Politics begins to mesh with technology in the form of augmented reality postcards
Augmented reality has broken into the world of politics. Mayor Jim Ronecker of Oldsmar, Florida, recently printed thousands of postcards to show his support for the Republican Party in the coming election. Normally, such actions are par for the course during an election year, but these postcards were very different than those used in the past for the same purpose. Mayor Ronecker’s postcards were embedded with augmented reality experiences that could be unlocked using a smart phone.
Postcards contain video for Romney campaign
The augmented reality postcards were distributed during a Republican convention in Tampa, Florida, recently. When the unassuming postcards were scanned with a smart phone, users would be able to see a video depicting presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan. The postcards were printed by On Demand Printing, which is run by Ronecker. The augmented reality technology used for the postcards was designed by Hargreaves Media Limited.
Mayor believes augmented reality could change the political advertising landscape
Ronecker believes that augmented reality will change the political advertising landscape. The technology is capable of providing engaging content for voters, giving them a more in-depth experience with printed materials. Ronecker suggests that political campaigns that make use of print materials in any way can benefit from the adoption of augmented reality. The Mayor believes that the Romney campaign must make more use of augmented reality technology if it wants to win the upcoming election.
Young voters may be swayed through the use of technology
The 2012 presidential election has been heated for some time. Both parties are working aggressive, and at times vicious, campaigns in order to win the favor of voters throughout the country. Vice Presidential hopeful Paul Ryan has gone so far as to suggest that the upcoming election is the most important one many people have seen in their lifetime. As with its predecessor, this year’s election may be decided by young voters, who have already shown interest in anything involving augmented reality and technology. Ronecker believes that this creates an opportunity that other politicians may not want to ignore.