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To enhance my scene, I created a plane with the help of the already existing floor model. I scaled the plane down so that it was fitting the middle of the room. I placed some plant models in my blender file. The plant files I got from GScatter.

Once I placed all my plant models in my blender file I added them all to one collection. With the Geometry Node Editor I created a new geometry node setup by first selecting the plane.

I added an Instance of Points and placed it between the Group Input and Output, I also added Join Geometry node to reconnect the original plane. Then I added a Collection Info node (where I selected the plant collection) which I connected to the Instance on Points node. There I adjusted the scale of the plants to fit the scene. With adding a Distribute points on Faces node I spread the plants randomly across the plane. With using Poison Disk I prevented the overlaping of plants. With adding Random Value node I assigned the randomising of the plant scales and rotations, to create a more natural look, and with using the Combine XYZ node I ensured that the plants rotate only on the Z axis.

With these steps, I created a dynamic and visually appealing arrangement of plants in my Project. These will help enrich the overall aesthetic and bring a touch of nature into the scene.

The next step was to craft a smooth concrete texture for my object in Blender.

I started by using the noise texture and object coordinates to start with the main texture of the concrete. By adjusting the scale, detail, and dimension of the noise texture, I achieved the desired foundational look.

To add more variety and detail, I introduced a voronoi texture. Mixing this with the noise texture through a Mix RGB node created a more complex and varied concrete surface.

Utilizing color ramps, I adjusted and refined the colors of the concrete material. This allowed me to craft an abstract look, adding a shade of pink to the overall appearance.

Imperfections and cracks were essential for realism. I used distorted voronoi textures, along with rolor ramps and mix RGB nodes, to simulate these features effectively.

The roughness of the material was managed by linking a color ramp to the roughness input of the shader. This setup provided precise control over the material’s shininess, enabling fine-tuning to achieve the perfect roughness level.

To enhance the depth and tactile quality of the concrete, I added bump nodes. By blending musgrave, noise, and voronoi textures, I simulated the appearance of bumps, imperfections, and small rocks embedded within the concrete.

Through these steps, I created a concrete material that I used for the project.

For the mirrors and the pedestal I created a basic mirror texture.

After the first sketches, I started modeling in blender. First, I created an object with the help of a cylinder, in which I cut a hole using the „boolean“ function. I also cut holes for the windows and mirrors using the boolean function. I made a “window” at the top of the object through which the light will pass.

I added a wall on the outside of the building. I filled every other window in the building with planes that will serve as mirrors. On the front side, I made stairs that lead to the sky.

Next I added a cylinder to the middle of the object, from which I made platform for the figure. This central element ties the whole model together and provides a centerpiece within this abstract environment.

The functions I used most often in modeling were boolean, array, and subdivision surface. I used these tools to shape and add details to the model, which brought my initial sketches to life.

For this year’s project, I wanted to make a 3D object/environment with plants. First, I started by looking for inspiration and making a moodboard, which I created with the help of Pinterest. There I looked for pictures that I thought were suitable for my project.

After the created moodboard, I started with the first sketches. I wanted to create a model of a “building” which has a platform in the middle on which a figure is floating. The platform should be surrounded by plants. Likewise, the 3D model would also be an animation, in which the figure moves and has a 24-hour cycle from sunrise to sunset.

The model should be abstract, it would contain a mirror to give the room more dimensions, and „windows“ that select a view into the unknown. For the project, I wanted to play with different textures and light. The project should also be suitable for showing on stage and serve as a background for DJs.

Besides the game idea I introduced in my last blog post (an adaptation of the card game „Game of Pure Strategy“), I have also developed another game idea.
This is an adaptation of the classic board game „Mensch ärgere dich nicht.“

Customizations

„Event-Cards“: These special fields and their corresponding event cards are themed around sustainability. Through various events and questions, children learn more about environmental awareness and sustainable decisions.

„Environment Points“: Collecting environmental points encourages the understanding that sustainable actions are rewarded and important for overall victory.

Learning Effects

• Through Event-Cards und Question-Cards children learn which actions are sustainable and how they can act more environmentally friendly in everyday life.
• „Entscheidungskarten“ encourage children to choose between different options and understand the consequences of their decisions.
• „Gute Nachrichten“-/“Schlechte Nachrichten“-cards shall teach, just by the nature of what it says in their text, how a specific action is categorized as being sustainable or not being sustainable
• The game promotes strategic thinking, as players must plan their moves with different game figures to get event cards.

Set of rules

Objective

The goal of the game is to get all your pieces to the finish line and collect at least 5 environmental points. If a player has all their pieces at the finish line but doesn’t have enough environmental points, they must stay in the game and play additional rounds until they reach the required number of environmental points.

Game Materials

• Game board
• Game pieces (4 per player)
• Dice
• 85 event cards
• 50 environmental points

Start

• All pieces start in the „Home“ zone.
• The youngest player starts the game.
• Each player may roll the dice three times to get a 6 and place a piece on the starting space. If a player rolls a 6, they get an additional turn.

Rolling and Moving

• Players take turns rolling the dice and moving their pieces according to the number rolled.
• If a piece lands on an „Ereignisfeld“, the player draws an event card.
  

Event Cards

• Question Cards: These cards ask questions about sustainability. If the player answers the question correctly, they may then move forward two spaces. If the answer is incorrect, they must wait, and the next player takes their turn.
• Decision Cards: The player must choose between two options. The chosen option determines if the player receives a bonus.
• Good News/Bad News Cards: The player gets rewarded or penalized for the action that is stated on the card.
• Environmental Points: These points can be collected through event cards.

The game offers an exciting and educational twist on the classic game „Mensch ärgere dich nicht.“ Through the game, children learn the importance of sustainable actions and how small changes in everyday life can make a big difference. This game combines fun with education and is a great way to promote sustainable behavior.

Game Board & back of the Event-Cards

Examples for the Event-Cards

Environment Points

Recent advancements in digital technology have positioned Augmented Reality as a pivotal tool in transforming traditional packaging into immersive customer experiences. This post explores the integration of AR in packaging and its implications for consumer engagement, sustainability, and brand differentiation.

Redefining Consumer Expectations

Contemporary consumer behavior, especially among Gen Z, emphasizes the importance of authenticity, sustainability, and unique experiences. The unboxing experience has evolved into a critical touchpoint that reflects the brand’s ethos and product identity. AR packaging directly addresses these consumer demands by offering an engaging, interactive dimension to the product experience.

AR Packaging: Concept and Implementation

AR packaging leverages digital features to augment physical products, employing target tracking to trigger interactive elements such as 3D animations, gamified content, and detailed product information via mobile devices. This integration enhances the consumer journey, extending interaction time and deepening brand engagement.

Advantages of AR Packaging

Enhanced Engagement

AR packaging significantly boosts user-generated content (UGC), which is a critical component of modern marketing strategies. Research indicates that interactive AR experiences increase consumer engagement and sharing on social media platforms, thereby enhancing brand visibility and loyalty .

Sustainability

AR packaging aligns with the increasing consumer demand for sustainable practices. By minimizing the need for additional printed materials, such as instruction manuals, AR contributes to waste reduction. This approach is particularly resonant with Gen Z, who prioritize eco-friendly brands .

Unique Consumer Experiences

In a competitive market, AR packaging provides a distinct competitive advantage. Brands like Dior and Cornetto have successfully employed AR to create visually compelling and memorable consumer interactions, enhancing brand recall and customer satisfaction.

Accessibility and Scalability

The accessibility of AR experiences through mobile devices facilitates global reach and scalability. This democratization of interactive advertising allows consumers worldwide to engage with AR-enhanced products, fostering a sense of global community and shared experience.

Versatility Across Industries

AR packaging is versatile and adaptable across various industries, including retail, cosmetics, and food and beverages. This adaptability allows brands to customize AR features to their specific needs, creating tailored consumer experiences that reflect their unique brand identity.

Implementing AR in Packaging

Brands employ several AR features to enhance their packaging:

Aesthetic Enhancement

Luxury brands like Dior utilize AR to animate their packaging, creating an elevated aesthetic experience that captivates consumers and reinforces brand prestige.

Gamification

Interactive games incorporated into packaging, such as Pringles‘ mini-games, engage consumers in playful and challenging activities, extending the interaction with the product.

Informative Content

Brands like Mac Cosmetics and Lemme use AR to provide in-depth product information, enabling consumers to make informed purchasing decisions and fostering a deeper understanding of the product’s benefits.

The Future

The future of AR packaging is promising, driven by the growing consumer demand for personalized and immersive experiences. Market research predicts significant growth in AR applications, fueled by innovative collaborations between brands, artists, and developers. The convergence of AR with Artificial Intelligence (AI) is anticipated to further enhance the sophistication and interactivity of packaging solutions.

AR packaging represents a paradigm shift in consumer-brand interactions. By merging digital and physical elements, AR creates enriched, engaging customer experiences that meet the evolving expectations of today’s consumers. As more brands adopt this technology, AR packaging is set to become a standard, setting new benchmarks for consumer engagement and brand loyalty.

Augmented Reality (AR) has become a powerful tool for brands looking to engage customers in innovative and immersive ways. However, the challenge lies in convincing customers to not only download but also actively use these AR apps. Some leading brands have cracked the code, creating successful AR campaigns that have captivated their audiences. Here’s a look at how these brands managed to persuade customers to embrace their AR apps.

1. IKEA: Transforming Furniture Shopping
   The Campaign: IKEA Place

IKEA has long been a pioneer in adopting new technologies to enhance the customer experience. With IKEA Place, the brand launched an AR app that allows customers to visualize how furniture will look and fit in their own homes.

Key Strategies:

Practical Utility: IKEA Place provides a clear, practical benefit by solving a common problem for furniture shoppers—imagining how a piece will look in their space.
Ease of Use: The app is user-friendly, with a straightforward interface that makes it easy for customers to place and view furniture in 3D. High-Quality
Visuals: IKEA ensured that the AR renderings were realistic and high-quality, making the experience as close to reality as possible.

2. Sephora: Revolutionizing Beauty Retail
   The Campaign: Sephora Virtual Artist

Sephora’s Virtual Artist AR app allows customers to try on makeup virtually, offering a fun and interactive way to test products without physically applying them.

Key Strategies:

Personalization: The app uses facial recognition technology to provide highly personalized experiences, adapting to each user’s unique features.
Social Integration: Sephora integrated social sharing features, allowing users to share their virtual makeovers with friends, which helped spread the word and increase engagement.
Educational Content: The app also offers tutorials and product recommendations, enhancing its value beyond just virtual try-ons.

3. Nike: Enhancing the Sneaker Shopping Experience
   The Campaign: Nike Fit

Nike Fit is an AR app designed to help customers find the perfect shoe size by scanning their feet and providing personalized size recommendations.

Key Strategies:

Solving a Pain Point: Nike Fit addresses a significant issue for online shoe shoppers—ensuring they order the correct size. This practical benefit strongly motivated users to try the app.
Seamless Integration: Nike Fit is integrated into the Nike app, providing a seamless experience for users without requiring them to download an additional app.
Data-Driven Accuracy: By leveraging data and machine learning, Nike Fit provides highly accurate recommendations, boosting customer trust in the technology.

4. L’Oréal: Innovating Beauty with Technology
   The Campaign: L’Oréal’s Makeup Genius

L’Oréal’s Makeup Genius app uses AR to allow users to virtually try on makeup products, transforming their smartphones into virtual mirrors.

Key Strategies:

Realistic Simulations: The app uses advanced AR technology to provide realistic and instantaneous virtual try-ons, making the experience credible and engaging.
Wide Range of Products: Makeup Genius offers a vast selection of L’Oréal products, encouraging users to experiment with different looks and find their perfect match.
Interactive Features: The app includes interactive features such as tutorials and the ability to purchase products directly, streamlining the user journey from trial to purchase.

5. Pepsi: Creating Memorable Experiences
   The Campaign: Pepsi Max Bus Shelter

Pepsi created an unforgettable AR experience with its Pepsi Max bus shelter campaign, where it transformed a regular bus stop into a window to unexpected scenarios like UFO invasions and tiger escapes.

Key Strategies:

Surprise and Delight: By placing AR experiences in unexpected locations, Pepsi created moments of surprise and delight, which were highly engaging and memorable.
Viral Potential: The uniqueness of the experience encouraged people to share it on social media, amplifying its reach organically.
Brand Reinforcement: The campaign cleverly tied back to Pepsi’s brand image of being bold and innovative, reinforcing its identity in the minds of consumers.

6. Lego: Bringing Toys to Life
   The Campaign: Lego AR Playgrounds

Lego’s AR Playgrounds app lets children bring their physical Lego sets to life with interactive animations and games.

Key Strategies:

Enhancing Product Interaction: The app adds a digital layer to the physical play experience, making Lego sets more engaging and interactive.
Educational Value: Lego incorporated educational elements into the app, promoting creativity and problem-solving skills.
Parental Appeal: By combining fun with learning, Lego appealed to both children and their parents, encouraging downloads and use.

The success of these brands in convincing customers to use their AR apps lies in their ability to create meaningful, practical, and engaging experiences. By addressing real customer needs, integrating seamlessly with existing platforms, and providing high-quality, interactive content, these brands have set the standard for effective AR campaigns. As AR technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative applications that capture the imagination and loyalty of consumers.

Augmented Reality (AR) has swiftly moved from the realm of science fiction into practical application, revolutionizing various industries along the way. Among its most impactful areas are design and marketing, where AR provides innovative ways to engage customers and enhance creative processes. However, like any technology, AR comes with its own set of advantages and challenges. In this blog post, we will explore the pros and cons of using AR in design and marketing scenarios.

The Pros of AR in Design and Marketing

Enhanced Customer Engagement:

AR creates immersive experiences that capture the attention of customers more effectively than traditional media. Interactive AR content can significantly increase customer engagement, leading to higher retention rates and stronger brand loyalty.

Improved Visualization:

In design, AR allows clients to visualize products in their real environment. For example, furniture companies like IKEA use AR apps to let customers see how a piece of furniture will look in their home, ensuring better decision-making and reducing return rates.

Innovative Marketing Campaigns:

AR enables brands to develop unique and memorable marketing campaigns. From interactive advertisements to AR games, brands can create experiences that not only promote products but also entertain and engage audiences in a novel way.

Enhanced Product Experience:

AR can offer detailed product information in an engaging format. For instance, scanning a product’s AR-enabled packaging might show detailed features, user reviews, or a demonstration of its use, enhancing the overall product experience.

Personalization:

AR can help in creating personalized customer experiences. By using AR, companies can tailor their marketing messages and product recommendations based on the user’s preferences and behavior, leading to higher conversion rates.

Competitive Advantage:

Companies that adopt AR early can gain a significant competitive advantage. Being seen as an innovator can help attract tech-savvy customers and position the brand as a leader in its industry.

The Cons of AR in Design and Marketing

High Development Costs:

Creating high-quality AR experiences requires significant investment in terms of both time and money. The cost of developing AR applications, hiring skilled professionals, and maintaining the technology can be prohibitive for smaller companies.

Technical Limitations:

While AR technology is advancing rapidly, it still has limitations. For instance, the quality of the AR experience can be affected by the hardware capabilities of the user’s device, such as the camera and processing power.

User Adoption:

Not all consumers are comfortable with or have access to AR technology. This can limit the reach of AR-based campaigns, especially among older demographics or those who are not tech-savvy.

Privacy Concerns:

AR applications often require access to personal data and real-time location information, raising concerns about user privacy and data security. Companies must navigate these concerns carefully to maintain consumer trust.

Implementation Challenges:

Integrating AR into existing marketing strategies and design processes can be complex. It requires thorough planning and coordination across different teams, which can be a daunting task for many organizations.

Rapidly Changing Technology:

The pace at which AR technology is evolving can make it challenging for companies to keep up. Investments in AR today might need significant updates or even become obsolete in a few years, posing a risk for long-term planning.

Augmented Reality holds tremendous potential for transforming design and marketing by creating more engaging, personalized, and effective experiences. However, it also brings challenges that need to be addressed, from high development costs to privacy concerns. As AR technology continues to evolve, its role in design and marketing will likely expand, offering new opportunities and requiring ongoing adaptation.