Interviews | February 07, 2023
WisckAR Brings Augmented Reality to the Marketing Experience
By Rachel Schollmeier
WisckAR creator Dean Hunt (left) was looking for a change of pace from being creative director at a Fortune 500 Company, and he found it with a bottle of wine.
When Hunt came across the 19 Crimes wine label, his creative wheels started spinning. Using augmented reality (AR), a quick camera scan brings the label to life. Users watch as the infamous convicts featured on the bottles speak about their own history. To Hunt, the opportunities for AR as a storytelling tool seemed limitless. With this spark of inspiration and an entrepreneurial drive, he decided to pave his own path in the AR realm.
The Grand Plan
In 2018, Hunt attended a panel discussion on the applications of AR in print and envisioned how this could bridge the gap between print and digital. He set out to create a tool that would make AR easy and affordable for all ranges of businesses within the industry.
“There were many larger format printers that were wondering if there was a universal tool,” Hunt says. “And so it immediately solidified my reasoning for wanting to do this.”
He pictured a platform where the user would simply take or choose a photo, pair a video or file to go with it and hit upload. When anyone else with the app scanned the image, the video would instantly appear — quick, easy and accessible. The swift movement of a whisk came to mind, and he landed on the name WisckAR, with the tagline “Print + Digital = WisckAR.”
“There are a lot of toolbox apps out there, where it might take you a few months to actually create an AR moment,” he shares, “but [my goal was] to make it super easy, where you can just upload a target image, upload a video and then within a minute or two you'll have your moment where you can actually scan whatever that target image is and it'll play that video right through it.”
Preserving Moments
It took a few years of careful planning and development before WisckAR would come to fruition. But in 2021, Hunt was ready to put things into action. His first demo created and preserved an especially magical moment. Hunt recorded a video message of his daughters for their grandmothers, and then took photos of the girls in the same setting. “And they're waving, saying, ‘Hi, Grandma, we miss you!’” Hunt recalls.
A printed photo was laid in front of both grandmothers, and with the use of the app, the image instantly turned to video. Both women, having experienced something entirely new and close to their hearts, started crying. “If you can provoke emotion like that, there's something to it,” Hunt says. “That's why I was so focused on it being an actual video that captured the moment. I'm more focused on real world situations.”
Breaking Into the Sporting and Entertainment Industries
Hunt knew he had something special in his hands, and the app was officially launched in April of 2021. People immediately took notice, especially in the sporting and entertainment industries — notably, DJ SpadeMuzik, who works with rap musician Drake. When Hunt posted a couple of demos for the app on his Instagram, DJ SpadeMuzik and his manager reached out, saying they’d like to use it as a promotional tool for a VIP t-shirt. They imagined a promotional video playing over the SpadeMuzik logo imprint, and Hunt worked with them to bring it together.
“That was the first kind of ‘wow’ moment,” Hunt says.
Since its launch, music fans haven’t been the only WisckAR users diving into immersive AR experiences. In the sporting industry, the app has made a literal mark. When The Money Team Racing, a NASCAR team, wanted AR experiences for their print collateral, Hunt was happy to provide it. “They actually put the WisckAR logo on their car. To see the logo on the actual NASCAR car is pretty cool,” Hunt says.
Looking Into the Future
WisckAR’s is moving ahead in the space with other exciting opportunities featuring its technology. The company recently signed on with a zoo that plans to use the app throughout their grounds. Using the app, information about their conservation efforts will be shared in video format to create more immersive and accessible learning opportunities.
“People will just scan the signs, and then there will be a video that will explain some of their conservation efforts,” Hunt explains. “They’re developing it in a way that there's a scavenger hunt aspect to it also. And then if animals just aren't out, there's now a way that people can see the animal [through the app].” As over six hundred thousand people go through the zoo a year, he hopes they might see the value of the app right away.
Whether by creating precious family moments or exploring new marketing endeavors, AR is transforming the way we interact with the world, and Hunt is ahead of the curve.
“WisckAR extends print through the power of AR. I view it as the next stage for marketing,” Hunt says. “It's another way to advertise to potential customers and clients. And it's a kind of a new venture. So if you’re one of the first in your field to start doing it, then you’re definitely setting yourself apart from others in your business.”
Joining Brand Chain
When Hunt heard about Brand Chain through a friend, he learned the community was looking to involve more tech companies and was excited at the prospect of widening the representation of the companies that help brands.
“Everything's been great thus far. I really hope to make relationships and partnerships that can last a really long time. That’s my goal, to be a part of this community and actually be helpful to other businesses too.”
Go Beyond at the 2023 Leadership Summit
Looking for more great insights on print, promo, branding and everything in between? Join us at the Brand Chain Leadership Summit, March 6-8 in Scottsdale, Arizona, for open-ended conversations, actionable learning, and time spent recharging.
Register today to expand your network and learn new ways to grow your business.
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Technology Member Spotlight Interview