Blu-Ray Package Unlocks Augmented Reality Once You Know Where to Look
Some experience is required to find Star Trek’s augmented reality website: Experience the Enterprise. Buying the Blu-Ray for the HDTV in your Home Theater? Easy.
Unlocking the augmented reality experience on the BD package proved slightly elusive. The Experience the Enterprise has been upgraded since launching in May when the movie premiered. Modifications were probably completed a little before 5PM EST’s text message to view the digital download page at Paramount. However, for those that were unaware that the Star Trek BD package was AR capable, Paramount and PPC Interactive (the marketing agency working with Total Immersion on the AR project) do not make the casual web-surfing Trekkie’s job any easier.
Prior to 5PM EST, if you visited the Star Trek website, you would see no link to Experience the Enterprise website. And if you shopped for the BD, there is no indication of Augmented Reality features.
And this is in complete contrast to Paramount’s efforts in releasing both Transformers and G.I. Joe. Those films have the AR website links on the official movie pages, as well BD package clearly labeled to let consumers know about Augmented Reality partner websites.
The AR pessimist view is that Star Trek is such a strong brand it doesn’t need any gimmicks in a weak effort to add incremental sales or worse, water down the brand. The AR optimist view is that third time is the charm, AR is a check box item, and the bar has been raised to see how competing formats will combat packaged media. Happy viewing.
Experience The Enterprise – Star Trek Augmented Reality from PPC Interactive on Vimeo.
After the Transition 