John Deere leveraged AR to promote its new technology center in Chicago's Fulton Market at the Taste of Chicago event. Partnering with EP+Co, Groove Jones created a consumer activation featuring John Deere's advanced data analytics and GPS technology. Attendees interacted with iconic John Deere machines, including turning an excavator into a giant pizza cutter.
The activation included a large-scale map of Illinois with AR moments accessed through QR codes. Digital recreations of Chicago landmarks like The Bean and The Fountain of Time were integrated, highlighting John Deere's ties to Illinois. The AR experience showcased the new technology center and John Deere's use of satellites for autonomous farming equipment.
Participants explored vignettes demonstrating how John Deere uses technology in agriculture, with facts about Illinois. They could activate animated tractors in the fields through AR hotspots, using mobile devices to view true-to-life machine animations and easter eggs.
Groove Jones created tiny AR avatars, including the John Deere CEO greeting employees at the technology center. They also represented John Deere's digital technologies on mobile devices held by the avatars. This project pushed the boundaries of web-based AR with image-based and SLAM tracking combined with cinematic animation.
