Augmented Reality company Skignz (think ‘sky-signs’) has launched a novel Christmas countdown to help parents get their kids into bed on Christmas Eve.
This Christmas Eve, Skignz users will be able to use the app to reveal Santa Claus flying overhead, from their own homes. There is also a personalised letter from the man himself, which encourages over-excited children to go to sleep so he can deliver their presents.
Skignz is an app-based service, that lets users add images, text or information to specific locations, which are then viewable through the Skignz app on smartphones and tablets. The ‘12 Skignz of Christmas’ takes parents through step-by-step instructions, from downloading the app (which is free on Android and ios) to adding the Christmassy Skignz above their house and personalising the letter from Santa with their children’s names.
The festive version of the company’s app, which has a wide range of commercial uses including travel information at airports and visitor information at festivals and exhibitions, has been designed to work with the ‘NORAD Santa’ website. On Christmas Eve the North American Air Defence Sector (NORAD) keeps children around the world updated as to where Santa Claus is at any given hour. Skignz users can check in with NORAD and when they find out that the sleigh is nearby, use the app to spot it in the night sky.
Simon Brown, Co-Founder and CMO of Skignz, said: “We wanted to do something different to celebrate the festive period this year, so thought we should combine the magic of Skignz with the magic of Christmas. We know how excited children feel on Christmas Eve, so came up with a way of keeping them entertained while also hopefully helping parents out too.
“The letter children receive from Santa Claus through the Skignz app can be personalised with their names and encourages them to go straight to sleep. It’s very simple to set up and our ‘12 Skignz of Christmas’ calendar shows parents exactly how to set up the images and use the app to search for Santa and his sleigh out of a window or door.
“Hopefully we can give all kids (little and big alike) a Christmas experience they won’t forget!”
Skignz has developed its geo-location based augmented reality platform, supported by funding from Northstar Ventures. The company has recently been successful in securing national and international commercial contracts, as well as winning numerous awards, including ‘UK’s Most Disruptive Tech Start-Up’ of 2015 by Ignite London and winning the Thinking Digital Startup Award for 2015.
For more details and to download the app, visit The Skignz Advent Calendar