Retail real estate firm British Land has launched one of the UKs largest ever AR campaigns, creating an augmented reality present hunt across 21 of its large retail properties that aims to enhance the consumer experience as shops prepare for the holiday rush.

The campaign, which runs until 24 December, aims to drive footfall, dwell time and brand loyalty, as well as increasing sales for brands who occupy British Land properties from Plymouth to Edinburgh.

The app-based childrens game, Freezys Christmas Adventure, encourages families to follow a five-step virtual present hunt, helping the titular snowman overcome obstacles and gather gifts for Santa Claus.

“Consumers want places where they can shop, eat and be entertained,” said Ben Dimson. “We put our customers at the heart of our offer and Freezys Christmas Adventure will give families visiting our centres a fun and memorable experience. Our scale enables us to invest in innovation and industrialise successful technologies across the business.”

The game is the first of a four campaign-partnership between British Land and AR specialists Harmony Studios, following app and gamification trials at three centres throughout 2016. The app is designed for children between three and nine, available on iOS and Android, and doesnt require wi-fi to run.

“We have a loyal customer base who often shop with their children (18.3 per cent compared to the national average of 14.8 per cent), so we think a family game that can be safely uploaded and played again and again is perfect for our customers and their children,” said Dimson.