Ritz-Carlton, Sayidaty partner with Blippar

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Sayidaty, one of the region’s major Pan Arab female weekly magazines, have announced a new partnership with Blippar, a leader in image-recognition and augmented reality. This partnership was created by the hotelier’s media agency, MEC.
In a first for the MENA region, the Ritz-Carlton and Sayidaty are using Blippar technology to bring physical magazines to life in a three dimensional digital experience launched from the printed page.
The technology enables smart phone and tablet users to unlock digital content experiences on screen and engage with the Ritz-Carlton through an augmented reality experience initiated by Ritz-Carlton print ads.
The Blippar trigger image sits within a six-page article in Sayidaty (issue released Nov. 16), as well as the iPad edition. The article showcases the Ritz-Carlton’s “Let Us Stay With You” campaign, which focuses on the memories that the Ritz-Carlton creates for their guests and that remain with them long after their stay.
Sayidaty captures some of these “wow” moments from different locations around the world, allowing the consumer to experience each location in a new exciting way through the magazine and learn about the different experiences they can have traveling the world at Ritz-Carlton hotels.
Clayton Ruebensaal, vice president marketing at the Ritz-Carlton, said: “The GCC is one of the most competitive and cluttered markets in the world; doing something that stands out is no easy task here. This opportunity with Blippar allowed us to build something experimental that will engage the audience in a way no other brand has done. And it’s not just innovation for innovation’s sake, it’s a clever way to take a magazine reader seamlessly into the Ritz-Carlton’s digital experience where they can learn more about the unique experiences we offer.”
Susannah Llewellyn, international and new business director of MEC MENA, said: “MEC and the Ritz-Carlton, along with media partners like Sayidaty and Blippar, are evolving the region’s technological capabilities and pushing the boundaries to develop more integrated and innovative media campaigns. We’re looking forward to seeing how consumers interact with the brand.”
To view the Ritz-Carlton Blipp, readers of the magazine simply download the free Blippar app on their tablet or mobile device (available across iPhone/Android/Windows Phone/BlackBerry), launch the app and hold their phone directly over the trigger image in the advertorial. Digital content is then displayed. The content gives users the chance to quickly compare and explore key features of the Ritz-Carlton hotels across the globe. They are able to click on each hotel’s photo gallery, view maps to easily locate each hotel, and make a reservation at the hotel of their choice.
Six of the leading hotels are featured — The Ritz-Carlton, Tyson’s Corner; The Ritz-Carlton, Washington DC; The Reserve, Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico; The Ritz-Carlton, Laguana Niguel; Hotel Arts Barcelona; The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfzburg, Germany and The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna.