Augmented Reality Experience for LEGO

University AR Marketing project.

Welcome to my project for my marketing course for LEGO! This innovative experience is designed to bring LEGO's world of creativity and imagination to life in an entirely new way. By combining the magic of augmented reality (AR) with the iconic LEGO brand, this project turns the city of Toronto into a dynamic playground, where users embark on an exciting journey to collect LEGO pieces, engage in interactive challenges, and build virtual LEGO sets at geo-located spots around the city

About

What is Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (AR) is an interactive experience that combines the physical world with computer-generated elements. Unlike Virtual Reality (VR), which immerses users entirely in a virtual world, AR enhances our real-world environment by overlaying digital content onto it. This means that users can see and interact with virtual elements while still being aware of and engaged with the real world around them

The Concept Behind the AR Experience

The goal of this project is to use Augmented Reality (AR) to transform the city of Toronto into a dynamic playground for LEGO fans of all ages. This immersive experience invites users to explore the city, discovering LEGO pieces scattered across various geo-located spots, engaging in challenges, and building virtual LEGO sets. The experience is designed to connect LEGO fans not only with the brand but also with each other, fostering a sense of community through interactive play.

Drawing inspiration from the LEGO movies, where characters unite in the face of challenges, the AR experience encourages users to battle and collaborate to collect LEGO pieces. Just as in the movies, where teamwork and resilience are key, users will embark on an adventure filled with tasks, side quests, and challenges. These include solving puzzles, battling iconic characters, and encountering random pop-up events along the way.

Each element of this AR experience was carefully designed with the concept of immersion in mind. By blending physical activity with creativity, the experience allows users to actively participate while having fun. It’s not just about collecting LEGO pieces—it’s about an engaging, rewarding journey that brings the magic of LEGO to life in the real world.

Business Goals

This AR experience is designed to meet several business objectives for LEGO

Boost Customer Interaction: By providing a hands-on, immersive experience, LEGO can engage consumers in exciting ways, encouraging participation and brand interaction.

Build a Strong LEGO Community: Through features like social sharing and collaborative building projects, users can connect with other LEGO enthusiasts, building a global sense of community.

Promote New LEGO Sets: The AR experience provides an engaging platform to introduce new LEGO sets, allowing users to interact with and explore the products before purchase.

Enhance In-Store and Online Shopping: Using AR, customers can visualize LEGO sets in their own environment, making the shopping process more interactive and personalized.

Increase Online Sales: With its interactive nature and ability to drive excitement around new products, this AR experience is designed to lead to higher online conversions and increased sales.

AR Features & Engagement Goals

Creating a LEGO Community: Users can work together to complete large LEGO builds, share their progress, and compete for rewards. This fosters a sense of community that extends beyond the individual experience.

Accessibility for All: The AR experience is designed to be inclusive, offering virtual rewards and experiences for users who may not have physical LEGO sets. It’s a way to make LEGO more accessible to everyone, regardless of location or financial means.

Social Sharing: Users can capture their creations and share them on social media, further promoting engagement and community participation.

One of the core strengths of this AR experience is its ability to engage users through both creative and social elements:

Spatial AR Framework

In this AR experience, we use dots and stars to create a dynamic, interactive environment:

Dots represent geo-located points throughout the city where users can find LEGO pieces, participate in activities, and complete challenges. These are specific locations, such as iconic landmarks or hidden spots in Toronto, where players can physically go and interact with the AR elements.
Stars, on the other hand, are special events or challenges that appear randomly or can be triggered by the user’s progress. These may include random pop-up events, puzzles, or battles with iconic LEGO characters, providing exciting, unpredictable experiences. Stars create surprise and encourage users to engage in various types of activities beyond just exploring physical locations.

By combining both dots (physical, location-based activities) and stars (virtual, random or challenge-based events), the experience offers a mix of exploration, creativity, and surprise, making every part of the journey exciting and immersive

Main Task

Users find Lego bricks around the city or interact with stars to gain Lego bricks. They would then bring these bricks back and insert them into the Lego set in order complete it. They can then add this set into their display collection once completed.

Key features of the AR Experience

The AR experience is built around engaging features that offer fun and interaction:

Boss Battles: Users can engage in turn-based battles with iconic LEGO characters like Lord Business, collecting rewards and points for victories.
Mini-LEGO Sets: Users can complete smaller-scale LEGO builds throughout the city, which will contribute to their overall progress and unlock exclusive rewards.
Photo Ops: Users can capture moments with virtual LEGO characters, sharing these images on social media to promote the experience and foster interaction.
Puzzles and Challenges: A variety of puzzles encourage users to solve problems in order to earn additional LEGO pieces and progress through the game.

Why AR is the Future of Marketing

AR is revolutionizing marketing by offering immersive, interactive experiences that allow brands to connect with their audiences in innovative ways. By creating fun and engaging experiences, AR captures attention and encourages active participation, leaving lasting impressions. It also offers personalized experiences, allowing customers to visualize and customize products in real time, which enhances brand loyalty. AR bridges the gap between online and offline shopping, providing seamless experiences like trying on clothes virtually or visualizing products in real-life settings. Beyond engagement, AR helps foster emotional connections with consumers, building trust and advocacy for the brand. Additionally, AR has been shown to increase consumer confidence, driving sales and conversions. As AR technology advances, it will continue to offer endless opportunities for brands to engage with their audiences in exciting and innovative ways.-

My
Final Thoughts

Working on this project with my team has been an incredible journey. Given that universities offering AR marketing courses are rare, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in spatial AR marketing. This AR experience for LEGO has provided a unique opportunity to blend the physical and digital worlds, creating an engaging and interactive adventure for users of all ages. By incorporating elements like geo-located LEGO hunts, mini-LEGO builds, and exciting boss battles, we’ve designed a comprehensive AR experience that not only showcases the fun and creativity of LEGO but also strengthens the connection between the brand and its community.

Looking ahead, this AR project exemplifies how emerging technologies can transform marketing strategies and elevate brand experiences. As AR continues to evolve, it holds the potential to revolutionize the way brands interact with their audiences, offering endless possibilities for innovation and engagement. I’m excited to see how this technology will continue to evolve, providing brands like LEGO with new ways to engage, entertain, and inspire consumers in dynamic and meaningful ways.