PAW Patrol toys will come to life through augmented reality (AR), thanks to a new partnership between Spin Master and Poplar Studio.
A new feature for Facebook via SparkAR, allows fans to imagine how toys inspired by the preschool entertainment franchise — like the Ultimate City Tower and Marshall’s Transforming City Firetruck — would appear in their homes.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Spin Master to bring the tower from the beloved PAW Patrol to life. Throughout the development process we wanted to make sure that the experience was simple and engaging to use,” said Poplar Studio CEO and co-founder David Ripert. ” Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a lot more interest in businesses looking to develop their interactive customer experiences through augmented reality and look forward to continue working on exciting projects such as the PAW Patrol AR toy experience.”
The new experience brings AR animations of the toys to kids’ own playrooms, allowing them to activate lights, sounds, and transformations like they would be able to do with the physical toy. Meanwhile, AR versions of the PAW Patrol pups interact with the toys. Additionally, in place of the “tap to place” text that makes the animation appear, Poplar Studio inserted PAW Patrol‘s logo.
“Our PAW Patrol fans have developed deep connections with the characters and their adventures, extending beyond the screen inspiring preschoolers through play,” said Laura Henderson, Spin Master’s EVP of marketing. “The new AR feature allows families to experience the true scale and attention to detail of the toys in a virtual environment before unwrapping them in real life.”
Now in its ninth season, the series airs on Nickelodeon. Spin Master Entertainment and Nickelodeon Movies released the first feature film for the franchise this past summer, which generated significant revenue for Spin Master in Q3. A second film and spin-off series will debut in 2023.