Blippar brings Tinkle to life, now play darts with Supandi

So how does it work? Users need to download the Blippar app as well as buy the Tinkle comic that supports the app. Once they open the app, the rear camera opens up.

Users have to then point it at the cover of two magazines. Alternatively, they can even open any ‘Blippar-enabled’ page (the page has a small Blippar logo on top) and point the camera there. Once the app is done reading the page, (it takes a couple of seconds) it opens up an interactive element that has been designed by Blippar.

With the Tinkle Digest cover for this month, Blippar has made a game of darts that users can play with Supandi. Another story about a Dr Doggie gets converted into an interactive game where readers have to find the right chemical mix.

Arnav Ghosh, Regional Director, Blippar India, says the idea is not to take away appeal of the print medium, but rather “create interactivity” for the much-loved comic brand. “We wanted to look at ways of integrating print with newer technologies that allow for deeper engagement with consumers. Tinkle had a great tradition of connecting generations, all of us have in fact grown up with Tinkle. We felt the need to create a compelling interactive engagement for Tinkle,” he adds.

Tinkle too has been embracing digital and the Blippar-collaboration is in keeping with this strategy, says Neel Paul, Creative Director at ACK. “Where the context of why people would use Blippar on a Tinkle Digest, I don’t really see it as being a problem. I think people would use it,” says Neel.

On Tinkle’s digital strategy, he says, “Tinkle has come online with its own website. You’ll also soon hearing of a YouTube channel with animations. With Blippar, another level of interactivity is added to our primary platform which is print.”

But don’t expect every Tinkle page to turn into an AR-supported one. Arnav points out that for now it is not possible to make every story ‘blippable’ but the app’s creators will try and play around with Tinkle content in different ways. Plus, with a brand like Tinkle, the challenge for Blippar lies in creating a campaign that works and is also approved by the ACK editorial team, which in turn increases the turnover time.

“Of course it’s not a standard format that we’ll always do the same thing with a comic. We may not always play with cover like we have with this one, or we might do something within the story itself. This time we wanted to keep it simple. Pick up snippets and do something interactive,” he adds.

In addition to this, Neel points out that there are constraints given that Tinkle’s core audience is kids. “Let’s be realistic that not all of our audiences might be on Blippar. We are still talking about 8-12 year olds who might not have their own smartphones, may not have access to 3G, etc. With Blippar what we’re doing is giving bonus material, just add ons, rather than you know completing a story through Blippar. Though for now, the numbers are quite fantastic and very encouraging,” he adds.

While ACK’s core audience is kids, Arnav feels the app and what it can offer for Tinkle won’t be restricted to just kids. “Since we are driving user behaviour, we are not targeting any particular age group. Our work cuts across age-groups,” he says, adding that Tinkle has a connect with even adults who have grown up on the comics. He adds that so far they have seen over 70,000 interactions with the comics on the app.

As an app, Blippar is not restricted to just Tinkle and has done AR campaigns for global brands like Heineken beer, Coca-cola and even Pepsi. “We feel the company’s product is also its the biggest media channel. Seeing or sharing something on Facebook versus someone ‘blipping’ a Coke can and sharing that, well the latter has a more powerful impact. We converted a Coke can into a juke-box, we activated Pepsi cans during the Football world-cup as part of a global campaign,” says Arnav.

With the ubiquity of smartphones and the digital medium, many have spoken about how print has become redundant. But in a country where not everyone has a smartphone and even those who do swear by their printed books, the Blippar version of Tinkle sounds like an interesting way to bridge the gap.