Dutch retailer Albert Heijn is partnering with the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam on a new campaign to make it cool for schoolchildren to learn more about technology and science.
"With this campaign, we want to introduce children to the world of tech," said Albert Heijn CEO Wouter Kolk. "They can discover for themselves how exciting it is and how it makes progress possible."
AR Cards
The 'Technology Rocks!' campaign, which launched on June 4, will run for four weeks in Albert Heijn stores and enable Dutch children to collect 160 different cards that list fun facts and experiments.
Some 20 of the cards can be ‘brought to life’ with augmented reality (AR) supports that teach the basics of computer programming, which the retailer said is a skill that will likely to shift from 'niche' to 'essential' within a few years.
The cards can be kept in an official album that will be available from Albert Heijn. When spending €10, customers will receive a four-item set containing either AR pictures or other cards. The album costs €0.99 and is free in the first week with a selected bonus offer.
Techie The Robot
Techie the robot will act as the campaign's mascot. In combination with the free AH Tech app, kids can program their own augmented reality Techie.
By dragging, adding or removing code blocks, they can change the robot into a movie star or let it breakdance or perform stunts. They can also upload a picture of themselves, place it on the body of Techie, and program moves they can share with friends.
"You cannot start early enough," said NEMO Director Michiel Buchel. "This campaign is special because it means we can reach so many children and their parents through something as simple as grocery shopping."
Albert Heijn recently opened a new concept store in Hoofddorp, with an increased focus of its selection on fresh produce as well as innovative technological solutions.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Aidan O'Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
