Technology

Posted on October 24, 2017 by staff

AR adtech firm launches ‘virtual 3D carpet solution’

Technology

An augmented reality firm which tailors pitchside advertising during TV football broadcasts has introduced a ‘virtual 3D carpet solution’ in partnership with LaLiga.

Supponor, based in London and Helsinki, Finland, superimposes virtual adverts on to the perimeter LED boards to serve local advertisers across the world.

Its tech has been successfully deployed in Barcelona and Real Madrid away matches through its partner Mediapro as well as ice hockey’s NHL, American football’s NFL and Formula One.

The AR tech allows the virtual adverts to respond in real time to changes in the light or weather conditions, player movements and other environmental factors.

It is now able to change the advertising displayed on the pitch itself behind the goals, which will enable new LaLiga sponsor ManbetX to target audiences in some international markets while retaining the physical 3D carpets for the existing domestic audience, which is supported by Stihl.

International audiences will see ManbetX in the same position instead of Stihl during each game.

“LaLiga continues to innovate by seeking new ways to deliver valuable sponsorship solutions for our regional and global partners,” said Gregory Bolle, LaLiga’s head of global partnership.

“Providing global audience specific brand association in our top pick games allows us to offer moments of exclusivity to our premium partners in the audience regions that matter most to them, and ManbetX is no exception.

“Our growing partnership with Supponor is all about this kind of innovation and we look forward to working with the Supponor team and our shared long-time partner, Mediapro to grow our innovation portfolio in years to come.”

Jon Collins of ManbetX said: “This first-of-its-kind technology has allowed ManbetX to command a prized partnership position in LaLiga for the audiences that drive our business, with key messaging which is relevant to our core audiences, utilising the power and prestige of LaLiga as the delivery vehicle.

“There is only one LaLiga, and it is all about the passion and skill of the best football on the planet which make it a perfect fit for ManbetX.”

Supponor CEO Jay Gambrell said: “Our long-established partnership in Spain with Mediapro has given Supponor the opportunity to work close with and help LaLiga grow its own innovation agenda.

“Supponor’s new virtual replacement solution for physical carpets is part of a new series of technologies we are rolling out first in Spain and then elsewhere, which leverages the power of our core augmented reality virtualization technology.

“Only Supponor’s fully downstream and non-intrusive technology can create as many virtual replacement opportunities as there are markets for LaLiga.

“We look forward to helping more sponsors to have the opportunity to associate themselves with the sporting audiences that matter most to them.”