DON’T JUST SEE IT, LIVE IT – JETWING HOTELS, POWERED BY AURASMA

“The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you don’t know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened.” – Oprah Winfrey

Remember the first advertisement you ever saw. Was it interesting? Did it captivate your imagination? However, the question remains: was there a real connection? The world we know is changing, with previously unimaginable realities now coming to life. Slowly developing over the years is the concept of augmented reality, where-in the real world is enhanced by virtual elements viewable through a camera, or smartphone. Internationally, the use of Augmented Reality in marketing exploded, with many reputed companies coming out with innovative campaigns. Examples of such campaigns include Axe/Unilever’s “Where Fallen Angels Appear”, a campaign on a large scale taking place in a London railway station, or Ray-Ban’s Virtual Mirror, where you can literally try on sunglasses before you buy them.

 Renowned for constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional hotel marketing, Jetwing Hotels unveils another first – a fully customized app using Aurasma technology to seamlessly display content and offers through a smartphone. Available for download for both iOS and Android devices, Aurasma can deliver digital content in real time and boasts over 4 million downloads and over 8000 apps. Simply put, the free app allows you “to discover, create and share amazing virtual content, integrated into the real world”.  No longer will print media be confined to a two dimensional image, as Jetwing Hotels brings an experience like no other to you, through your smartphone.

Jetwing Hotels are set to launch their Aurasma campaign, a first in Sri Lanka, as a part of the popular “Room Rush”. After the custom-built app – Play 2 Stay – has been downloaded, a simple scan of the specially designed advertisement (recognizable by the “Aurasma – A” icon) will open a spin the wheel game. The next step? Select the offer which you would like, which will vary from discounts on a night’s stay to special packages on spa treatments, as an example; enter your contact details, and it’s yours! Through the app, Jetwing Hotels hopes to introduce a novel form of interaction, as well as a platform for future promotion. Play 2 Stay can be downloaded via Google Play, iTunes; for more information visit www.jetwinghotels.com/aurasma.

Future advertising will also be Aurasma abled through the Aurasma Lite app, which is downloadable for both mobile platforms. Made possible by Super Auras, which marks the first time such technology has been used in South Asia, the Aurasma Lite app will create a multi-dimensional experience for the user. A scan of the trigger image will display a short video, relating to the advertisement itself, with no extra equipment or Internet navigation needed.

Matt Mills, Head of Global Partnerships at Aurasma said, “We are delighted to be working with Jetwing Hotels – an organisation renowned for its luxury, innovation and hospitality. The team at Jetwing immediately understood that by using our technology to deliver video through their print ads, they could take readers even closer to their dream holiday.  It’s a wonderful campaign – our first in Sri Lanka and South Asia – and we look forward to working with Jetwing to deliver many more successful campaigns.”

“The days when we relied on print advertisements, online and through email are now slowly drawing to an end, as more and more companies are pushing themselves digitally and in innovative ways. At Jetwing, we have always strived to create rather than follow, and using Aurasma technology we believe that we have once again set the standard for the industry here in Sri Lanka” said Ishanth Gunawardene, Head of Sales and Marketing for Jetwing. “Play 2 Stay represents a new dimension in our communications, and we look forward to taking it further, as we have many surprises in store” he continued.

Family owned and in the tourism industry for the past 39 years, Jetwing Hotels has surpassed expectation at every aspect.  Building on their foundation of being passionate, as well as the experience of true, traditional Sri Lankan hospitality, constantly pioneering discoveries captures the essence of the brand. Such a strong statement and direction have enabled Jetwing Hotels to imagine, create and manage marvels and masterpieces, where distinctive design and elegant comfort complement each other and the environment. Considered a priority, sustainable and responsible practice is implemented through the award winning Jetwing Eternal Earth Programme; with energy efficiency, community upliftment, and education of earth saving measures to schoolchildren being a few tenets of the Programme.

Jetwing Hotels Media Release