Magazine Turns Up The Heat With AR Issue

LONDON, July 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading celebrity magazine, heat, has created extra virtual content for avid readers using an augmented reality app.

Heat has teamed up with Engine Creative and Aurasma, the world's leading augmented reality platform, to create the very first AR issue in time for the launch of new showbiz and music channel 'heat TV' on Tuesday, July 3rd.

To watch a video of the heat extra app in action, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1vmvrUteG0&feature=player_embedded

The collaboration has involved Engine Creative working alongside the heat editorial team to create exclusive 'augmented' content for readers to access via their smartphone or tablet devices.

The creative agency has also developed a standalone App, 'heat extra', using the Aurasma AR platform for both iOS and Android systems that readers can download for free. The App acts as the gateway to all of the exclusive content as they flick through the pages of the magazine, providing a truly interactive and engaging reading experience.

The July 3rd issue of heat magazine features a twelve page entertainment special with AR content within features including:

• An insight into the guilty pleasures of David Walliams
• Louis Walsh's top five celebrities
• An opportunity to join Leona Lewis on the farm!

The special issue will also feature an interactive AR treasure hunt giving the 325,000 readers the chance to win a range of prizes by hunting down the heat TV icon in one of the exclusive AR pages within the magazine. The game aims to generate awareness of heat TV, a new music and celebrity based cable channel to be launched on the same day and a venture that will expand the longevity and brand positioning of the Bauer Media brand.

Nicky Holt, Publisher of heat magazine, commented:
"We're extremely excited about the heat extra app and AR supplement, the project has been a true collaboration between Engine Creative, Aurasma and heat's editorial and marketing teams. Bringing the pages of the magazine to life and guided by heat's very own Lucie Cave, heat extra is a celebration of heat's unique personality and access to celebrity. heat extra, which has also been timed to coincide with the launch of heat TV on July 3 at 5pm, further amplifies the magazine's influence as a multi-platform brand, available for consumers to experience through print, online, radio and TV."

Creative Director of Engine Creative, Phil Christer, adds:
"Augmented Reality in magazines bridges the gap between online content and the printed page and is the perfect way to deliver exclusive content to heat magazine readers hungry for more gossip!

"The fact that we can accurately measure downloads, clicks and views (amongst other things) makes Aurasma an ideal platform for publishers looking to engage more effectively with their readers and add value through a range of interactive content."

Head of Sales at Aurasma, Matt Mills comments:
"We are delighted to partner with heat and Engine Creative to bring this much loved magazine to life in a completely new way. heat's readers are addicted to their celebrity gossip and to their smartphones – now thanks to the Aurasma-enabled heat extra app – they'll get the best of both worlds. This really is a partnership everybody's talking about!"

Notes to editors:

ABOUT AURASMA
Aurasma is the world's leading augmented reality platform. Available as a free app for iPhones, iPads and high-powered Android devices or as a free kernel for developers, Aurasma uses advanced image and pattern recognition to blend the real-world with rich interactive content such as videos and animations called "Auras".

Auras can be created for printed images, product packaging, clothing, physical places and users can even use the app to create and share their own. Since its launch in June 2011, Aurasma has had more than four million downloads and over 6,000 partners in markets including retail, fashion, sport, automotive, education, advertising and publishing are using the free technology in their campaigns, on their products or embedding the technology in their own applications. Aurasma was developed by and is part of software company Autonomy – an HP Company.

SOURCE Aurasma

RELATED LINKS
http://www.aurasma.com