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NAK Augments Reality as Doncaster Electors Head for the Polls

In 2009 the English Democrats won a famous election victory, beating Labour into second place to seize the Doncaster Mayoralty.

Four years later, the parties will again go head-to-head. This time, the main weapon in English Democrats’ candidate David Allen’s armoury, is a four page tabloid newspaper posted through 130,000 letterboxes across the Doncaster district.

What makes this newspaper different from most is that it is embedded with vision-based Augmented Reality, or ‘AR’.

Vision-based AR uses sensors in a user’s mobile phone to virtually display digital content in context with real-world objects – like newspapers or magazines, poster advertising or product packaging – by tracking the visual features of these objects, then augmenting the static print with digital experiences – such as web pages, online video, music etc.

On the page of his electoral newspaper where David Allen sets out his vision for Doncaster, AR links the user’s mobile phone to the Doncaster mayoral election page on the English Democrats’ official website.

On another page an article about the English Democrats’ online campaign to make St George’s Day a public holiday in England links to a web page where people can sign up to an online petition.

Today, print publications must communicate with readers in new and interactive ways. AR merges the online and offline worlds, bringing new levels of engagement to a previously one-way conversation.

And AR is quick and inexpensive to implement – your NAK account manager will explain how.