Premier League throws in AR trophy hunt for US soccer tournament

As interest in blending together the real and virtual worlds endures, AR-powered scavenger hunts have become an increasingly popular marketing tool, including as a way to engage consumers around a brand they may not be familiar with. Though this is Premier League’s first foray into the AR landscape — and its first U.S.-based summer tournament — others like Shake Shack and Doritoshave recently launched similar experiences.

Those engaging in the league’s experience can up their odds of winning a variety of prizes as they locate the various trophies — hidden at high-profile locations, per release details — with some rewards including VIP tickets for the Summer Series matches, signed shirts and additional merchandise. Fans interested in taking part can access the experience via a microsite that will prompt them to scan a QR code. 

Additionally, fans that don’t live near any of the five host cities can engage in the effort with additional experiences that allow them to take branded selfies or place the Premier League Trophy in a location of their choice. The experience was created with metaverse agency Doppelgänger and AR developer Rose Digital, which uses the AR engine from Niantic’s 8th Wall. 

The Premier League Summer Series will feature six clubs — Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Fulham and Newcastle United — competing in nine matches at venues in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Orlando, New Jersey and Maryland. 

Other sports marketers have also turned to AR as a means to better engage fans, likely in a move to attract younger audiences like Gen Z. For example, the Los Angeles Rams in December partnered with Stagwell for a live AR experience meant to help fans engage with one another through 3D experiences and mini-games. In 2021, State Farm launched an AR treasure hunt featuring quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes.