Aardman rolls out popular interactive AR trail apps

Aardman is rolling out interactive, augmented reality trails this summer featuring popular family IP Shaun the Sheep and new kids’ favourite, Lloyd of the Flies to attractions across the UK and Australasia. 

The studio launched its first interactive trail featuring multi-BAFTA® and International Emmy-winning Shaun the Sheep; the Hide & Sheep AR trail, licensed at 15 visitor attractions worldwide to date. Based on this global licensing success Aardman are launching a brand new, follow-up experience this summer, Shaun the Sheep: Fun with the Flock. Developed entirely in-house by Aardman’s Interactive team, the apps allow partner venues and attractions to host their very own Shaun the Sheep themed augmented trails, attracting visitors to their venues and inspiring families and children to explore the location with their favourite characters. 

The AR apps are free to download on iOS and Android. Partner venues receive a unique download code which enables them to personalise the app with bespoke marketing and messaging and the app generates photos and videos for visitors to share with their friends and family which include their logo. Venues also receive personalised download data which tracks visitor engagement with the trail.  The Shaun the Sheep trails are available at venues across the UK including Hide & Sheep licensed across P&O Cruises’ family friendly fleet, the five RHS Gardens and the Bluebell Railway in Sussex.  Fun with the Flock launches this summer at Hestercombe Gardens in Somerset and within Adventure Play at Blenheim Palace.  

Alongside the UK venues, the Shaun the Sheep trail apps are also being enjoyed by international visitors on the other side of the world at Paradise Country in Australia and Agrodome in New Zealand where Shaun the Sheep has a permanent presence at these popular farm-themed attractions. 

Agrodome Business Manager Shelley Burnett says “Augmented reality is such a fun way for our younger visitors to experience Agrodome, here in Rotorua in New Zealand. I also get the impression it’s the parents that are just as keen to help Bitzer find the flock!” 

Aardman is embarking on a minibeast adventure on a grand scale this year, with characters from the hit CITV comedy series Lloyd of the Flies featuring in an exciting new trail package created in partnership with the Royal Entomological Society. The Lloyd of the Flies Bug Hunt event includes Aardman’s AR Bug Hunt app. The Bug Hunt launched at the RES’s recently relocated RHS Chelsea insect garden at Stratford Cross, as Lloyd was named as the Society’s first Insect Ambassador. The Bug Hunt will also be available in dual language, Welsh and English at Bodnant Garden National Trust site in North Wales throughout the summer. 

Families can use the special augmented reality app to 'shrink' down to fly size and see the world through insect eyes as they complete the trail with Lloyd and his friends. Suitable for children of all ages, the Lloyd of the Flies AR Bug Hunt app sees characters from the show pop up amongst the flowers encouraging families to complete a series of interactive challenges. The app is free to download from the App Store and Google Play Store. 

Lorna Probert, Executive Producer – Interactive & Games, Aardman says: “At Aardman, we have a wealth of expertise bringing character IP to these more emerging formats; developing engaging and characterful immersive experiences, for our own brands and for those of external clients.  

Our in-house team have created a robust augmented app framework designed to encourage visitors young and old to explore and connect with their surroundings, bringing delightful memorable moments families and friends can share together.”  

Molly Van Den Brink, Attractions & Live Experiences Manager, Aardman adds “The successful rollout of our AR trail app programme over the last few years is truly testament to the value our characters can bring to attraction partners worldwide, with our trails enhancing a visitor experience rather than detracting from it and engaging families with our characters as they explore an attraction in a unique and novel way, watching as they appear in 3D before their eyes!  

Visitors experiencing the trail feel a sense of completion, guided to visit attractions and areas within them which they may not have experienced before and using this AR technology to engage with our audiences ensures our brands remain at the forefront of modern technological advances. The bespoke marketing tool within the app offers venue partners a unique way to both encourage customised UGC and measure trail engagement. We are really excited to see the apps continue to grow and launch across the UK and internationally over the coming months at such a wide variety of popular visitor attractions!” 

Following the successful debut of the Shaun the Sheep and Lloyd of the Flies apps, the team are currently in production on a brand-new Wallace & Gromit interactive AR trail experience: All Systems Go which invites families to help Wallace and Gromit complete a series of challenges, pose alongside them and ready the rocket for blast off! Focussing on the brand themes of invention, science and space exploration, key licence targets for this new experience will be museums, science centres and other space themed attractions. All Systems Go will be launching later this year to tie into the much-anticipated release of the Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl movie, coming to Netflix and the BBC this winter. 

These new digital, family entertainment packages are available now for venues and attractions to license worldwide. Get in touch with our Attractions and Live Experiences team via the contact form below.

Image credit: National Trust Images Clare Williams