Sodimac’s virtual reality headset is going to burry advertising posters.

In Peru, 400 billboards are spread over an eighty six km road… which represents one board every 200 metres! The “Panamerica Sur” holds the world record for the motorway the most visually polluted.

To stand out, Sodimac, an interior design brand, located in four south-American countries with one hundred and nine different stores, launched “Hijacked-Highway” in Peru. At the motorway toll, 40 000 cardboard viewers – paired to a virtual reality app were handed out. Once the viewers were assembled, passengers could see, between kilometers 11 and 97, the billboards replaced by a giant pink flamingo, a watering hose, a see-saw or even children’s toys.

Created as a virtual reality system and not augmented reality, the film brings, in a fun and playful way, the brands flagship products from the summer collection to life.  A link enables motorists to download the catalogue, look at the collection and buy articles that they are interested in online. The only downfall of the experience? In reality, the pink flamingo isn’t 10 metres tall.

In 2016, the first billboard « Estación de descanso », a drive-through hotel was created by Sodimac, aiming to reduce the number of accidents related to sleeping at the wheel. The brand tackled once again the “Panamerciana Sur” with “Hijacked Highway”.

According to Ángela Álvarez, Sodimac’s Marketing Director, this advertising campaign aims to “offer an unforgettable experience whilst promoting our products at the same time”. After watching the video, there is no doubt that this operation is a success for everyone who managed to get their hands on a cardboard viewer.

However, despite its great impact, the experience is limited to 86km of the motorway, making it almost impossible to engage customers in a regular and sustainable manner.

In order to do so, some companies have decided to implement their animation device in households, getting as close as possible to consumers every day lives. This is the case of McDonald’s in Holland or the Columbian amusement park Mundo Aventura. If McTraxs’s or Scream To Go’s experiences start at the point of sale, they mechanically continue in the consumer’s home. It’s more than likely that the owner of the “Scream Box” will show their friends when they visit. There for, word of mouth spreads and is massively relayed thanks to social media. It’s one of the factors of success of McDonald’s Musical set.

These two campaigns perfectly demonstrate the evolution of Client Relations. With the emergence of Ambient Commerce or ATAWAD, brands and stores must be part of their customer’s everyday lives. This will allow them to grow, to stick in their client’s headspace and to stay there during up-coming years.