Rovio announces AR app aimed at delivering unique brand experiences

Rovio Entertainment, the developer behind the Angry Birds game series, has announced plans to develop a state-of-the-art augmented reality (AR) app codenamed Project Magic. Once completed, the app will deliver rich experiences for brands, retailers and consumers worldwide through fully customisable worlds that mix digital and physical products.

The app will initially focus on the digital Angry Birds universe, using AR to seamlessly connect the digital world with Rovio licensed products. Users will be able to engage in highly immersive branded content experiences that bridge the gap between digital and physical, transporting them to Bird Island where they can explore and interact with various locations and environments. Rovio is partnering with AR specialists Zappar for the project, having previously collaborated on an AR promotion for The Angry Birds Movie back in 2016.

Project Magic is aiming for an official release in 2019, and Rovio is planning for the ecosystem to form the latest tentpole in its ever-expanding brand licensing offering that has already seen it working with some of the worlds largest brands and IPs.

“Project Magic represents a major licensing milestone for Rovios Brand Licensing Unit as our vision of being able to add digital overlay to licensed products is now reality,” said Simo Hämäläinen, senior vice president of brand licensing at Rovio Entertainment. “Weve been working diligently alongside our long-time AR partner Zappar to create a cool, always-on digital brand licensing ecosystem that not only adds value to consumers, but also helps to bridge the physical and digital worlds of Angry Birds.

“Licensing partners will have an incredible opportunity to create exceptional branded content  experiences across our physical and digital touch points, and our consumers will be able to immerse themselves even further in the wonderful world of the Angry Birds.”

“Over the past seven years working in the augmented reality space weve learnt a lot about how companies can create value with AR,” said Max Dawes, partnerships and marketing director at Zappar. “Were beyond excited to be able to leverage those learnings on such a huge scale with the fantastic team at Rovio. A brands largest owned media channels are their products, their packaging and their stores: through the interactive Angry Birds content these channels can surprise, delight and entertain consumers like never before. In addition, Rovios partners will see hard data on when and how consumers are interacting. We cant wait to unleash the magic!”