Russian carrier taps augmented reality to energize campaign

Flirting with augmented reality

MTS, the largest wireless carrier in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, claims it is the first Russian company to use augmented reality as part of a major marketing campaign. The carrier has more than 100 million subscribers and used augmented reality as part of its Red Energy campaign to promote a new calling plan. The campaign targeted the youth demographic with television spots and magazine ads with hidden mobile aspects. “MTS wanted to reinvigorate the youth segment with the new Red Energy [calling plan] as well as develop a marketing and advertising campaign that specifically appealed to that market,” said Yaroslav Smirnov, MTS project director of youth segment and value added services marketing communications at MTS, Moscow. “The company designed the augmented reality campaign to re-introduce the brand and make it more attractive to trendy, urban youth.”