NZ Post brings the magic of Christmas to life with first Augmented Reality stamps
NZ Post’s 2020 Christmas Stamps tell the Nativity story through four stained-glass window inspired illustrations – with a magical twist.
NZ Post Head of Stamps and Collectables Antony Harris says it’s the first time they’ve created an Augmented Reality experience with stamps.
“2020 has been an unpredictable, stressful and upsetting year for many families due to COVID-19, and more than ever we felt it was time to celebrate the magic and connection of Christmas.”
People can experience the magic by downloading the free Magenta app onto a smartphone, then scanning each stamp. The stamps “come alive” telling an engaging interactive story of the annunciation, the birth of Jesus, the star of Bethlehem and the wise men’s gifts.
“Our Christmas stamp issue is our most popular of the year and is one of several annually recurring thematic issues cherished by collectors.
“While the stamps tell a religious story, we believe the holiday season is a time for celebrating connections between all people, and we hope the magic of the Augmented Reality technology will be an experience all New Zealanders will enjoy,” Antony says.
“Earlier this year NZ Post was proud to provide an essential service to New Zealanders during Lockdown, helping to maintain connections while we were kept apart. These stamps are a fun way to celebrate these connections while sending Christmas cards to friends and family.”
The Christmas stamps are now available for sale at nzpost.co.nz/christmas2020.
Watch a video on how the stamps work
With the holiday season approaching, NZ Post asks people to take note of the cut-offs for sending dates in New Zealand and around the world.
“Due to the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic we have brought forward the deadlines for sending parcels overseas by one week. But we are mindful of how quickly things can change, so we will be keeping our website nzpost.co.nz up to date if there are any changes to these dates between now and Christmas.”