Fans don't just see immersive media - they experience it. Click play to see fans reacting to Activated Merch & Activated Apparel:



The future of media is here

App-free immersive media is a highly captivating, lightweight, globally scalable format that seamlessly activates an always-on extension of merchandising, advertising, and licensing initiatives.

35-86%

of AR interactions converted to action

5.4-6.2

number of interactions per AR-activated unit

72-90%

interaction rate

1.5-3 min

avg. engagement duration

50%

of AR experiences are shared with others

+11%

engagement growth 2+ weeks post distribution

1.7

attendees engaging per minute at largest Anime convention in North America

680+

unique interactions per AR-activated retail unit

Examples

Activated T-shirt (NFC)

Activated Flyer (QR/NFC)

Activated Sticker (QR)

Activated Poster (QR)

Activated Magazine (QR)

Activated T-shirt (NFC)

Activated Standee (QR)

Activated Postcard (NFC)

Gamified Sticker (NFC)


Gamified Sticker (NFC)


Gamified Poster (NFC + QR)

Geospatial / Location-based

With opt-in engagement, AR media delivers the authentic, experiential marketing that today’s consumers actively seek out— not avoid

200%

more engagement than non-AR media

91%

Gen Z members show strong interest in AR

50%

of AR interactions are shared with others

1.73B

AR users worldwide - that's 1 in 5!

3B

AR-compatible mobile devices worldwide

Case study 1:

Award-winning Sakamoto Days retail program

MEDIALIFE™ turned Mr. Sakamoto’s climactic transformation into a live, app-free immersive experience that blurred the line between physical and digital fandom. This first-of-its-kind retail activation redefined how anime fans connect with storytelling.

This retail program was awarded the Platinum Pinnacle Award for Experiential Marketing & Communications alongside industry leaders like Electronic Arts for strategic work shaping the future of marketing, communications, and media.

Retail Program

We distributed activated magazines, stickers, and posters across 150+ comic and manga retailers. We also installed activated retail displays at select locations to spark in-store interaction. Fans engaged, explored, and shared their experiences—driving increased foot traffic and reported uplift in Sakamoto Days manga sales.

Live Events Program

We brought Sakamoto Days out of the living room and directly into fan's lives, turning Mr. Sakamoto’s iconic transformation into a live, participatory experience. Fans eagerly interacted with activated print and immersive street-level installations at Anime Expo, San Diego Comic Con, and Anime NYC.

"The standee has been a really fun attraction for our shoppers and we love it."

- Shop Owner, Cabrillo Beach Curiosities

Click play to see fans reacting:

"This was a very unique activation. Our patrons loved it. The only issue is that it drove demand for the manga…which we ran out of pretty quickly. Can you get us more of the manga?"

- Store Manager, Austin Books and Comics

"Mr. Sakamoto is the first thing our customers see when they walk in! Many folks interact with him. We rarely jump in and tell them to use their phones. People are taking the stickers, and we've sold quite a few Mangas since he's been up."

- Store Manager, Pulp Fiction Long Beach

"We would love to do more activations like this. It's really something different. Please let us know when the next one is, we would really love to be a part of it."

- CMO, Midtown Comics, Inc

"We love having Mr. Sakamoto here! How long can we keep him up?"

- Store Manager, Manga Spot Chicago

Engagement duration

3m 22s avg engagement (NFC-activated unit)

2m 37s avg engagement (QR-activated unit)

Repeat engagement

5.46X interactions per NFC sticker

Retail unit engagement (sample data set)

01

Toy Tokyo (New York City, USA): 683 unique interactions

02

Forbidden Planet (New York City, USA): 490 unique interactions

03

Golden Age Collectibles (Vancouver, Canada): 356 unique interactions

Live event engagement (QR units + NFC units)

1.7 attendees engaging per minute at Anime NYC

Long-tail impact

+11% engagement growth 2+ weeks post distribution

Case Study 2: amplifying fandom immersion at anime conventions

Challenge

Convention exhibitors struggle to create memorable fan experiences that extend beyond the physical event, deliver measurable ROI, and sustain social media visibility.

Solution

We enhanced print media and pop-culture merch with immersive overlays using NFC for frictionless interaction, creating immersive touchpoints that drive repeat engagement & conversion.

Execution

We distributed activated merch at 10+ major conventions: Anime Expo, San Diego Comic Con, Anime NYC, New York Comic Con, AWA, Kawaii Kon, Sakura-Con, Anime North, etc. delivering complete end-to-end implementation.

86%

of AR interactions converted to action

6.2

number of interactions per AR-activated unit

90%

interaction rate

2+ min

avg. engagement duration

50%

of AR experiences are shared with others

Fik-Shun

TikTok

@dance10fikshunoffical

5.8M Followers

Logan Chitwood

TikTok

@theloganchitwood

7M Followers

Anime Fan Community

Engaged over 100k anime fans with relatable activated content & merch



NFC creates a seamless touchpoint to achieve superior engagement

QR activations frequently face barriers such as user hesitation, camera issues, and limited durability, which significantly hinder engagement potential. NFC technology provides a superior solution for frictionless interactions, robust durability, and seamless delivery of immersive content experiences

Intuitive UX reduces user reluctance

Frictionless interaction drives repeat usage (no camera app required)

Durable NFC tags are easily applied to products (machine washable, no battery)

12X

more interactions per product with NFC vs. QR

Immersive media campaigns are a rich source of first-party data & consumer insights

  • Interaction volume & frequency
    Total interactions and how often fans engage
  • Session metrics
    Time, date, and duration of fan sessions
  • Fan insights
    Unique vs. returning fans and revisit behavior
  • Location analytics
    Engagement breakdown by region
  • Engagement funnel performance
    Tap rates, dwell time, drop-offs, and completion rates
  • Social amplification
    Share-to-view ratios and virality indicators

How to activate

Step 1: Tap phone to NFC (phone can be locked or unlocked)

Point camera at t-shirt graphics

Unlock exclusive content & offer

10+ years of anime merchandising experience

Illustrative examples of merchandise we have developed and produced. We can also produce other items like plushies, custom jackets, pants, and bags upon request.

About MEDIALIFE™

We deliver a new kind of shared experience. MEDIALIFE™ is an immersive media production and merchandising studio that does one thing exceptionally well: activate IP. Our rollouts transform passive audiences into active participants through emotionally resonant experiences. We channel beloved storylines directly into everyday lives, turning licensed merch, promotional print and retail environments into immersive story extensions.

We are giving fandoms what they want. Digital ad fatigue is real. Social media engagement is at an all-time low. Fans crave something different: new experiences that feel personal, participatory and lasting. Our NFC-activated tech stack integrates seamlessly delivering the “wow” factor of immersive media with the measurability of a digital ad unit. Fans readily seek out this emerging format by repeatedly re-engaging with products they already love.

We are specialized. With deep roots in anime merchandising, entertainment, digital marketing, and spatial media development, we are activating the globe with immersive media, one physical surface at a time. We operate on a core belief: delight is the greatest form of virality. We routinely deploy disruptive immersive media activations that drive cultural momentum and FOMO.