SunMatrix Ramble | What Matters Next in Marketing and Tech

Vampire Diaries Augmented Reality

An outdoor advertising campaign by Inwindow Outdoor for CW’s Vampire Diaries appears in Los Angeles and New York. It uses augmented reality to trigger the on-screen display.

The idea. Outdoor that reacts

The execution uses augmented reality as the activation layer. Instead of treating the screen as a static placement, the display is triggered through AR to create a moment that stands out in public space.

Where it runs

The installation appears in two major markets. Los Angeles and New York.

Why it matters

This is a straightforward example of AR moving out of devices and into the street. The screen becomes the stage, and the AR trigger becomes the differentiator.

A few fast answers before you act

What is this campaign?
An outdoor advertising campaign for CW’s Vampire Diaries by Inwindow Outdoor that uses augmented reality to trigger an on-screen display.

Where does it appear?
Los Angeles and New York.

What role does augmented reality play?
It is used to trigger the on-screen display.

Who executes it?
Inwindow Outdoor.

What is the core takeaway?
Use AR as an activation layer that turns an outdoor screen from static media into a triggered experience.

Nike: Trackball for CTR360

When Nike launched the CTR360 football boot in Singapore, they wanted something that could deliver the revolutionary features that make this product the ultimate in ball control.

So an interactive in-store experience was created where ball control and product knowledge of the Nike CTR360 was both seamless and seductive.

Why this retail execution works

The strongest part is that it does not separate “demo” from “education”. The interaction itself becomes the explanation. You learn by doing, and that is exactly how a ball-control product should be introduced.

Product truth in the mechanic. Control is demonstrated through controlled interaction, not described in copy.
Low friction discovery. Visitors do not need instructions to begin. The interface invites experimentation.
Retail as experience, not shelving. The store becomes the medium that proves the claim.

What to take from it

If your product benefit is physical or performance-based, build a retail moment that lets people feel the promise quickly. The goal is not to show every feature. It is to create one memorable proof point that makes the product easier to believe and easier to talk about.

A few fast answers before you act

What did Nike do for the CTR360 launch in Singapore?

Nike created an interactive in-store experience that demonstrated ball control while also communicating CTR360 product features through the interaction itself.

Why pair product education with interaction?

Because performance products are understood faster through demonstration than explanation. The experience makes the benefit tangible.

What is the core pattern behind this kind of retail activation?

Translate the product promise into a simple, inviting interaction. Then let that interaction deliver both the “wow” and the learning.

How do you know if an in-store experience is doing its job?

If a visitor can explain the product benefit immediately after trying it, without needing staff to interpret it, the design is working.

IOC: The Best of Us Challenge

Fans vs athletes, turned into a social dare

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is in the midst of “The Best of Us Challenge” where viewers are challenged to outdo their favorite athletes in wacky activities.

At the above web site (www.thebestofuschallenge.olympic.org) viewers are encouraged to submit videos in hopes of not only besting the athletes, but also winning signed merchandise or a trip to the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

This campaign reaches out via various social media touch points such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

How the mechanic earns participation

The mechanism is a clean loop. A famous athlete sets a challenge. The viewer responds with their own attempt on video. The best entries win prizes, and every new submission becomes fresh content that recruits the next participant.

In global sports and entertainment marketing, this kind of challenge format works because it gives the viewer a role beyond watching. The audience becomes the content engine.

Why it lands: competition plus “I can do that” energy

It is wacky by design. That lowers the barrier to entry, makes the attempts shareable, and keeps the tone inclusive. You are not trying to be an Olympian. You are trying to beat an Olympian at something ridiculous.

Examples that make the format instantly legible

Here are some of the challenges you will see:

Michael Phelps – Speed Putting

Rafael Nadal – Tennis Ball Pick Up Challenge

What to steal if you are building participation, not just reach

Make the “ask” performable. If people cannot picture themselves doing it, they will not submit.
Use a credible instigator. Known talent gives the challenge immediate context and legitimacy.
Reward the behaviour you want repeated. Prizes are less about value and more about giving submissions a reason.
Design distribution into the format. Every entry is content that naturally travels through personal networks.

A few fast answers before you act

What is “The Best of Us Challenge” by the IOC?

It is a participation campaign where viewers try to outdo famous athletes in playful challenges by submitting their own videos for a chance to win prizes.

What is the core mechanism that drives growth?

Athletes set challenges, viewers submit attempts, and the submissions become shareable content that recruits more participants across social channels.

Why do challenge formats work so well for sports brands?

They give the viewer a role beyond watching. Participation creates identity and social proof, and each entry functions as distribution.

What makes a participation “ask” actually performable?

It must be easy to picture, easy to attempt, and easy to film. If the audience cannot imagine doing it, they will not submit.

What is the most transferable takeaway?

If you want participation, design a simple loop where the audience becomes the content engine, and reward the behaviour you want repeated.