D and special cinemascope films. <a href="http://merchlar.com/work/sarila" target="_blank">Take a walk through our own virtual movie poster gallery</a> with our <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sarila/id594511519?mt=8" target="_blank">latest mobile application for Sarila</a>! Going to the movies should be just as special as it was in the Golden Era of film.<br />
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<i>What’s your pick for movie night? Would you use a universal app that allows you to instantly connect posters to movies? Drop us a line in the comments.</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-61396770551282340012013-02-21T14:28:00.000-05:002013-05-07T10:48:16.629-04:005 Mistakes AR Companies Are Making<a href="http://merchlar.com/static/images/all/workMaryland360Step2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://merchlar.com/static/images/all/workMaryland360Step2.jpg" title="5 Mistakes AR Companies Are Making" /></a><b>1. Trackable What?</b><br />
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When I first set foot in the industry, I was told to call all AR-enabled images <i>"trackable images" – </i>a term that made absolutely no sense to me. My co-workers were so used to this adjective that they were reluctant to change. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Until recently, we noticed clients were also having problems deciphering the meaning of "trackable" at first glance, hence the urgency to opt for a different adjective. After debating between "trigger" and "target", we have decided to go for the latter because it can be understood by majority of the literal population.<br />
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<b>2. AR Everything for Everyone!</b><br />
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"<i>If you try to be everything to everyone you'll be nothing to no one.</i>" Classic marketing quote. Go figure.<br />
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<b>3. Concealed Teachable Moments</b><br />
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Courtesy of <a href="https://plus.google.com/+projectglass/posts" target="_blank">Google Glasses</a>, more people are starting to learn about augmented reality. Still, if you approach any person on the street and ask them "have you heard of augmented reality"? You'll mostly get two types of answers: 1) Nope. 2) Is it something like Google Glasses? And if you're lucky, you might be able to score an occasional "Yes".<i> I know</i>. Sooner or later, the mass market will adapt to AR technology. Until then, AR companies have to understand the importance of delivering knowledge to consumers at the "teachable moment". More public awareness will lead to more consumer demand, which will bring them more business clients, and in the end, benefiting the industry as a whole.<br />
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Here is Merchlar's Demo Reel, which will give you an idea of what AR is (for those who are still new to it)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/56441364?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=00ace1" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></div>
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<b>4. So Good at the Technology They Forgot About...</b><br />
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The creative. <a href="http://chiefmartec.com/2010/09/technology-is-just-a-tool-but-are-you-skilled-with-it/" target="_blank">Technology is just a tool.</a> How to convince your clients that you're making the best out of it? This circles back to the essence of THE IDEA MUG: advocating for the creative use of augmented reality technology. Speaking from an agency perspective, <a href="http://theideamug.blogspot.ca/2013/02/rekindling-art-of-marketing-seduction.html" target="_blank">AR is a great tool to instill magic into brands and to spur imagination</a>. Creativity comes into place when we want to convince clients that AR and their brands will fall in love; once partnered up, will invite customers to take on new and engaging experience.<br />
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<b>5. Pushing Customers Off the Cliff</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.wwd.com/images/processed/wwd/2012/06/14/landscape/01-large/gq-live.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.wwd.com/images/processed/wwd/2012/06/14/landscape/01-large/gq-live.jpg" title="5 Mistakes AR Companies Are Making" width="200" /></a></div>
GQ brought augmented reality to its September 2012 issue with their <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gq-live!/id547687764?mt=8" target="_blank">GQ Live app</a>. Yes, it is incredibly cool. However, it seems like the magazine took its readers through this romantic walk, struck them with awe with this technology, and then pushed them off the cliff by disabling AR features in their October issue. We don't want AR to be a fad, but something that can ultimately bring value to everybody involved.
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<table bgcolor="#121212" border="0" style="color: white; font-family: 'ARIAL'; font-size: 14px; padding: 20px 10px 20px 10px; width: 100%;"><tbody>
<tr><td><b><span style="color: #00ace1;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></b><br />
Olivia Siu is the Marketing Director at Merchlar.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0Montreal, QC, Canada45.5086699 -73.55399249999999345.1529064 -74.1994395 45.8644334 -72.908545499999988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-26084612325171433882013-02-20T09:57:00.000-05:002013-05-07T10:59:32.694-04:00AR(T) Attack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTt8IciRNNrD9Pnjb0MDxxqXtlcdTDUk5cKaHZ-ZieykBsxCLzdVQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTt8IciRNNrD9Pnjb0MDxxqXtlcdTDUk5cKaHZ-ZieykBsxCLzdVQ" /></span></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>“Art is an evolutionary act. The shape of art and its role in society is constantly changing. At no point is art static. There are no rules.” – Harmon</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><b id="internal-source-marker_0.6182618094608188" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Defenders of street art have always maintained that graffiti creates art where once there was nothing. Graffiti artists covert bare concrete walls into a canvas for self-expression. </span></b></span></b><br />
<a name='more'></a><b style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.6182618094608188" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The very nature of street art itself goes against what comes to mind when we think of a show in a gallery; white walls, white box, bad wine. Graffiti is an installation in a public space with complete freedom for interpretation. There is no pretension or intimidation in comprehending street art, for the most part, it is what it is. You get it, the artists get it, your cousin gets it. It is art for the masses.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a way, recent developments in augmented reality have been imitating this passion for creating a layer on a tangible space, only they’re doing it digitally. AR allows us to create a different dimension, one seen with a different kind of lens. After working on a creative project for <a href="http://www.bell.ca/" target="_blank">Bell</a> at the <a href="http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/default-en.aspx" target="_blank">Montreal Jazz Festival</a> I got to wondering what other ways art, specifically street art, and AR could merge to create something bigger than either could have done independently. </span></span></b></b><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/57690066?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=3473c7" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/57690066">Live Graffiti at Montreal Jazz Festival</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/merchlar">Merchlar</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><b id="internal-source-marker_0.6182618094608188" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First stop, Miami, current North American epicenter for low-brow and graffiti artists. AR was put in action at the Art Basel event in Miami in 2012. Five murals were digitally augmented with a similar technology to ours- a smartphone recognized the completed piece and expanded on it in a digital layer. One use of this that especially blows my mind was the use of AR with the Shepard Fairey mural that was recently painted over. AR allows visitors, with the proper technology, to view the wall as it once was, preserving an art form that was once limited to days or months to years and years.</span></b></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/5-BWbmrL2Pc69NaEXqlz48DaqoIhtPxcbezDmU2THP1TjWoIsRcfLw2rqKTmPFvVpH2pKWg5cIIVy582HDOA1oh6PBAiEdBlhNLihdpe05P3uv8B6bYIfO7XlQ" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/5-BWbmrL2Pc69NaEXqlz48DaqoIhtPxcbezDmU2THP1TjWoIsRcfLw2rqKTmPFvVpH2pKWg5cIIVy582HDOA1oh6PBAiEdBlhNLihdpe05P3uv8B6bYIfO7XlQ" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heavy Projects</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/FIqQQyyqLcaoNcyhhM8R2O9uLaukJCFXu4LCNPuR6a2wguqyyyg56DOzjOgKiqB41cRkUposzOtsyAGRccvUgm6ixCxuGQHM0XI6r0g-g4Z-30ky8N_f3s5HZg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/FIqQQyyqLcaoNcyhhM8R2O9uLaukJCFXu4LCNPuR6a2wguqyyyg56DOzjOgKiqB41cRkUposzOtsyAGRccvUgm6ixCxuGQHM0XI6r0g-g4Z-30ky8N_f3s5HZg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AR also has the ability to lift this artform to places it has not yet been able to go, simply because the tools do not exist. Not only could artists use tools to sketch and plan their artworks but they can go beyond traditional still paintings. With AR and the right application an artist could create an animation or film at home and attach it to a wall. The art itself could move or launch into a film from which a still was painted. This could be moved to galleries even, where multiple animations or films often compete for space, and give each member of the audience a personal connection to the work. </span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interaction with the art itself also soon becomes a possibility, artists can create applications that make their art interactive without actually touching the artwork. Allowing for constant personal experiences and the piece itself stays in one piece. A sculptural installation could be flipped around a room or distorted. Video pieces could have different possibilities for sound, picture. As part of a larger group project multiple people could make changes on an AR level and each piece be shown as an individual's interpretation, the possibilities are truly endless.</span></span></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-42753376610957105052013-02-14T12:19:00.002-05:002013-05-07T11:01:50.120-04:00Interactive Secret Messages: The Winning Valentine.<h3>
Simple Solution to Your Mid-February Nightmare</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JVyZvPkN-tQ0jriDdLLvDKZviUH862PVqd5cjFuGoYaOOw1DMwsiSXzKorXVqmwF2rImC-ICALUY4sM2I87FOnQXQjrm7_anisV316rOipZyTxXL_PEoFnQgV4X9Qt6ys4hFUEYDJKGI/s1600/Valentines-Day-Meme-Funny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JVyZvPkN-tQ0jriDdLLvDKZviUH862PVqd5cjFuGoYaOOw1DMwsiSXzKorXVqmwF2rImC-ICALUY4sM2I87FOnQXQjrm7_anisV316rOipZyTxXL_PEoFnQgV4X9Qt6ys4hFUEYDJKGI/s1600/Valentines-Day-Meme-Funny.jpg" /></a></div>
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Every February, the guys and dolls alike scratch their heads just to figure out a creative way to impress or surprise their beloved on Valentine’s day. Roses, chocolates, and jewelry – once fantastic gifts – have become a cliché Valentine’s tradition.<br />
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Marketers all know the importance to under-promise and over-deliver. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Having the ability to knock someone’s socks off almost guarantee the creation of a lasting impression. Approaching an ever-evolving digital future, how can we leverage technology to woo that ladyfriend/guyfriend who holds a special place in your heart?<br />
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Remember being that kid who giggled after receiving your special note? We all love secret messages; the anticipation creates excitement, spurs curiosity, and once the message is unveiled, the gratifying experience promises satisfaction. In the end, it all comes down to you feeling special.<br />
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THE IDEA MUG proposes a secret message application, which allows you to attached hidden notes in special Valentine’s card.<br />
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Contact us if you want to learn more about the idea and be part of it!<br />
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Here are two of our favourite Valentine's videos. Enjoy!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xcalV-Cmyd8" width="420"></iframe>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aTLySbGoMX0" width="420"></iframe>
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And Happy Valentine's Day!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-79967765800770289212013-02-12T20:27:00.003-05:002013-02-14T12:19:58.366-05:00Tech Startup meets Harlem Shake<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6ZgyngstBBs" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Just a bit of fun in the office.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-75121865744032633292013-02-08T15:55:00.002-05:002013-05-07T11:03:09.926-04:00Wizardry Products Made by Muggles, for MugglesBefore THE IDEA MUG was created, I brainstormed a list of AR topics that any volunteer, or myself can write about. One of the ideas was to bring the Hogwarts experience to you pathetic muggles. I even made a <a href="http://theideamug.blogspot.ca/2013/02/rekindling-art-of-marketing-seduction.html" target="_blank">reference to <i>Harry Potter</i></a> in one of the articles! (Pardon my obsession with the novel).<br />
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The Wonderbook by PlayStation<br />
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<b>Also this:</b><br />
Basically.... An App for <i>The Daily Prophet readers</i><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-32071194641479454022013-02-06T13:28:00.002-05:002013-02-06T13:55:09.483-05:00From Microsoft, to gamers, with love.Forget about Windows 8 for a moment. Lets take a look at what Microsoft has to offer to gamers.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="263" scrolling="no" src="http://widgets.ign.com/video/embed/content.html?url=http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/01/09/microsoft-illumiroom-ces-2013-proof-of-concept" width="468"></iframe><br />
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Over the past years, video game enthusiasts have been seeking for larger screens, faster processing power, and better graphics performance in pursuit of the best gaming experience. In hopes of reaching that goal, Microsoft thought outside of the <strike>screen</strike> box on how to push <a href="http://ca.ign.com/articles/2012/09/12/microsoft-working-on-immersive-display-experience" target="_blank">immersive display experiences</a> into the market.<br />
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One month ago, they introduced a new technology – <a href="http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/illumiroom/" target="_blank">IllumiRoom</a> – that can turn any room into a visual playground. This gets THE IDEA MUG very excited.<br />
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IllumiRoom also created a good amount of buzz in social media.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrGsB1U6ekp5k84FYvgyk8afmXf0bs_qtU4Y0jO8GpWFeFp6HZL69IDU4J8ZsCwyTmtts-h4Wl3fRnW0uivUTHzrSm_v2XDCGtkXyRbMVc1TOHlqv476NxXojQ7E0YBjlrFGAcfV0vIG1/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-02-06+at+1.37.17+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrGsB1U6ekp5k84FYvgyk8afmXf0bs_qtU4Y0jO8GpWFeFp6HZL69IDU4J8ZsCwyTmtts-h4Wl3fRnW0uivUTHzrSm_v2XDCGtkXyRbMVc1TOHlqv476NxXojQ7E0YBjlrFGAcfV0vIG1/s320/Screen+Shot+2013-02-06+at+1.37.17+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Show this video to an intense gamer for the first time and watch his cheeks get bright pink with excitement.<br />
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Microsoft explains,<br />
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<i>"IllumiRoom augments the area surrounding a television screen with projected visualizations to enhance the traditional living room entertainment experience... [it] can change the appearance of the room, induce apparent motion, extend the field of view, and enable entirely new game experiences."</i></blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NicwB7OBUhdRMgHytzRSu9KKPyLQjhlSybppe9NkuQYO07o5GHIsIQGxZwqOQJRJ1p85zTvDP8OrQUlJAqzJ6s-oRV1_0uJf230StIddZwpfUX2J9pHZjloqMvoCafnHPjPbrylIGmvF/s1600/IllumiRoom1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NicwB7OBUhdRMgHytzRSu9KKPyLQjhlSybppe9NkuQYO07o5GHIsIQGxZwqOQJRJ1p85zTvDP8OrQUlJAqzJ6s-oRV1_0uJf230StIddZwpfUX2J9pHZjloqMvoCafnHPjPbrylIGmvF/s1600/IllumiRoom1.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image from Microsoft Research</i></td></tr>
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This is a great way to introduce AR to the public, and to get them excited about the future of technology. IllumiRoom, THE IDEA MUG loves you!<br />
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More details will be revealed at the <a href="http://chi2013.acm.org/" target="_blank">ACM SIGCHI Conference in Paris</a> in April 2013. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-20615807811471154022013-02-01T18:00:00.003-05:002013-02-04T09:35:12.174-05:00Brand Imaginarium: Rekindling the Art of Marketing Seduction<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">How can brand marketers brush up on their laws of attraction?</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhGtHOrG4602kDPPPGBlowMSYbm2pTZzQ05RMvIXOyj2H-Pi4x6jAYT2zsJU19sKQ8KVt5NrfW66aKwY-gzor3vO-4mJ_E-lAcJ8mK84o5UiBajw2k3eokCpZ5R66_gULmV1NykaKZgoA/s1600/103356802-photo-Paula-Couselo-photos-at-pbasecom-babes-photo-Couple-dance-tango-sensual-erotic-lollipop-mmmmm-sexy-Series-glamor-tags-oups-pic-Cast-Away-nevaehs_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhGtHOrG4602kDPPPGBlowMSYbm2pTZzQ05RMvIXOyj2H-Pi4x6jAYT2zsJU19sKQ8KVt5NrfW66aKwY-gzor3vO-4mJ_E-lAcJ8mK84o5UiBajw2k3eokCpZ5R66_gULmV1NykaKZgoA/s400/103356802-photo-Paula-Couselo-photos-at-pbasecom-babes-photo-Couple-dance-tango-sensual-erotic-lollipop-mmmmm-sexy-Series-glamor-tags-oups-pic-Cast-Away-nevaehs_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It’s nothing new to compare marketing to an alluring dance – to look into your target’s mind and charm them through tactful seduction. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Throughout the dance, you strive to understand each other. You communicate through gestures, through dance movement, through eye contact, maybe whispers. You invite them to look into your eyes – the window to your soul...<br />
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Brand managers at corporations spend countless hours creating and protecting their identity. They put together communications guidelines to ensure the image of the firm is standardized and well-monitored at its best. These guidelines do a great job managing brand attributes in the physical world – characteristics which consumers can experience and interact with. The <i>brand</i> itself, however, is intangible; it is what people think and feel of a firm (or a product, or a celebrity, or a country). It is objective. It exists in the minds of the consumers.<br />
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Brand managers know that the minds of consumers like to wander, to dream, to imagine; because imagination nourishes the soul and the land of dreams is a land of free thoughts. A brand with great vision invites its audience to dream with them and envision the future. Great brands are magical. They remove you from this world, even for a brief second. They take you to an imaginary land, and make you see the world with different lenses. Harry Potter is an example of such brand. You feel a little upset knowing you’re just an ordinary <a href="http://www.mugglenet.com/" target="_blank">muggle</a>. You wish witches and wizards were real, you want to visit Hogwarts, you whisper <i><a href="http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Wand-Lighting_Charm" target="_blank">lumos</a></i> in the dark. McDonald’s is everybody’s friend. You don’t go there for a healthy meal. You go there to seek comfort and you are almost confident that McDonald’s brings you happiness... maybe it <i>is</i> happiness.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">When brand management and augmented reality (AR) cross paths, they fall in love and magic happens.</span></h4>
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THE IDEA MUG advocates for the creative use of new technology. We believe AR drives imagination. It is a tool that instills magic and invites people to engage with brands. <a href="http://merchlar.com/" target="_blank">Merchlar </a>(father of THE IDEA MUG) specializes in augmented reality and supports clients’ needs through interactive mobile technology. This way we can choreograph an extravagantly romantic dance of seduction and design a temptation that consumers won’t resist. The power to drive imagination is the next stepping stone of brand experience design. In an era where time is the most valuable commodity, getting people to engage with your brand is the ultimate sign of success.<br />
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<i>Special thanks to <a href="http://www.soydanbay.com/" target="_blank">Soydanbay</a> for the inspiration. </i><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-22127713170483686012013-01-31T23:51:00.000-05:002013-05-06T14:31:26.883-04:00Interactive Map of Canada - in 3DThis <b><a href="http://labs.merchlar.com/wcit2012" target="_blank">3D interactive map of Canada</a></b> is a company directory that features a unique 3D interactive experience. It was displayed alongside the<a href="http://www.wcit2012.org/en/program-a-schedule/business-activities/canadian-digital-river" target="_blank"> Digital River at WCIT2012</a> :)<br />
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Try it out and let us know if you would be interested in an atlas like that!<br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wcit-ar/id569006975?mt=8#" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZakO4n5tN4_7kC91luTHvUTBCdn1roYHBkb3ISQbf_6Cq0aLY0IQZ8E0aOMZX7EY8ZBNqSPsuVHiILlSscawT5vKNFQcKvJ7oite5gkBxl7au7uNBVtRZpvWqCmnAZQkv9qWGslBRVyr/s200/Screen+Shot+2013-02-03+at+11.38.24+PM.png" width="103" /></a> Visit the app store and test it out <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wcit-ar/id569006975?mt=8#" target="_blank">HERE</a>! for free!</div>
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<b><i>CLICK ON</i></b> the image below and view it through the app, and experience some good 3D art!:<br />
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Would you use an interactive 3D atlas app? Let us know your feedback!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441426875825237831.post-57436975052590660592013-01-29T14:55:00.001-05:002013-05-07T10:37:49.956-04:00With Each New Medium Comes a New Message<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DORiaiPQwiahtr42_5nSyxADKoMoltmIqfFZoTW0vzsUBizokccHUA7RuPtn_9M7HnbsRl1M090Us6BShXBV5wE3DiaGsTFBEFtqvr3EPWz60f5xDDRuoqjNkGUR9sue-6ThBHy5wVHv/s1600/buttomlessmug.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9DORiaiPQwiahtr42_5nSyxADKoMoltmIqfFZoTW0vzsUBizokccHUA7RuPtn_9M7HnbsRl1M090Us6BShXBV5wE3DiaGsTFBEFtqvr3EPWz60f5xDDRuoqjNkGUR9sue-6ThBHy5wVHv/s1600/buttomlessmug.png" /></a></div>
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The future seems daunting. It seems as though everything we imagined is possible. Retro visions of the future seen in<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7BcpVGA0cg" target="_blank"> The Jetsons</a></i> were mocked until we all put our collective foot in our collective mouths as the future happened. Suddenly, we were face to face and 3000 miles away. THE IDEA MUG takes the same optimistic vision of the future as imagined in the past and applies new technology to make ideas into reality.</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality" target="_blank">Augmented reality</a> (AR) marks the next evolutionary step in communication media. We believe that AR, if used properly, can dramatically improve people’s quality of life at large. Technological advancement is closely connected with the human pursuit of happiness. Historical evidence suggests that a small step in improving communication can drastically alter people’s lives. The invention of the internet, for instance, created a new dimension for information gathering, providing numerous possibilities for secondary research, knowledge sharing, and crowdsourcing. The classic concept of a research library has been discarded in favour of search engines and online databases where desired information is only a few clicks (or taps) away.<br />
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THE IDEA MUG is no ordinary drinkware found on your kitchen table; this mug breeds and nurtures ideas. It provides a playground where creativity interacts and expands, which allows us to break through pre-conceived notions and experiment with the impossible. Ultimately, we want to gain an understanding of what our audience wants so we can turn an idea-in-demand into a reality. (Think of it as an “idea fairy” -- if enough people wish for something, it could actually come true!)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.pvtmurphy.com/strips/full/128-Good-idea-fairy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://www.pvtmurphy.com/strips/full/128-Good-idea-fairy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>zzzzziNGG!</i></td></tr>
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Bear in mind, like other branches of the media (radio, television, print communications, the Internet, and mobile), AR has to live up to ethical standards. THE IDEA MUG will explore unethical use of AR and its implications. In the next foreseeable months, we will take you through a couple of creative and practical use of AR technology. <a href="http://www.yourtango.com/2013169728/10-valentines-day-ideas-arent-cheesy" target="_blank">Valentine’s Day</a> is coming up, can we think of a cool way to woo your ladyfriend/guyfriend and make them feel uber special? Stay tuned for our first idea.<br />
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If you have any idea to inspire us, feel free to comment or shoot us an email at social@merchlar.comAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03556637195253176355noreply@blogger.com0Merchlar, Saint-Laurent Blvd, Suite 304, Montreal, QC, Canada45.5086699 -73.55399249999999345.1529084 -74.1994395 45.8644314 -72.908545499999988