Customer stories Kuopio City Theatre
Kuopio City Theatre wanted to explore new technologies and enhance its marketing through the use of augmented reality (AR). A second objective was to improve and enrich the on-site customer experience at the theatre with the help of AR. To support this, the Teatteri Appi mobile application was developed as a technical platform, with the first stage of the pilot focusing on its marketing potential.
With augmented reality, a traditional print advertisement or image can be enriched with videos, pictures, animations, and interactive 3D content. The theatre wanted to create a new kind of advertisement, where a visually striking poster designed by photographer Antti Karppinen serves as a trigger for additional AR content. The idea was for the character in the advertisement for Äidinmaa to come to life through AR, creating an intriguing and attention-grabbing effect. A video of the character singing was chosen as the main AR element.
Through the Teatteri App, users can also view the Äidinmaa programme and other upcoming theatre productions. As a thank-you for downloading the app, users are offered a special ticket discount and can enter a raffle to win a theatre package for two to the Cabaret musical. Teatteri Appi is scalable for multiple uses, providing vast opportunities for enriching the customer experience!
While AR technology already allows for incredible features, it also comes with some limitations. Initially, the AR content for the Äidinmaa advertisement was developed using Google’s ARCore library. It worked well, but in order to ensure broader device compatibility and iOS support, the development was moved to the Vuforia library. The implementation was built using Unity, a widely used engine for AR development. Additional plugins were used to enable video recording and social media sharing.
Vuforia typically recognises images faster, but it is more sensitive to factors like lighting and the material of the printed image. In this case, device compatibility was the top priority, but AR content quality was also preserved. The main goal was to ensure smooth functionality on as many devices as possible.
The Teatteri Appi mobile application was developed to improve both the theatre experience and enhance marketing and sales. The aim is to encourage users to share their AR experiences of the Äidinmaa advertisement—or future AR productions—on social media. In the second phase of the project, more AR content will be created for the app, allowing theatre visitors to engage with interactive content throughout their customer journey.
It’s common for theatre guests to arrive well before the performance begins. This creates an opportunity to install visual displays in waiting areas that act as triggers for AR content through Teatteri Appi. The idea is to make the customer experience more engaging by offering tailored content for different age groups and visitor segments. Children could explore interactive content that matches their interests, while other visitors could access informative behind-the-scenes videos or stories about the characters and actors.
Kuopio City Theatre is committed to staying at the forefront of technology to enhance its marketing and customer experience.
Interested in bringing interactive content to your marketing? Get in touch—we’d love to talk!