AR (Augmented Reality) is a technology that superimposes virtual images and information on the real world. Using a smartphone or tablet will allow you to experience the characters and special effects that are appearing in the "here and now." In recent years, with the advent of WebAR, it has become easy to enjoy without downloading a dedicated app, and is being used more in the field of events, tourism, exhibitions, and product promotions. Among them, this article will explain AR planning and how to use it at events.
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Types and characteristics of AR event policies
Event measures using AR are not just about video production, but are attracting attention as highly PR-value projects, such as "experience the worldview" and "fusion with the real world." Here we will introduce five measures that can be used for promotion, as well as the mechanisms related to each of them and the effectiveness of implementation.
Stamp rally x AR: The fun of collecting and winning
The AR Stamp Rally is a policy that encourages participants to take action and travel around the area and facilities. By "reading" an AR launch marker with the device's camera, the AR will be displayed and you can get a stamp. A system similar to a lottery where you can win a gift by collecting a certain number, can be reproduced, making it easy for users to understand and give you a fun game-like experience.
For example, you can further enhance the worldview by organizing stamp rally where special characters appear in line with Christmas and Halloween seasons. Campaigns that link physical items such as cards and stickers are also popular.
AR Photo Frame: Directly promote by posting images and commemorative photos
AR photo production, in which characters and animations are displayed at event spots, is a typical measure that combines "ease of posting on social media" and "a memorable photo shoot experience."
When images taken by visitors are posted on social media, the event itself can be expected to spread as a hot topic. Especially in media promotion, many of the visitors' posts are useful as material for creating topics and developing media.
Quiz/Mystery Solving x AR: Combining travel and learning with storyline
The AR policy allows visitors to take quizzes and puzzles while exploring the facilities is a mechanism to update from an exhibition "just see" to an experience of "feeling and thinking."
By creating a story structure that will give you a game-like feel, and children and adults can enjoy and enjoy the game until the end.
GPS/geofence AR: Create a special experience only available on site
Measures that cannot activate AR unless you set the GPS or area settings are ideal for creating a strong sense of specialness, such as "you can only take photos on site" or "only the moment".
For example, the composition allows you to take photos with photo characters that only appear here at tourist spots and commemorative effects, not only makes it an attractive feature as an AR photo frame, but also helps to promote visitors. You can also implement measures to visit multiple spots and earn bonuses by conquering all spots.
Touch AR/Goods Link: Add "meaning" and "movement" to the product
Touch AR measures, which allow characters to appear in real size when touching an acrylic stand or card goods when you touch your smartphone, can be used to create animated characters, or move them, or change their expressions, are rapidly growing as a promotion that will allow you to experience the appeal of products.
AR x products are being used to improve the experience value by providing limited edition goods with AR, streaming bonus videos, and linking cards to advance the story.
These measures can be effective on their own, but by combining multiple measures, while incorporating the perspective of fan marketing, they can create a higher customer-inducing effect and experience satisfaction.
Success Cases: A collection of event cases using AR
AR not only produces events, but also produces many results, such as increasing the satisfaction of visitors, spreading social media, and promoting posts that have a PR effect. Below are four successful cases that have been actually introduced:
Netflix x Stranger Things | "Another World" appears in reality on Google Lens
Netflix's popular series, Stranger Things, featured augmented reality productions using Google Lens appeared in Times Square in New York. When I held my smartphone Google Lens over a Billboard ad, a different world of "upside down" appeared in overlapping space in real life, providing visitors with a surprising experience.
This kind of promotion has the immersive feeling that allows you to enter the worldview and is easy to post as photos and videos on social media. It became a hot topic as a limited-time performance, and became a great example of an urban event that utilizes AR.
Source: https://blog.google/products/google-lens/stranger-things-new-york-times/
Childish Gambino | Immerse yourself in the "music universe" with PHAROS AR
American artist Childish Gambino has launched PHAROS AR, an immersive app that combines music and AR. Through the app, users can experience unreleased songs and immerse themselves in stories linked to animated productions while exploring the 360° virtual space that spreads through the smartphone camera.
This experience was not just a live stream, but an AR production built around the musical universe that appears in the real world, and attracted attention as it was distributed globally. This is an advanced example of not only increasing engagement with fans through the fusion of art and technology, but also presenting new forms of musical expression.
Source: https://blog.google/products/google-ar-vr/new-childish-gambino-app-pharos-ar/
Pepsi MAX | A story of AR ads that invade "reality"
The Unbelievable Bus Shelter, which was deployed at a bus stop in London, England, is a representative example of the experiential AR promotion set up by Pepsi MAX. AR technology is incorporated into the transparent panels at the bus stop, and displays in real time a prank-like effect of spaceships, tigers, robots, and more suddenly appearing in real-time in the real cityscape. Passersby and people waiting for the bus were surprised, laughed, and the way they posted videos on social media became a hot topic.
This measure is excellent in that it allows people to naturally experience AR without the need for a dedicated app, and the "surprise" and "reactions" of those who have experienced it have become a source of spreading the campaign, resulting in over 100 million views worldwide. This is an advanced and highly talked about promotional case study that uses AR technology as an "unusual advertising experience."
Source: https://vimeo.com/94419832
Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Center | Attract visitors with "Exhibition and AR"
Shimane Prefecture's Iwami Ginzan has introduced an AR filter for social media that is linked to the diorama exhibition. Along with the explanation of the historic mine, there are ARs where characters and ships appear, as well as AR filters for photography, making it a device that even young people can enjoy.
Photography filters can be commemorated simply by posting them on social media. Posts like this are more likely to be spread with tags with hashtags, leading to improved PR effects.
As can be seen from these cases, the great appeal of AR is that it not only increases the experience value, but also allows for multiple results simultaneously, such as improving travel rates, extending stay time, spreading social media, and promoting purchasing. Another major advantage of AR is that it can be flexibly customized to suit the theme and purpose of the event.
Source: https://ginzan.city.oda.lg.jp/
The process of introducing AR events
AR installation may seem complicated, but it is smoother if you take clear steps in the system. Below we will introduce the introduction process and the "useful keywords" that follow.
1. Setting the purpose and target
We will clarify your purpose by attracting customers, spreading social media, publishing promotional articles, traveling to participants, and purchasing goods. Then, we narrow down the targets of families, tourists, young people, business people, and more.
2. Selecting content and mechanisms
You will select the types of photo AR, stamp rally, merchandise links, quizzes, etc., and technically choose mechanisms such as WebAR, App, GPS, and Touch AR. It will be smoother if you organize your budget, period, and collaboration with the published pages and PR during the design stage.
3. Production and Development
We will create the materials necessary for AR, such as character models, image production, video production, voices, animations, and dialogue. It will be produced in conjunction with promotional materials such as novelties, flyers, event pages, and more.
4. Testing and Introduction
We will check the operation of the site such as GPS accuracy and communication status, camera reading accuracy, and touch operation. It is particularly important to verify that there is no concern about the "reading" operation, and whether the design is "easy to experience" for a wide range of age groups.
5. Implementation and effectiveness measurement
Aggregates and analyzes the number of launches, number of photo shoots, number of posts, number of page accesses, gift application rate, travel rate, survey evaluation, and more. We will also visualize the spread of social media, web, articles, etc. and use it for next measures.
Why AR is attracting attention when it comes to use at events
Building a "worldview" that starts with just a smartphone
Planning at modern event venues requires visitors to not only see, but also to be able to "enjoy and experience while having fun." By layering an "another worldview" into the real world in front of you, AR has the advantage of transforming mere exhibitions and explanations into an immersive experience.
For example, AR rallys around town and answering quizzes, and AR guides in which characters appear in the game when you hold your smartphone up are developed as "participatory stories," and are easy to lead to commemorative photos and posts on social media, contributing to the natural spread of events.
"Expanding Experience" through Social Media and Commemorativeness
On social media such as Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), elements such as "you can only take photos here," "limited time only," and "looks great." are particularly proliferating. Experiences where you can co-star with AR photo frames and characters make it easy to leave the moment in images and videos, and are often posted on social media as a commemorative event, resulting in promotional promotion for the event itself.
It can be safely and securely introduced even when not in contact or face-to-face
WebAR runs on a browser, so there is no need to install it, and you can experience it without contact or face to face. Since there is no need to use paper stamp cards or shared devices, it is being recognized as a measure that can be introduced safely even during the event period.
In addition, the operation is intuitive and easy to understand, making it widely used by children and the elderly, and it has the flexibility to freely express it to suit the themes that anyone can enjoy, such as anime, dinosaurs, live shows, and illustrations.
summary
"Collect stamps,"
"Travel around venues,"
"Post on social media,"
"Connect with products,"
"Enjoy AR"
The appeal of AR is that you can achieve all of this with just one system.
AR is now being used not only for sales promotions and events, but also for education, tourism, and cultural dissemination. If you want to add another world to your project, why not consider introducing AR?
If you are considering implementing Web AR, we recommend AR Works.
In order to effectively utilize AR as a marketing strategy,
the ideal production company is to have a balanced balance of "technical capabilities," "proposition capabilities," "expression capabilities," and "operation support."
AR Works offers the flexibility to meet the following needs:
- I don't know how to use WebAR, so I'd like to consult an expert first.
- We want to incorporate attractive presentations into product promotions, sightseeing, exhibitions, etc.
- We would like to have one-stop support from effectiveness measurement and document creation.
Please feel free to contact us first!
Introducing AR Works achievements
If you are considering introducing AR, please contact AR Works. Using our extensive track record and latest technology, we will propose the most suitable AR solution.
▼List of achievements | AR Works
https://promotion.ar-works.jp/achievement
Introducing AR Works achievements
Below is a list of materials for those who want to use AR for promotion.
You can also check examples using Web AR, Touch AR, etc.
Please feel free to use this as a reference.
Introducing examples of digital stamp rally x AR use
This is a collection of examples of projects that utilize AR for digital stamp rally.
Introducing examples of use related to tourism and AR
This is a collection of AR case studies that can be used in tourism marketing.
![[AR experience available] The dinosaurs start moving on the spot! Examples of use of AR dinosaurs and their introduction points](https://promotion.ar-works.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/icatch.jpeg)
