Acclaimed footwear maker Nike has launched a new augmented reality campaign in Vienna, Austria. The campaign is a new take on the virtual scavenger hunts that have been growing in popularity recently. Using a mobile app provided by Nike, participants were tasked with finding 50 “flash runners,” each clad in highly reflective jackets. Each runner was assigned a number, which was stitched into their jacket that was only visible in the flash of a camera. The campaign, called Catch the Flash, is one of the most successful augmented reality campaigns Nike has executed in recent years.
Nike’s mobile app that was used for the campaign allowed smart phone users to find the runners. Each runner was equipped with a GPS device that tracked their movement throughout the city. Participants could use the app to find their way to the runners and then take a picture of them with their smart phone. Whoever got the most pictures by the end of the 90 minute event won a special medal from Nike as well as several products from the companies most famous lines.
Nike has taken a keen interest in augmented reality technology. The company has hosted AR scavenger hunts in the past, but none have been as successful as the Catch the Flash campaign. Based on the response from consumers, Nike has expressed the desire to expand its use of the technology in 2012.
