17th May 2012: Iconic publisher Penguin Books and Zappar, today announce a partnership that offers a never seen before interactive experience for the Penguin English Library – a new collection of beautifully designed books that celebrate 100 of the best novels written in English. Using the power of Augmented Reality with the Zappar App, readers will be able to bring elements of four of the books to life with a stunning range of bespoke material including animations of Coralie Bickford-Smith’s illustrated covers, video, audio and extracts.
The App will launch on 17th May 2012, and will initially offer readers the Zappar experience on novels Moby Dick, and Lady Audley’s Secret, with two further titles to come later in the year.
The process is simple: download the Zappar App available free of charge from iTunes or the Android Market Place. Locate the Penguin content in the menu. Point a phone/handset at the cover of the book and watch as it reveals an array of digital content and online destinations. This signifies not only a first for Augmented Reality but an original and immersive way of introducing some of the best-loved books of the last 300 years to a new generation of readers.
Originally launched in 1963, the Penguin English Library published some of the most captivating works ever written in English. The new collection, which launched on 26th April, starts with Robinson Crusoe and spans two centuries until Dubliners was published just before the First World War.
Caspar Thykier, Managing Director for Zappar, said “This is an exciting development in how the consumer reads and perceives books, providing scope for extra bite size entertainment content. The great thing about incorporating AR in publishing and books is that it shows how technology can enhance and add to the entertainment experience that the products offer.”
Nicola Hill, Marketing Director for Penguin Press, said “The Penguin English Library is about celebrating the ultimate readers’ editions that can be cherished, collected, given, and kept for a lifetime. The striking designs really elevate this series and we’re delighted to work with Zappar on an inventive way of using it to celebrate and share a fresh publishing idea.”
Vimeo clips of Zappar in action:
For iPhone, iPod and iPad:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zappar/id429885268?mt=8
For Android:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zappar.Zappar
For More Information on Zappar please contact:
Sam Payne at Dundas Communications
0207 824 8748
sam@dundascommunications.com
For More Information on Penguin Books please contact:
Toby Jones
0207 010 3345
toby.jones@uk.penguingroup.com
About Zappar
Zappar was launched in 2011 and founded by Kirk Ewing, Connell Gauld, Simon Taylor and Caspar Thykier, bringing together experience from the marketing and console game industries alongside pioneering technology from the University of Cambridge.
Zappar’s class-leading marker-less image recognition technology provides the broadest spectrum of AR applications on mobile across devices including delivery of film, audio, 3D animation, gaming interactivity and streaming data in the field of vision.
Zappar is leading the market in bite size entertainment to deliver enabled AR products to consumers. Zappar recently launched their own range of AR Tee-Shirts in the US under the brand name Zapparel available in Macy’s and JCPenney.
Zappar provide a full service offering with in-house creative and technology resource to deliver bespoke platform and content solutions.
To find an image or object that is Zappar powered log onto www.zappar.com or look out for the Zappar logo.
Apple requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod Touch (4th Gen), iPad 2 Wi-Fi and iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G. Requires iOS 4.2 or later. Zappar runs on most Android devices running Android 2.1 and later. For more information visit http://zappar.com/device-compatibility/
About the Penguin English Library
For some twenty years, beginning in 1963, millions of readers first encountered the most enjoyable works in the English language through the orange-spined Penguin English Library. For many the series was a magic door, the start of a lifetime’s engagement with the most vivid writing imaginable. Now the spirit of the original Penguin English Library has inspired a fresh, contemporary new series.
The first 20 Penguin English Library titles will be released at the end of April 2012. Subsequently, 10 further titles will be released each month for the rest of 2012 at £5.99 each.
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