AR | SunMatrix Ramble

Voice Chocolate

On Valentine’s Day, women in Japan record a voice message on their smartphone. That voice is transformed into a unique chocolate pattern, and a premium patisserie, Mont St. Clair, delivers the custom chocolates to the men they love. The recipient then uses a special app that recognises the AR markers in the chocolate, and the voice message plays back from the smartphone. Here, “AR markers” means a scannable visual pattern the app recognises to trigger the audio playback.

The campaign comes from Docomo (Japan’s largest mobile phone company) working with agency Hakuhodo. The business context is straightforward. Voice communication traffic falls sharply over the last 15 years, largely due to messaging apps. Docomo uses the ritual of Valentine gifting to make voice feel emotional and “worth using” again.

The real question is how you make a declining behaviour feel emotionally valuable again, not just functional.

This kind of work beats a “make voice cool” content push, because it turns voice into something people already want to give, keep, and replay.

Why this works as mobile, packaging, and emotion in one system

This is not content about voice. It is voice turned into a physical artefact. The chocolate is both the gift and the interface. The phone becomes the capture tool. The app becomes the playback layer. In Japanese consumer telecom marketing, the emotional “why” is built in when the interface is also the gift.

Extractable takeaway: That combination matters because it closes the loop between human intent and digital capability. Make the message spoken, then tangible, then audible again at the moment of receiving.

The pattern to steal

If you want to revive a behaviour that is losing ground, the structure here is repeatable:

Pick the cultural moment. Find a culturally accepted moment where the behaviour already makes sense, in this case Valentine gifting.
Create a keepable token. Convert the behaviour into a physical token people want to give and keep, not a disposable digital asset.
Reveal at the right moment. Use an interaction layer (AR, scan, app) that reveals the emotional payload at the right moment, for the recipient.

A few fast answers before you act

What is “Voice Chocolate”?

A Valentine concept where a recorded voice message is transformed into a chocolate pattern, delivered as a gift, then played back via an app that recognises AR markers in the chocolate.

Who is behind it?

Docomo in partnership with Hakuhodo, with chocolates delivered with help from Mont St. Clair.

What problem is it addressing?

Falling voice communication usage driven by messaging apps, by making voice feel meaningful again through gifting.

What is the core experience design move?

Turn a voice message into a physical interface, then use a scan-to-reveal mechanic so the voice returns at the moment of receiving.

A New Kind of Catalog 2: IKEA’s AR catalog

Last year Ikea re-imagined their catalog via a visual recognition app that brought its pages to life through inspirational videos, designer stories, “x-ray” views that peek inside furniture, and more.

Now, for the 2014 IKEA catalogue, they push that idea into something far more useful: you can place virtual furniture directly into your home by putting the printed IKEA catalogue where you want the furniture to appear, then viewing the result through your phone or tablet using augmented reality (AR), meaning digital objects layered onto a live camera view of your real space.

The simple mechanic that makes a paper catalogue feel like a showroom

The experience design is almost disarmingly straightforward. The catalogue is not just media. It becomes the physical reference point that tells the app where “here” is, and roughly how big “life-size” should be. Because that reference point anchors position and scale, the placement feels believable enough to support a buying decision.

Open the IKEA catalogue app on a phone or tablet.
Scan a supported product page.
Close the catalogue and place it on the floor (or surface) where you want the item to “live.”
Watch the furniture appear in-context, then explore alternatives by browsing within the app.

In global retail and consumer brands, this kind of print-to-mobile AR, where the printed catalogue acts as the marker for the AR view, works because it turns “can you picture it?” into “can you see it here?” at the exact moment people are deciding.

Why it lands: utility beats novelty

AR marketing often dies as a gimmick because the “reveal” is entertaining but irrelevant. Here, the reveal is practical: scale, placement, and fit are exactly what shoppers worry about most.

Extractable takeaway: If emerging tech does not reduce a real decision friction, treat it as a distraction, not a strategy.

Even when the rendering is not perfect, the direction is clear. Reduce uncertainty. Help people make a confident choice. And if it cuts down on “it looked smaller online” returns, that utility is measurable, not just shareable.

What IKEA is really doing with this catalogue

This is a classic “bridge” play, a deliberate handoff between inspiration and purchase. IKEA keeps the reach and habit of a paper catalogue, then uses mobile interactivity to remove friction at the decision stage.

The real question is whether it removes enough doubt to change a purchase decision, not whether the AR looks impressive.

AR is worth investing in when it behaves like decision support, not when it just decorates a story.

It also quietly reinforces a brand position: IKEA is not only about affordable design. It is also about smart, accessible tools that help you plan and live better at home.

How to design an AR catalog people reuse

Make the printed piece part of the interface. Treat paper as a trigger, a marker, a controller. Not a dead-end.
Reward the scan with decision support. The “wow” should reduce doubt: sizing, configuration, compatibility, placement, or proof.
Design for fast repetition. The real value comes when people try multiple options in minutes, not once for curiosity.
Keep the action close to purchase. The best AR demos shorten the path from consideration to “yes” without feeling like a hard sell.

A few fast answers before you act

What is IKEA doing differently with the 2014 catalogue?

They extend the catalogue beyond scan-to-watch content by letting people place virtual furniture into their real home environment using AR.

How does the AR placement work in simple terms?

You scan a supported page, place the physical catalogue where you want the item to appear, and the app overlays a furniture model into the live camera view.

Why is a printed catalogue useful in an AR flow?

The catalogue becomes a physical reference point for position and approximate scale, making placement feel more believable than a free-floating 3D object.

What business problem does this help solve?

It reduces purchase hesitation by letting people judge fit and placement earlier, and it can help lower the risk of dissatisfaction and returns.

What’s the key lesson for marketers using emerging tech?

Build the experience around utility that supports a decision. Novelty may earn a try. Utility earns repeat use and moves people toward purchase.

Catch the Oreo: An Augmented Reality Game

Oreo Cookies, to commemorate the first video game created by Ralph H. Baer, used modern day technology to create an augmented reality game called “Catch the Oreo”. The game is available on Android and iOS devices.

Here, augmented reality means the phone camera view overlays virtual Oreos onto the live scene, so you catch them in your space.

People living in Norway and Denmark are automatically entered into a sweepstake competition by just playing and uploading their high score. There are weekly prizes and the winners are decided by drawing lots.

Competition lasts from 8 April to 28 July 2013 (both dates included). So start playing.

Why AR is a good fit for a simple, repeatable game

The charm of “Catch the Oreo” is that it takes a basic arcade mechanic and gives it a physical feeling. AR turns “tap on a screen” into “catch it in your space”, which makes the game feel more immediate and more shareable.

Extractable takeaway: When the core action is instantly understandable, AR can add physicality and shareability without adding rule complexity.

AR works best here as a thin layer of delight over a simple arcade loop, not as the loop itself.

Instant understanding. Catch the cookie. Score points. Improve your high score.
AR adds novelty without complexity. The camera layer makes it feel new, but the rules stay simple.
Replays are built in. High scores naturally invite repeated attempts.

In European FMCG marketing, lightweight mobile games like this can be a practical way to turn momentary attention into repeatable engagement.

The sweepstake mechanic reduces pressure and increases participation

Weekly prizes and winners drawn by lots change the psychology. You do not have to be the absolute best player to feel you have a chance. You just have to play and upload.

The real question is whether your mechanic can motivate repeat play without making most participants feel they have already lost.

That is a smart way to broaden participation, especially in markets where you want scale quickly.

A random-draw sweepstake can reward participation rather than skill, which can widen the funnel while still benefiting from weekly prize cadence.

Why Norway and Denmark focus matters

By making the sweepstake specific to Norway and Denmark, Oreo can concentrate buzz, prize logistics, and local relevance. It also allows them to measure adoption and participation within a defined footprint.

What to take from this if you run mobile engagement campaigns

Keep the core mechanic simple. AR is the layer. The game rules should be obvious.
Reward participation, not only skill. Lot-based prizes can widen the funnel.
Use time-boxed windows. Fixed dates create urgency and repeat visits.
Make sharing part of the flow. High-score uploads naturally create a distribution loop.

A few fast answers before you act

What is “Catch the Oreo”?

It is an augmented reality mobile game created by Oreo, available on Android and iOS, where players catch Oreos to achieve a high score.

Where was the sweepstake promotion available?

For people living in Norway and Denmark, who were entered automatically by playing and uploading their high score.

How were winners selected?

There were weekly prizes and winners were decided by drawing lots, not purely by highest score.

What were the competition dates?

It ran from 8 April to 28 July 2013, with both dates included.

What is the main lesson for AR marketing?

Use AR to add delight, but keep the underlying mechanic simple and repeatable, then attach incentives that drive replays and sharing.