Augmented Reality Coming to a Cereal Bowl Near You thanks to Balti Virtual, Snapchat, Giant Foods, and the Washington Capitals

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Balti Virtual, a full-service AR/VR studio located in Baltimore, Maryland, has teamed up with leading grocery chain Giant Foods and the Washington Capitals to create limited-edition, augmented reality cereal box that will hit store later this month. 

Ovi O’s Slapshot presented by Giant, created by Balti Virtual using Snapchat's Lens Studio, allows customers to scan the box and access an interactive hockey game with the ability to shoot the cereal at moving targets. After time runs out, players can share their scores on social media to compete with friends or scan the box again to keep playing. Information on how to access the game in Snapchat will be released in conjunction with the cereal on Sept. 17.

See the full press release from Giant below. 

Giant Food and Capitals Star Alex Ovechkin To Release Limited Edition Ovi O’s Cereal 

Exclusively available at Giant Food, cereal box features Ovechkin’s trademark smile and supports the Children’s Cancer Foundation, Inc. (CCF)

Landover, Md. (September 4, 2019) – Giant Food, the leading greater Washington D.C. regional grocery chain and official grocery sponsor of the Washington Capitals, today announced a collaboration with Washington Capitals Captain Alex Ovechkin to release a limited-edition Ovi’ O’s cereal.  The honey nut cereal will be available starting Sept. 17, Ovechkin’s birthday, while supplies last.

A portion of proceeds from the sale of Ovi O’s will benefit the Maryland-based Children’s Cancer Foundation, Inc. a non-profit that is committed to funding locally-based researchers, programs and facilities until every child is assured a healthy future.

“Giant Food has been a sponsor of the Washington Capitals for over three years, and like all fans, we have enjoyed the spirit and energy Alex brings to the game and our local community,” said Ira Kress, interim President of Giant Food. “Teaming together for such a fun and healthy product is a win-win for us all. We are proud to offer a delicious breakfast cereal that will also help fund the important work of the Children’s Cancer Foundation.”

The cereal box will be hard to miss for dedicated hockey fans, as Ovi O’s will feature Ovechkin’s toothless smile on the box and will sell for $2.69 for a 12.25 oz. box. In addition, the Capitals teamed up with Balti Virtual to bring the Ovi O’s box to life with an augmented reality game, Ovi O’s Slapshot presented by Giant, using Snapchat's Lens Studio. Customers who have purchased Ovi O’s can scan the box in Snapchat to access this interactive hockey game which gives fans the ability to control Ovechkin as he shoots the cereal at moving targets. After time runs out, players can share their score on social media to compete with friends or scan the box again to keep playing. Information on how to access the game in Snapchat will be released in conjunction with the cereal on Sept. 17.

The cereal is available across all 163 stores in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. 

“I love cereal and it’s a huge honor to work with Giant to make Ovi O’s and help the Children’s Cancer Foundation support kids and families in the D.C. community,” said Alex Ovechkin.

The launch of Ovi O’s marks one of many community-related initiatives in which Ovechkin is involved. In addition to supporting organizations that grant wishes of sick children, Ovechkin also participates in Ovi’s Crazy 8s. Ovechkin created Ovi’s Crazy 8s in 2006, a program through which he purchases and donates eight Capitals season tickets to Most Valuable Kids and ASHA, allowing fans who normally wouldn’t have access to tickets the opportunity to attend games. He also has a longstanding relationship with the American Special Hockey Association, having hosted ASHA for skating and street hockey events for five consecutive seasons. 

For more details about Giant Food, Ovi O’s cereal, and other ways to help support Children’s Cancer Foundation, Inc., visit giantfood.com or www.childrenscancerfoundation.org.

About Giant Food
Giant Food is headquartered in Landover, Md. and operates 163 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. Giant Food employs approximately 20,000 associates. Included within the 163 stores are 153 full-service pharmacies. For more information on Giant, visit www.giantfood.com.

About Balti Virtual 

Balti Virtual is a full-service studio focused on building amazing Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences for brands, agencies, and institutions. Over the past four years, the Baltimore-based company has worked with forward-thinking partners including Marvel, Hallmark, Under Armour and PayPal. Balti Virtual is a one-stop-shop that solves complex industry problems with expert knowledge of cutting-edge technology. From mobile native AR apps and WebXR to headset-based VR/AR, the BV team excels at creating compelling immersive experiences. Whether it’s marketing or entertainment, education, training or healthcare, Balti Virtual works with industries to create awe-inspiring and out-of-the-box campaigns. With roots dating back to the video game industry of the late 90s and a stellar track record of delivering cutting-edge experiences, Balti Virtual is uniquely positioned to help make virtually any AR/VR dream a reality. For more information, visit www.baltivirtual.com.