Honda has created a ground-breaking advertising campaign by introducing, for the first time ever, an App with the functionality to enable users to ‘play’ with a TV commercial using a cellphone in real time.
Created to celebrate the launch of the new Honda Jazz in Europe, the App uses technology to allow viewers with an iPhone to ‘catch’ animated characters as they appear on screen in Honda’s ‘This Unpredictable Life’ commercial.
It’s the first time the screen-hopping technology has been used with a commercial, which debuts on 1 February. The TV spot will also be broadcast from Honda’s YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/HondaVideo
The free-to-download iPhone App (called ‘Honda Jazz – This Unpredictable Life’, available from The iTunes Store) gives viewers the chance to actively collect up to seven characters and objects that feature in the commercial. They will seemingly ‘hop’ from TV screen, computer or another iPhone onto the user’s device.
Users can then interact with each of the stars of the film, for example, a toy space monkey can be made to dance by singing into your phone. To watch the film and also see a demo of how the App works, visit: http://www.youtube.com/HondaVideo
The commercial follows a character as he floats through life, collecting experiences and possessions. The story culminates in a Honda Jazz appearing to mold it’s way around the characters, demonstrating the car’s ability to handle all life has to throw at the modern family. How does the App work? The ‘Screen Hopping’ experience uses advanced audio recognition technology to sync the app with the commercial’s soundtrack, allowing the user to interact with what’s happening in real time.
This is the first app that allows characters from a commercial to transfer across to another device for them to be interacted with. Previous attempts in this field have used Augmented Reality markers and QR codes, both of which demand a high degree of involvement from the user. This app, however, is constantly "listening" to the commercial, thus giving the user a more interactive and ‘magical’ experience.
The app has been designed to be able to work with the commercial playing back on any device, including a PC or even a second iPhone with the app installed.
Viewers with fast reactions and a sharp eye will be able to ‘catch’ and play with up to four characters from the commercial, each one with its own fun and engaging attributes, including: An evolving pet with a beautiful trail; shake your phone to choose the Rabbit, Cat or Parrot A playful Puppy that chases its own tail in different directions when you tickle his nose or tail A Space Monkey that pulls some crazy dance moves when you sing or play music into the phones microphone A Baby Balloon Head that lights up like a hot air balloon inflating when you blow into the bottom of the phone Additionally, there are three mystery objects to be caught in the Vortex scene: A Lucky Cat that swings its arm for good luck when you tap it A Drum Kit that plays when you bang it A Monkey with symbols that crash when you tap it