The Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum/Balloon Fest is a non-profit organization located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, dedicated to showcasing hot air balloons and an impressive collection of objects related to aviation history. Since its foundation, it has become one of the main tourist attractions in the region. It is recognized internationally for its importance in promoting and preserving hot air balloon culture and technology.
Every year, the Las Cruces community celebrates a highly anticipated event: the Balloon Fest. This festival has become a landmark for the city and a critical economic and cultural driver. Additionally, both the Balloon Fest and the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum are essential to the development of the local community, not only because they attract visitors from all over the world but also because they promote economic and cultural growth in the region.
Unfortunately, in 2020, the Covid-19 contingency prevented the annual Balloon Fest. The pandemic forced the organizers to cancel the live event due to public gathering restrictions and health safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus. This posed a significant challenge for the organization, as the annual event is an essential funding source.
However, instead of canceling the event, the organization found an innovative solution to continue the celebration virtually. They worked with us, New Discovery Agency, and developed an augmented reality application that allowed viewers to enjoy a similar experience to what they would have had at the live event. This application allowed users to see hot air balloons, customize them, rotate them, and launch them as if they were at the Balloon Fest in real life.
The museum’s ability to adapt and offer innovative solutions in the face of the pandemic is a clear example of its commitment to its mission and its ability to stay relevant in changing times. Additionally, the development of the augmented reality application not only allowed the organization to bring the event to viewers around the world but also allowed them to develop new tools to support the museum’s growth, such as capturing emails to create a database of interests and promoting events, and a donations section to support the non-profit organization.
Solution Proposed by New Discovery Agency
At New Discovery Agency, we are experts in offering creative and innovative solutions to help our clients solve any challenge they may face. Our business unit, New Discovery Tech, applies immersive technologies to transform our clients’ activities. In this instance, our goal was to bring the Balloon Fest event to an online platform so that the audience could enjoy the same experience as at the live event through augmented reality.
We developed an augmented reality application with unique features to achieve this goal. Our application allows the audience to see a hot air balloon virtually, customize it to their liking, rotate it, and launch it as if they were at the live event in person. The application is designed to give the audience a realistic and immersive experience, even when they cannot attend the physical event.
In addition to the augmented reality experience, our application has additional tools to support the museum’s growth. For example, the application has a function to capture emails, allowing the museum to develop a database of contacts for future promotions and events. Additionally, the application includes a donations section where the audience can contribute to the non-profit association that supports the Balloon Fest and the museum.
Results and Achievements
After hard work and dedication, we are pleased to announce that the launch of the augmented reality application for the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum was a resounding success. The application, available on Android and iOS operating systems, has allowed the museum to bring “Balloon Fest” to its target audience innovatively and safely without compromising the health and safety of its community.
The application has received a positive reception from the public and the local press, who have highlighted the creativity and originality of the solution proposed by the New Discovery Agency. We are glad that the application has succeeded in keeping the museum connected with its audience and promoting its events online, even during times of pandemic and mobility restrictions.
New Discovery Agency’s solution is a resounding success
This success has allowed New Discovery Agency to work on developing “Balloon Fest” again, demonstrating our commitment to our clients and our ability to provide innovative and effective solutions. We will continue to work hard to offer our clients creative and technological solutions that allow them to achieve their goals and improve their online presence.
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