AR I AD Takeover NYC - Official Release

A little over a week ago PublicAdCampaign and The Heavy Projects tested an augmented reality advertising takeover project in Times Square. By using the actual advertisements as triggers, we were able to virtually reclaim complete ad campaigns and digitally hijack advertisements all over the city. What is most exciting to me is that because the augmentation happens using an actual physical trigger, the overlaid image is able to track in real time and retain perspectival relationships. This makes the overlay seem like it is truly there as it moves to accommodate your viewing angle. While semi-akward to view through a smart device held in ones hand, imagery overlaid using sunglasses with display capabilities would seamlessly integrate your digital and real life, allowing for the tactical omission of unwanted messages. (I know this all sounds a bit crazy but buckle up cause its coming whether you like it or not) The potential for this test program is profound and I dare say a step in the right direction to removing all outdoor advertising from public space and democratizing public dialogue once and for all. While the hurdles are still great, the future looks interesting and we are excited to be on the cutting edge of new possibilities. You can download the full press release [Here] or read it below.

While other media outlets such as television and the Internet have founds ways to provide users with the ability to filter their informational intake, public space remains the elusive frontier in which commercial interests govern the discourse.
In an effort to highlight the individual's lack of autonomy in this arena, Public Ad Campaign (NYC) in collaboration with The Heavy Projects (LA) have begun to explore the potential of augmented reality to reappropriate outdoor commercial signage in order transform, filter, and democratize the messaging in public space. Using the Junaio AR platform, the AR | AD Takeover channel has reappropriated five outdoor advertising campaigns by turning them into augmented reality markers. Specifically, the channel uses five ads in New York City's Times Square as triggers for a curated street art show that includes works by Ron English, OX, PosterBoy, John Fekner, and Dr. D.

As an alternate vision, we imagine a city landscape where instead of commercial billboards, a digitally open environment where individuals can determine their own visual dialogue through the participation in and subscription to augmented reality able to reflect our nuanced private interests. No longer is there a consumptive monologue, but rather options in a filterable and user-defined space where private interests are no longer subordinate to commercial ends.

For related and inspirational projects check out the Artvertiser and Add-Art

Well That Went Viral Before I had A Chance To….

Photo by Will Sherman of CityPhile

As you may or may not know, PublicAdCampaign and The Heavy Projects tested a new platform this weekend that uses Augmented Reality to virtually replace outdoor advertising with the artworks of some of my favorite physical outdoor advertising takeover artists, including Ron English, PosterBoy, John Fekner, OX, and Dr. D. A few bloggers were on hand to capture the magic and before we could compile an extensive video walkthrough of the project in action, things went viral, even being picked up by AdWeek. I will be posting a much more intense video in the next week or so showing the technology at work and in particular its ability to track the object in real time and correct for perspectival shifts which make the "takeover" feel almost real.

While this was a beta test of what is to be a much larger ongoing project that aims to eradicate outdoor advertising from your public space interaction, the program is live and running for anyone to view. You can do so by going to your app store or market on your iOS or Android device and searching Junaio. Download this program and search AR AD TAKEOVER. once the program loads you can hold your device up to any of the following advertisements to view their virtual replacement. That said, do it quick as the ads we have chosen will come down in the next week or so. One of our hurdles will be figuring out how to feed this project current ads as the content changes so you never have to look at an ad in public space again!

AR AD TAKEOVER Triggers:

Horrible Bosses - Horizontal phonebooth advertisement
30 Minutes or Less - Horizontal phonebooth advertisementCrazy Stupid Love - Horizontal phonebooth advertisementCrazy Stupid Love - Horizontal subway entrance advertisementHarry Potter - Horizontal phonebooth advertisementAliens and Cowboys - Billboard at 42nd street and 7th avenue SWC

Augmented Reality Advertising Takeover in Times Square from Will Sherman on Vimeo.