Häagen-Dazs Launches Mobile Concerto Timer App with Augmented Reality Technology

The Häagen-Dazs brand has announced the introduction of the Häagen-Dazs Concerto Timer app, the first iOS mobile app to integrate detailed 3D Kinect technology and video data that delivers a cutting edge augmented reality experience especially for ice cream enthusiasts, company officials say. The Concerto Timer app features two-minute-long music concertos that help consumers understand the exact amount of time needed to prepare their Häagen-Dazs ice cream in order to get the full, rich consistency and allow all the flavors to fully bloom. Allowing the ice cream to soften slightly – also called tempering – for two minutes enhances the texture and exposes fans to the craftsmanship of premium ingredients that is characteristic of Häagen-Dazs ice cream, gelato, sorbet and frozen yogurt. Waiting is not an easy task for ice cream lovers, but the process is transformed when users point their iPhone with the Concerto Timer app at one to two Häagen-Dazs cartons. The augmented reality feature showcases a perfectly timed, two-minute concert of Bach Inventions No. 14 performed by a violinist and cellist – all while users wait for the ice cream to temper. By the end of the concerto, the ice cream will have softened to a perfect consistency, officials say. “The app concept came directly from our brand loyalists who recognized the necessity of tempering to enjoy all of the flavors in our ice cream,” says Cady Behles, Häagen-Dazs brand manager. “We took their feedback and developed an advanced mobile experience – something never seen before in the ice cream industry – that would be functional and also entertain them during the optimal time period.” With every download of the Concerto Timer app, the Häagen-Dazs brand is donating $5 to honey bee research at the University of California Davis for a total donation up to $75,000. Honey bee colonies – which are responsible for one third of the world’s food supply — are dying at an alarming rate, posing a serious risk to our natural food supply, including many of the ingredients that define Häagen-Dazs ice cream. How the ‘Concerto Timer’ App Works: Once fans have downloaded the Concerto Timer app, they can point their iPhone camera and align the dotted line guide with the lid of any Häagen-Dazs ice cream carton. Recognizing the visual of the lid, the app launches a virtual violin performance of Bach Inventions No. 14. The addition of a second carton reveals a cellist accompanying the violinist in a classic duet. While the music is playing, users can share the experience with their Facebook and Twitter networks. Traditionally, augmented reality technology has involved flat video or low polygon 3D objects with a very limited and robotic range of motion.  Unlike other augmented reality apps, the Concerto Timer app integrates detailed 3D Kinect and video data. The app captures the nuances of the real violin and cello performances, enhanced with expressive particles, resulting in an ethereal and unique creative style. This approach allows the musicians to move with a fluid natural motion in 3D space. Developed by creative agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners and digital production company JAM3, the Häagen-Dazs Concerto Timer app is now available for download in the iTunes App Store.