Out the Box

Hologram shopping

Shoppers in Canada can now get tips and information on Bothwell Cheese through a hologram brought to life by AI.

Bothwell Cheese has teamed up with metaverse company Nextech AR Solutions to create an interactive experience for shoppers utilising holograms.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?

Holograms have been all the rage for decades, but other than scientific applications, they were reserved for video games and geeky hobbies.

Now, Nextech’s platform has been tied up with Bothwell Cheese to allow a QR code be placed on five of its products distributed at stores across Canada.

The platform has been designed to let brands interact with consumers on a more personal level through the use of holograms of brand ambassadors, product demonstrators, trainers, professors, chefs, mixologists, performers and more.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The hologram is triggered by a QR code placed on the product’s packaging, which – when scanned – brings up a hologram of a person who then provides information on the cheese.

“By scanning the QR code on the packaging, consumers will be introduced to Bothwell’s own chef John via a floor anchored human hologram, who will walk them through our lactose-free cheese portfolio, and explain the key benefits of our new products,” Milena Zekic, Marketing Manager at Bothwell Cheese said.

“Additionally, consumers will be prompted to download a $1 off digital coupon, that can be redeemed at any store in Canada where the product is listed, along with an option to review the recipes made with our lactose-free cheeses.”

ARE SHOPPERS KEEN?

“The global megatrend of shopping online with ecommerce is rapidly expanding towards highlighting products in AR,” says Nextech AR Chief Executive Evan Gappelberg – and he might be right in some respects.

However, this kind of tech is heavily dependent on consumers being literate in this kind of platform. It requires downloading an app, finding enough shop floor to target the hologram on and then spend some time listening to the information.