NEW YORK, Dec. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just in time for the holiday season, interactive agency COFFEE Labs and award-winning AR software company 8th Wall will launch an interactive augmented reality (AR) scavenger hunt at Westfield shopping centers across the US. The Holiday Hunt experience brings joy and festivity to shoppers while providing exclusive promotions.
The Holiday Hunt is the world’s first web-based augmented reality (WebAR) scavenger hunt to take over US malls during the holiday season, and provides a fun and safe way for shoppers to get into the holiday spirit while browsing for gifts at their favorite shopping centers.
“While this season may look a bit different, we still wanted to create experiences that not only make it fun and festive to shop, but keep health and safety top of mind. That’s why we joined with COFFEE Labs to develop and execute a virtual Augmented Reality experience at 22 Westfield shopping centers across the U.S. The Holiday Hunt was developed to entertain as well as deliver offers from our retail partners over the holidays in a safe and socially-distant environment,” says Anthony Sion, Senior Vice President – New Business Development at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, owner of Westfield shopping centers in the U.S.
Upon scanning a QR code at participating Westfield centers, the scavenger hunt takes shoppers on a magical adventure to uncover 10 virtual Christmas-themed characters who are hiding at secret locations throughout the shopping center. Holiday Hunters can scan a unique QR code at each location to discover dancing gingerbread people, snowmen, a Santa Claus face filter, a Nutcracker, reindeer and more — each providing the opportunity for a selfie or video recording that can be shared with friends and family. Upon finding all 10 characters, players are awarded with exclusive promotions and offers to redeem at participating shops.
“During this unusual and unprecedented holiday season, we at COFFEE Labs are continuing to leverage innovation as a way to rethink consumer engagement through new forms of technology,” says Al Silvestri, Partner and Chief Creative Officer of COFFEE Labs. “We know that brands are looking for ways to connect with consumers and we spend every waking moment in creating unique experiences that do exactly that for our top clients. We are excited to partner with Westfield to help drive shoppers to their centers for a fun, interactive Augmented Reality experience with special offers during this holiday season.”
The Holiday Hunt was developed by creative agency COFFEE Labs using 8th Wall’s WebAR technology, allowing it to be experienced on any smartphone without requiring the user to download an app. Shoppers can simply scan a QR code with their phone’s camera to immediately access the augmented reality scavenger hunt.
“We’re delighted that COFFEE Labs utilized WebAR technology to create an immersive, touchless scavenger hunt for Westfield guests that allows them to get into the spirit of the holidays,” says Erik Murphy-Chutorian, Founder and CEO of 8th Wall. “Now more than ever, it's important to provide engaging experiences to customers that keep them safe while transforming ordinary physical locations into something magical and extraordinary.”
The Holiday Hunt is now available at 22 participating Westfield locations until December 24th, 2020. Check it out at one of the following locations: Annapolis, Brandon, Century City, Culver City, Fashion Square, Galleria at Roseville, Garden State Plaza, Mission Valley, Montgomery, North County, Oakridge, Old Orchard, Plaza Bonita, San Francisco Centre, Santa Anita, Southcenter, Topanga & The Village, UTC, Valencia, Valley Fair, & Westfield World Trade Center.
About URW
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is the premier global developer and operator of Flagship Destinations, with a portfolio valued at €58.3 Bn as at September 30, 2020, of which 86% in retail, 7% in offices, 5% in convention & exhibition venues and 2% in services. Currently, the Group owns and operates 89 shopping centers, including 55 Flagships in the most dynamic cities in Europe and the United States. Its centers welcome 1.2 billion visits per year. Present on two continents and in 12 countries, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield provides a unique platform for retailers and brand events and offers an exceptional and constantly renewed experience for customers.
With the support of its 3,400 professionals and an unparalleled track-record and know-how, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is ideally positioned to generate superior value and develop world-class projects.
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield distinguishes itself by its Better Places 2030 agenda, that sets its ambition to create better places that respect the highest environmental standards and contribute to better cities.
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield stapled shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Paris (Euronext ticker: URW), with a secondary listing in Australia through Chess Depositary Interests. The Group benefits from an BBB+ rating from Standard & Poor’s and from a Baa1 rating from Moody’s.
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About COFFEE Labs
COFFEE Labs creates immersive experiences focused on using innovative technologies to produce content designed to be experienced rather than simply consumed. As a multi-discipline creative shop and consultancy, COFFEE reimagines how brands connect with consumers, while pushing the boundaries of possibility in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
About 8th Wall
8th Wall is an award-winning computer vision software company that makes it possible to build interactive web-based augmented reality (WebAR) that can be experienced on any smartphone—no app required. 8th Wall has powered AR activations for brands across industry verticals including retail, food and beverage, travel and tourism, automotive, fashion, sports and entertainment. Customers of the platform include Nike, Sony Pictures, Burger King, General Mills, British Gas, Heineken, McDonald's, LEGO, Swiss Airlines, Toyota, EVA Air, Red Bull, adidas, COACH and more. 8th Wall is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif. For more information, please visit: www.8thwall.com. Follow 8th Wall on Twitter @the8thWall.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
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