iBeacon-based Treasure Hunt delights kids at shopping centre

Children visiting their local shopping centre this week are amongst the first in Australia to participate in an interactive treasure hunt using ibeacon technology. Partnering with the smart beacon enabled App HelloLocal, ISPT owned shopping centre the Bendigo Marketplace have leveraged the latest technology in a fun and novel way to engage children of all ages these school holidays.

Embarking on their treasure hunt journey equipped with pirate eye patch, treasure map, stickers and smartphone, the HelloLocal App loads each treasure hunt clue with a personalised message letting the child know where the next beacon can be found. As the child locates a beacon they are presented with a new image on screen notifying them of the next sticker to be added to the treasure map.

‘The journey of a child walking through the shopping centre with smartphone in hand and being surprised by the visual notification works extremely well’ says Dannielle Downs Marketing Manager for the Bendigo Marketplace.

‘You can see the joy on both the kids and parents faces as they reach their final destination receiving their small prize at the golden treasure chest. Having dozens of children walk through the centre with pirate patches and smartphones is drawing attention from shoppers and retailers alike, building a greater sense of fun and community at the centre’ says Ms Downs.

‘This is a great example of how iBeacon technology through the HelloLocal App can be used to delivery smart, context aware fun information. Its not just about sharing offers and deals, the possibilities are endless and its exciting to see the Bendigo Marketplace innovating in this space’ says Brent Nolan CEO

of HelloLocal.

The Bendigo Marketplace treasure hunt is running from 12 to 18 January. To participate download the free HelloLocal App for compatible iPhone or Android smartphones from hellolocal.me and visit the Treasure Hunt display to collect your patch, map and stickers to start your journey.