Using Augmented Reality to Send Readers on a Wild Duck Chase

After three wildly successful installments of the Apollo children’s book series, the Sylvamo Corporation and Accent^® Opaque wanted to send Andi and her loyal canine companion, Apollo, on another adventure. Once again, we wanted to leverage augmented reality (AR) technology to create an engaging reading experience, but the challenge was to create a whole new landscape for the dynamic duo to explore. 

Not only did the story and characters need to provide an opportunity for AR to enhance the narrative, it also needed to accommodate and support the trademark illustration style that made the three previous books so beloved among readers. 

Apollo Goes to Memphis follows Andi and Apollo on a class trip to Memphis where they take in some of the city’s most renowned landmarks and destinations. A visit to the Peabody Hotel’s fountain sparks an unexpected encounter with a family of ducks, one of which escapes and leads Andi and Apollo on a chase throughout the city. 

The use of AR allows readers to experience a variety of classic Memphis locations in a more immersive way that helps convey the city’s rich history. What’s more, AR supplements the vivid illustration style of Kyle Becket, who returns to the illustrator chair and creates another vibrant world for Andi and Apollo’s adventure. 

Printed on the Canon ColorStream 8000 series color inkjet press (pages) and a Canon imagePRESS V1350 series cutsheet color press (cover), Apollo Goes to Memphis features a combination of Accent Opaque 80 lb. Text Super Smooth with ImageLok Technology and Accent Opaque Heavyweights 120 lb. Smooth. 

The end result is a powerful, dynamic piece of book project that uses the exceptional print quality of digital inkjet technology to help foster a love of reading at any early age.