Xfinity Retail Is Putting Shoppers on TV Via Augmented Reality, QR Codes

Comcast wants visitors to view its Xfinity retail stores as “digital playgrounds” where the cable operator can be regarded as a source of entertainment and advanced technology for subscribers even when they’re off the couch. The experiential campaign, created by IPG’s Elephant, is currently running at 472 of the company’s 540 retail outlets through July 8. Aimed at everyone from “cord-cutters to cable-lovers, news junkies to sports fanatics, binge-watchers, movie buffs and beyond,” the Xfinity Digital Playground is billed as an “augmented reality retail experience.” The shopper’s the star Visitors are invited to stand in front of a green screen to “discover cinematic worlds” hidden inside “normal” retail posters strategically positioned around the store. Simply scanning a QR code on their smartphone puts the shopper in computer-generated AR scenes filled with hidden treasure, ghost-traps, fighter jets, touchdown grabs and some familiar characters from The Office’s Dunder Mifflin, which airs on Comcast’s NBCUniversal streaming service, Peacock. Check Out Adweek’s Inaugural Elevate: TV and Video Measurement In addition to the Peacock promotional connection, the goal of the campaign is to drive engagement with the various entertainment offerings from Xfinity, such as Xfinity Flex, X1 and Xfinity Stream. From a KPI standpoint, Comcast is measuring how customers rate their overall visit experience and their perception of Xfinity, said Rich Bloom, executive director for Comcast’s Retail Marketing. “The intent was to transform traditional 2D graphics into a digital experience that could be scaled across all Xfinity store formats,” Bloom said. “But moreover, we wanted to create an entertaining way for customers to discover all the ways Xfinity makes it easy to access the content they love.” The necessity of a creative retail experience “We see Xfinity stores as the temples of the brand experience,” added Greg Assemat Tessandier, president of Elephant. “The challenge was to inject the values of great entertainment—playful, immersive, emotional—and bring them to life in a retail environment. Using a bit of Hollywood movie-making magic (think green screens), the digital playground was born.” As with so many things, the pandemic has accelerated—and perhaps, reinvigorated— the use of digital solutions like AR and QR codes for retailers and consumers. As the original contactless technology, the role of QR codes became increasingly familiar to restaurant patrons this past year, as menus went from physical to virtual. And while social distancing measures will continue to loosen, Bloom expects the role this kind of technology plays in everyday life will inspire new forms of experiential creativity and practicality. The Digital Playground concept itself is a response to consumers’ evolving expectations about traditional retail that predated the pandemic restrictions. Achieving hybrid physical and digital experiences were ultimately a necessity after the past year of social distancing, Bloom said. This initial campaign has allowed Xfinity to prove whether the Digital Playground concept “works,” Bloom said. Specifically, they wanted to know if it could turn its stores in to playful forums to see what products appeal to consumers. The company is currently working on a new Digital Playground activation that’s scheduled to launch this summer. “In retail, the creative bar is now even higher than before,” Tessandier said. “We have to create differentiated experiences that are not just unique to retail but uniquely retail—for advertising and services. As more tech solutions go mainstream, the possibilities expand, but always in favor of a great creative idea.”