SmartMedia Technologies Announces Development of Immersive Tokenized Experiences Powered by Niantic's WebAR Development Platform to Enable Web3 Ownership in Augmented Reality (AR)

Leading AR platform and world class Enterprise Web3 engagement & loyalty platform leader to premier new strategic collaboration at Cannes Lions 70

CANNES, France, June 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartMedia Technologies (SMT), the Web3 engagement and loyalty platform the future is being built on, today announced that it is leveraging Niantic's WebAR development platform, 8th Wall, to accelerate the creation of innovative AR experiences for both creators and users through mobile Web3 wallets accessible by any user with a smartphone. The product features resulting from the collaboration will premiere to a global audience of marketing executives at Cannes Lions 2023.

The synergy of SMT's SmartWallet paired with 8th Wall's mixed reality tools has delivered more AR treasure hunts than any other company in the world. The collaboration brings unique ownership, scarcity, and utility to digital objects, hosted through the SmartWallet and masterfully visualized through 8th Wall's browser-based AR. By leveraging the SmartMedia platform– a self-serve, no-code, drag, drop, and distribute studio– brands can amplify their mobile first activations through immersive, exclusive digital experiences that enable engagement and appeal to global audiences.

"We believe in creating and connecting community to immersive experiences that deepen engagement and drive loyalty. With the announcement of Apple entering into the AR space, there is no better time to bring ownership of tokenized experiences to AR. Our collaboration with Niantic is a step towards realizing this vision," said Tyler Moebius, CEO of SmartMedia Technologies. "By combining our expertise in Web3-enabled mobile wallets with Niantic's AR technology, we aim to create innovative experiences that enhance user engagement and drive brand loyalty."

Through WebAR, which can be accessed directly in your mobile browser, attendees at Cannes Lions 2023 with SmartWallets can collect digital objects and redeem for digital and physical rewards including a limited edition Cannes AR NFT, among other prizes.

These features will enable brands with the capabilities to increase loyalty and engagement by building a digital presence in the Web3 space via mobile wallets, making their exposure to and use of web3 elements smooth and efficient. Built by SMT and powered by Niantic's 8th Wall WebAR platform, innovative features can be owned and utilized through the Cannes Experience Wallet wherein attendees can easily onboard into the experience with a smartphone and email address. The Cannes SmartWallet will feature chic, purpose-driven and sustainable brands, LØCI footwear and Beesou drinks. Wallet holders will be able to collect LØCI AR treasure boxes in AR alongside the Promenade de la Croisette. The treasure boxes will unlock access to exclusive events with a limited ten boxes unveiling the chance to receive a physical pair of limited edition trainers crafted from seaweed as part of an ocean restoration partnership.

"We are excited to be involved in the Cannes Wallet as it is an opportunity to be at the frontier of innovation, offering the opportunity to explore new technologies and customer experiences. Cannes Wallets gives us the opportunity to differentiate ourselves from competitors and stand out in a rapidly evolving digital landscape," said Mark Wakefield, Beesou Co-founder. "We hope by leveraging the Cannes Wallet, we can ensure authenticity by providing verifiable information to our potential customers, which will help us reach new audiences. This expansion will increase brand awareness and revenue growth."

"By partnering with SMT x Cannes Lion 70, LØCI is set to transcend its physical boundaries and establish a prominent digital presence. This opportunity not only enhances our mission of promoting sustainability and innovation, but also helps us connect with users in a unique way," said LØCI Co-founders Emanuel Eribo and Philippe Homsy.

Cannes SmartWallet holders will also be able to engage in a gamified experience to collect AR NFTs redeemable for Beesous cocktails at Brand Innovators' Marketing Leadership Summit, which will unveil opportunities to learn more about the brand's mission to save the bees.

"WebAR creates memorable experiences that are accessible to anyone - no app required. This opens up a new frontier of creativity for brands and the opportunity to redefine how they engage with their target audiences," said Tom Emrich, Director of Product Management at Niantic. "Our collaboration with SmartMedia Technologies adds a new dimension to WebAR experiences for brands by giving consumers ways to build and activate their digital collections."

About SmartMedia Technologies
SmartMedia Technologies is the Enterprise Web3 engagement platform the future is being built on, making Web3 easy, safe and open for both users and Enterprise. The SmartMedia Stack, including its self-serve, no-code, drag and drop studio, enables creators to design and distribute tokens, 2-click web3 wallets, and spatial web experiences by leveraging the scale and reach of its Web3-enabled programmatic media platform. SmartMedia Technologies' end-to-end Web2-to-Web3 platform drives gamified engagement, acquisition and loyalty across a digital and mobile-first audience - ultimately delivering better business outcomes. https://smartmediatech.io

SmartMedia Technologies Media Contacts
Francesca DeMauro / Erica Conover
917-880-9771 / 860-510-3828
[email protected]  / [email protected]

About 8th Wall
8th Wall is Niantic Inc.'s award-winning AR developer platform and computer vision technology stack that makes it possible to build interactive web-based augmented reality (WebAR) that can be experienced on any smartphone—no app required. 8th Wall WebAR experiences can be accessed and engaged by over 5 billion smartphones across iOS and Android, as well as computers and AR/VR headsets. The 8th Wall platform has been used by agencies and creative studios to create AR activations for well-known brands from companies across industry verticals, including Pepsi, Microsoft, Nike, Porsche, Netflix, Heineken, LEGO, General Mills, Dior, Universal Pictures, Westfield, Verizon and more. Learn more about 8th Wall at www.8thwall.com.

About Beesou
Beesou is the first B-Corp certified aperitif, with a purpose to responsibly source all ingredients, using sustainable plastic-free packaging (including eco-corks) and encouraging best practice amongst beekeepers. Mark Wakefield (Co-founder) started to question why drink brands aren't required to list ingredients compared to food labels and became frustrated at how unclear it is whether drinks are natural or not. This led to the learning that many brands use E numbers to colour their drinks. Following this, due to their love for bitter drinks, the founders wanted to make an aperitif style drink that is fully transparent listing the full ingredients and thus Beesou was created. Both founders are environmentally conscious and fell in love with the idea of making a drink from honey that could help raise awareness to save the bees, support ethical beekeeping and raise money for bee charities.

About LØCI
LØCI was founded in April 2021 by Emmanuel Eribo, Philippe Homsy, Frank Eribo & Mark Quaradeghini, London-based entrepreneurs with a vision to champion style and sustainability, expressed in their statement debut sneaker collection. 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and unisex, LØCI sneakers are handmade in Porto, Portugal using recycled ocean plastics, as well as renewable and biodegradable materials where possible to help deliver a stylish eco-conscious sneaker. Production is scaled up or down in response to demand to manage environmental impact. 10% of online profits on every pair purchased are donated to conservation charities focused on protecting wildlife.

SOURCE SmartMedia Technologies