Aardman is rolling out interactive, augmented reality trails this summer featuring popular family IP Shaun the Sheep and new kids’ favourite, Lloyd of the Flies to attractions across the UK and Australasia.
The studio launched its first interactive trail featuring Shaun the Sheep – the Hide & Sheep AR trail – at 15 visitor attractions worldwide to date.
Following on from this, Aardman is launching a new experience this summer, Shaun the Sheep: Fun with the Flock. Developed entirely in-house by Aardman’s interactive team, the apps allow partner venues and attractions to host their very own Shaun the Sheep themed augmented trails, attracting visitors to their venues and inspiring families and children to explore the location with their favourite characters.
The AR apps are free to download on iOS and Android.
Partner venues receive a unique download code which enables them to personalise the app with bespoke marketing and messaging, while the app generates photos and videos for visitors to share with their friends and family which include their logo. Venues also receive personalised download data which tracks visitor engagement with the trail.
The Shaun the Sheep trails are available at venues across the UK including Hide & Sheep licensed across P&O Cruises’ family friendly fleet, the five RHS Gardens and the Bluebell Railway in Sussex. Fun with the Flock launches this summer at Hestercombe Gardens in Somerset and within Adventure Play at Blenheim Palace.
Alongside the UK venues, the Shaun the Sheep trail apps are also being enjoyed by international visitors on the other side of the world at Paradise Country in Australia and Agrodome in New Zealand where Shaun the Sheep has a permanent presence at the popular farm-themed attractions.
“Augmented reality is such a fun way for our younger visitors to experience Agrodome, here in Rotorua in New Zealand,” commented Shelley Burnett, Agrodome business manager. “I also get the impression it’s the parents that are just as keen to help Bitzer find the flock.”
In addition to this, characters from CITV comedy series, Lloyd of the Flies, feature in a new trail package created in partnership with the Royal Entomological Society.
The Lloyd of the Flies Bug Hunt event includes Aardman’s AR Bug Hunt app. The Bug Hunt launched at the RES’ recently relocated RHS Chelsea insect garden at Stratford Cross, as Lloyd was named as the Society’s first Insect Ambassador. The Bug Hunt will also be available in dual language, Welsh and English at Bodnant Garden National Trust site in North Wales throughout the summer.
Families can use the special augmented reality app to ‘shrink’ down to fly size and see the world through insect eyes as they complete the trail with Lloyd and his friends.
“At Aardman, we have a wealth of expertise bringing character IP to these more emerging formats; developing engaging and characterful immersive experiences, for our own brands and for those of external clients,” commented Lorna Probert, executive producer, interactive and games at Aardman. “Our in-house team have created a robust augmented app framework designed to encourage visitors young and old to explore and connect with their surroundings, bringing delightful memorable moments families and friends can share together.”
Molly Van Den Brink, attractions and live experiences manager at Aardman, added: “The successful roll out of our AR trail app programme over the last few years is truly testament to the value our characters can bring to attraction partners worldwide, with our trails enhancing a visitor experience rather than detracting from it and engaging families with our characters as they explore an attraction in a unique and novel way, watching as they appear in 3D before their eyes.”
The team are also currently working on a new Wallace & Gromit interactive AR trail experience – All Systems Go – which invites families to help the characters complete a series of challenges, pose alongside them and ready the rocket for blast off. Focusing on the brand themes of invention, science and space exploration, key licence targets for the new experience will be museums, science centres and other space themed attractions.
All Systems Go will be launching later this year to tie into the release of the Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl movie, coming to Netflix and the BBC this winter.
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