News  MagicSymbol™ Turin Winter Olympics Showcase

Massive success for Samsung with MagicSymbol™ system
at the Turin Winter Olympics Torch Relay 2006
19/01/06

Presented for Samsung at the Turin Winter Olympics Torch Relay 2006, MagicSymbol™ is the next generation of 'reveal' technology, providing a unique competition experience. Samsung handed out thousands of promotional flyers containing a 'magic' symbol printed on the reverse. The recipients were invited to Samsung's sponsorship arena to find out if they had won a prize. Nothing new, you may think, but this 'reveal' has a uniquely compelling twist. Players showed their cards to a camera mounted alongside an ordinary plasma screen. Participants then saw themselves on screen and on their card appears, mysteriously, a 3D image of an Olympic competitor or a cool bit of Samsung kit. Move and spin the card around, and the animated model stays magically glued to the surface. If you find yourself looking at a Samsung phone, or a ski jacket, that's what you've won. It doesn't get more simple, or effective and proved a major crowd puller.

The first Magic Symbol winner! A ski jacket!

MagicSymbol attracted crowds for Samsung

MagicSymbol™ uses computer-vision software technology, combined with off-the-shelf displays, a camcorder and a standard Windows PC to create the effect. Symbols can be printed on any flat surface. It proved a major draw in its inaugural outing in Rome and continued to work its magic along a tour which took in many major Italian cities and culminated in Milan. Inition were commissioned by Cheil Communications.

Samsung's sponsorship trailer for the Turin Winter Olympics Torch relay

Click here to download this news story in pdf format