Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT – Abu Dhabi) has been awarded a Guinness World Record for the largest augmented reality screen, it was announced on Sunday.
The latest marketing campaign utilised a 40-foot digital billboard – Piccadilly Lights – in London to showcase Abu Dhabi landmarks.
“The world-record-breaking augmented-reality experience took over Piccadilly Lights for two weeks, showcasing the UAE capital’s most famous landmarks in a pioneering way,” said Ali Al Shaiba, acting executive director of tourism and marketing at DCT – Abu Dhabi.
“When conceptualising the campaign, we knew we wanted to do more than just bring Abu Dhabi’s famous sights to life at one of London’s most iconic landmarks,” he added. “We also wanted to capitalise on the scale of the experience by breaking a GWR title for the world’s largest augmented reality screen.”
The augmented reality screen also allowed passers-by to play a starring role in the experience after being captured by an on-site audience camera that “transported” them to Abu Dhabi attractions.
The awe-inspiring interactive activation played at 10 minutes to the hour, every hour, for two weeks through to December 8. People also had a chance to win a trip to Abu Dhabi.
The winter timing of the campaign was a “strategic move”, with the screen incorporating a weather overlay that triggers weather-specific messages.
“At this time of year, it is traditionally cold in London, while in Abu Dhabi the weather is wonderfully temperate,” Al Shaiba said. “With this campaign, we wanted to encourage people to swap rainy, windy days for fun in sunny Abu Dhabi.”
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