Still undecided whether to send a paper-based or digital greeting card this Valentine’s Day? Impress your loved one by sending both. Plynth, an AR technology company that produces marketing materials for creators and marketers, created Lively Greeting Cards. The company launched the platform in hopes of helping the general public discover the wonders of AR technology.
Lively Greeting Cards lets you combine a still photo and a video to create an AR greeting card. The platform won’t require you to pay for the service or download a mobile app. All you need to do is sign up on the website. With its simple instructions, anyone can create touching greeting cards using their own photos and video clips.
Inspiration Behind Lively Greeting Cards
Plynth founder and CEO, Jono Matusky, said that he was inspired to make the AR technology more accessible on the nudging of friends and family. The company primarily works with bands, illustrators, and other creators in producing engaging merchandise and promotional items. It uses WebAR technology to overlay video on top of a still image, usually on printed material. Fans can view video and other exclusive content by scanning a QR code with their mobile device and holding it up to a concert ticket or postcard newsletter from the artist’s label.
For instance, GroundUP Music aficionados receive physical postcard newsletters from the indie record label every month. Subscribers scan the code on the postcard, then hover the phone over it to watch a concert video or greeting come to life. Plynth continues to help its partners harness AR technology for announcing in-person events or keeping people updated on the latest brand developments.
How to Customize Your Lively Greeting Card
You too can use AR technology to surprise the love of your life. Here are the steps for creating a personalized card using Lively Greeting Cards:
- Go to the Lively Greeting Cards website.
- Create an account.
- The platform will then ask you to “Add Video” and “Add Image.”
Click “Add Video” first, and upload your video clip. The site accepts .mov and .mp4 files below 100MB. You can go online to look for free file converters in case the file you want to upload is in a different format. Tap the “Done” button once the video is uploaded.
Next, click on “Add Image.” You can tap “Choose frame from video” and use the slider to pick a frame. Or you can upload a pre-saved image that comes from that video. You may also pair off the video you uploaded earlier with a totally different image. Click “Done” when your image has been uploaded. A preview of your greeting card will appear on the right side of your screen.
- The “Create experience” button will appear once you’ve finished uploading your video and image. Click this button to make the platform perform its magic.
- You’ll know that Lively has successfully linked your video and image when the “Ready to Go!” notification appears. Below it, you’ll find the QR code and “Copy Link,” both of which will make your Valentine card come alive through AR technology.
Test and Send Your AR Technology-Enhanced Greeting
To test the output yourself, scan the QR code with your phone. Once your device has scanned the image, a Plynth link will appear on your screen. Click this link to open a new window, which will automatically bring you to Plynth and turn on your phone’s camera. Bring your camera’s viewer to the still image (Plynth will display frame corners to guide you). Once your device hits the right position, your chosen video will play while your phone is hovering over the image.
Once you’re satisfied with your AR technology creation, you can now save the QR code image or link to send for later.
Option 1: Click the “Download QR code” to save the code, which you can send to your special someone online. Or you can print it out for your Valentine to scan.
Option 2: You can also click “Copy Link” to generate the link that will take your Valentine directly to the Plynth website. They can then activate the card by hovering the cam’s viewer on the image.
You can also print your chosen still image as part of a paper-based card or save it to send the image file to your loved one by clicking the “Download Artwork” button.
Sharing the Love Through AR
Innovative technologies like AR enable people to find new ways to connect with their loved ones. AR greeting cards are a prime example of this. They allow you to celebrate special days and share the love with others through digital experiences.
