Augmented reality is the next best thing to being there — at least where the hottest new plant introductions are concerned.
Nursery professionals can view, and vote on, 2020 Farwest Show New Varieties Showcase selections using the new HipEngager™ augmented reality feature from showcase sponsor Hip Labels. They simply scan any plant photo from the NVS section of the August issue of Digger magazine, and are taken to the plants and the voting online.
Those who vote will be entered in a contest, with the randomly chosen winner receiving an all access pass to next year’s Farwest Show. Voting continues through August 28, 2020.
The 2020 New Varieties Showcase selections are newly introduced to the 2020-2021 market, and exhibit qualities that set them apart such as improved hardiness, disease resistance, color, or form.
Farwest Show organizers made the 2020 New Varieties Showcase a virtual feature after the show itself had to be cancelled due to restrictions on large gatherings and the closure of the Oregon Convention Center. The show is held annually in Portland and produced by the Oregon Association of Nurseries.
The HipEngager feature, from Hip Labels, allows end consumers to scan the plant tag images using the Arilyn app for their smartphone to learn more about the plant. Unlike QR codes which can only be linked to a static URL, HipEngager can be used to connect customers to a wide array of information about the plant and can easily be updated with new information.
To use this new technology to participate in the New Varieties Showcase contest, follow these easy steps:
- Download the Arilyn app (available for free from Google Play or the Apple App Store)
- Scan the image of the plant in the New Varieties Showcase featured in the August issue of Digger magazine. (Sample image below.)
- This will take you to the online contest where you can vote for up to three of your favorite new plant varieties. After the contest ends on August 28, 2020, scanning the image will take you to a webpage where you can learn more about the plant.
After voting concludes, the three highest-voted plants will be announced in the September issue of Digger magazine, and on www.DiggerMagazine.com and www.FarwestShow.com.