Using the Power of Tech for Good Using Konica Minolta’S Augmented Reality

USING THE POWER OF TECH FOR GOOD USING KONICA MINOLTA’S AUGMENTED REALITY

Working together, The Big Issue and Konica Minolta have shone a fresh light on UK homelessness, offering readers a new way to access exclusive content in the magazine, through the use of Konica Minolta’s augmented reality (AR) app, genARate. “The partnership will ultimately help The Big Issue converge its vital print-based business model with new and innovative digital content, extending its audience reach and its impact in an ever- BACKGROUND Highlights include: evolving media landscape.” A chance meeting with a Big Issue -- Provides vendors with opportunity magazine vendor and a spur-of-the- to reconnect with the public Ashley McConnell moment conversation, prompted -- Delivers engaging digital content International Business Konica Minolta International Business through the pages of the magazine Development Manager, Development Manager, Ashley -- Protects and differentiates The Big Konica Minolta McConnell, to think about how the Issue’s physical vendor model company could help the organisation and its vendors, to combat some of CHALLENGES been a barrier to the crucial emotional the challenges they were facing as a connection and value exchange, and it traditional print publisher. Launched 27 years ago, The Big Issue’s has definitely made our vendors’ ability business model - giving people who are to attract peoples’ attention much Konica Minolta committed to a encountering poverty or social harder,” he explained. year-long partnership with The Big exclusion a hand-up, rather than a Issue to enhance the print value hand-out, has been a powerful agent The organisation is always looking at chain and explore the power of AR for for social change. The national title’s new innovative ways to challenge social benefit. The company co- UK-wide vendor network sells over misconceptions around its business invested in the application of its 80,000 copies every week, and in model and reinforce its key messages genARate AR platform to The Big excess of one million magazines over and was keen to work with Konica Issue to create richer, deeper the Christmas and New Year period. Minolta to find a new way to use experiences on a bi-monthly basis, technology to innovate and extend the beginning January 2019. With more publications being values and philosophy of The Big Issue. distributed freely on the streets, consumers preferring to consume “Selling the magazine has given our content via digital channels, and vendors structure, a sense of purpose potential customers glued to mobile and dignity. So it was really important phones walking straight past vendors, for us to find a way to engage and the organisation and its vendors’ were empower a wider audience through feeling the pressure. digital channels, whilst not compromising on our physical vendor Oliver Waddington-Ball, Head of model,” Oliver added. Custom Content and Partnerships at The Big Issue said that although there is a far deeper motivation for customers to buy The Big Issue, these factors have affected the business. “In some ways, technology has actually 3 Case Study - The Big Issue “With AR, we have truly pushed the boundaries of what print magazines can SOLUTION BENEFITS, RESULTS achieve. The real value- AND FUTURE PLANS add has been the ability The Big Issue was the first street to give readers enhanced newspaper to implement Homelessness is at an all-time high in insights into the lives of augmented reality. With the AR the UK, and the revenue received by our vendors, as their app genARate, publishers are able vendors from sales of The Big Issue stories come to life right to overlay video, animations or 3D can really make a difference to their in front of their eyes” models onto printed materials to lives. The partnership with Konica create rich media communications. Minolta has enabled The Big Issue to Oliver Waddington-Ball increase the perceived value of its Head of Custom Content The first AR powered magazine physical print product and provide and Partnerships, which hit the streets in the New additional incentives for customers to The Big Issue Year, when sales are high, featured purchase. The enhanced magazine AR interactions throughout the also provides a fresh opportunity for publication, including the cover, vendors to engage with the public and our vendors, as their stories come that could only be unlocked ultimately drive sales. to life right in front of their eyes,” through the genARate app. To Oliver added. incentivise customers to download One of the highlights of the AR the app, the editorial team created powered special edition was a series The use of augmented reality within a set of exclusive, enhanced of vendors’ personal stories sprinkled the pages of the magazine enables content including videos from throughout the issue. This included readers to immerse themselves in ex-Razorlight drummer and the cover story, starring vendor Ann enhanced, rich media content. This Snowman and the Snowdog Warke who turned to The Big Issue technology provides a new and composer, Andy Burrows and when she couldn’t afford to pay her innovative way for The Big Issue to Notes on a Nervous Planet author, rent after losing her job. Ann drive sales, communicate and Matt Haig. appeared on the cover wearing The increase understanding of the Big Issue tabard, then when readers organisation’s mission, its business The goal of the partnership is to applied AR, she was featured in model and its vendors’ lives, as well provide enriched content for business like attire. as to tackle misconceptions readers, improve the lives of surrounding homelessness. vendors through increased sales, “This execution in particular, really and ultimately dismantle the social reinforced our key messaging around The ability to converge its print and stigma and common vendors running their own business digital business and give greater misconceptions around The Big and not begging. It was a powerful opportunity for readers to share Issue vendors. “The ‘Tech for way to address the social stigma and content, has also delivered additional Good’ special sponsored by Konica common misconceptions around The commercial benefits to the Minolta, was designed to Big Issue vendors,” Oliver said. organisation by extending the reach, recognise the increasingly impact and influence of The Big Issue. important part that science and The inaugural AR powered issue was a technology is playing in the fabric real success with the number of of our society, and how AR can interactions far exceeding support a social enterprise like The expectations. Initial analysis revealed Big Issue,” Ashley explained. almost 6,000 clicks to video content, 1,200 interactions with images and As part of the partnership, Konica nearly 400 click-throughs via buttons. Minolta will also provide the The real-life front cover story featuring magazine with support and Ann, also proved to be popular with strategic advice on how to 1,657 recorded interactions, embrace digital transformation. compared to 1,892 hits to video “The partnership will ultimately content created by celebrities Matt help The Big Issue converge its Haig and Andy Burrows. vital print-based business model with new and innovative digital “With AR, we have truly pushed the content, extending its audience boundaries of what print magazines reach and its impact in an ever- can achieve. The real value-add has evolving media landscape,” been the ability to give readers Ashley added. enhanced insights into the lives of WATCH YOUR ALL-IN-ONE IT PLATFORM COME ALIVE THROUGH OUR AUGMENTED REALITY APP

Follow the simple steps below to download our augmented reality App genARate

Step 1: Scan the QR code with the camera on your device to locate the genARate app.

Step 2: Download the app to your device

Step 3: Open the genARate app. Click ‘Start to Scan and hold your device’s camera over the front cover that displays the ‘AR logo’.

Step 4: Once your camera has recognised the page, our exclusive content will come to life, right before your eyes!

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Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Miles Gray Road, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3AR [email protected] | www.konicaminolta.co.uk | 0800 833864 03/2019