OVERVIEW
Client: Qlik
Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA
Date: April 2026
The Challenge: Merging Real-Time Data with AI Creativity
Qlik, a leader in data and analytics, wanted to go beyond a standard photo booth.
For their Qlik Connect conference, they envisioned a "Qlik Games" activation where physical performance at the booth (Hockey, Golf, and Cycling) would be reflected on a physical takeaway.
The activation faced several complex technical requirements:
- Live Data Integration: The cards needed to pull real-time stats (race times, targets hit, distance to pin) directly from the Qlik Games leaderboard API.
- Dynamic Customization: The AI needed to generate sport-specific "action shots" while ensuring facial recognition remained high-quality.
- Workflow Logic: The system had to handle two distinct user journeys: those who had completed the games (showing full stats) and those who had not yet participated (showing "pre-event" branding).
- Branding Consistency: Delivering a "white label" experience where the user interface and physical cards felt natively part of the Qlik Connect ecosystem.
The Solution: Data-Driven AI Trading Cards
We developed a sophisticated, API-connected AI Trading Card workflow. Attendees scanned their badges via QR codes, which instantly fetched their latest game scores and integrated them into custom-designed templates.
Key Features Included:
- Multi-Sport AI Themes: Custom-tuned AI models for Hockey, Golf, and Cycling. We optimized the prompt engineering to include realistic details like helmets for cyclists and dynamic "ice shards" and "light glares" for hockey players to create an authentic "pro-athlete" feel.
- Smart Data Handling: We implemented logic to handle scores and "long name" overflows, ensuring every card looked perfectly typeset regardless of the data string.
- Dual-Sided Personalization: The front featured the AI action shot and primary stats, while the back included a QR code linking directly back to the global leaderboard.
The Results: A Data-Powered Engagement Engine
The "Qlik Games" activation was a viral success on the show floor, blending the competitive spirit of the games with the "wow factor" of generative AI.
- Seamless Integration: Successfully pulled and rendered complex data strings from the Qlik API in real-time.
- High Engagement: The "action shot" optimization, featuring winning poses, resulted in high-value keepsakes that attendees immediately shared on social media using the #QlikConnect hashtag.
- Lead Generation: By requiring a badge scan for the card, Qlik was able to track booth engagement and game participation with precision.
- Zero-Friction Printing: On-site local crews managed high-volume printing, delivering a physical collectible that functioned as both a trophy and a business card.
Why It Worked
- It Was Validating: By displaying real-time scores, the cards became a badge of honor for the "All-Stars" of the conference.
- Iterative Design: Through rapid prototyping, we refined "action shots" to ensure they looked professional without compromising the user's likeness.
- Brand First: A completely white-labeled UI ensured the technology felt like a proprietary Qlik innovation.
- Bridged the Digital/Physical Gap: The physical card sat on desks, while the embedded QR code drove traffic back to the digital leaderboard.
Conclusion
The Qlik Connect activation proved that AI is at its best when it is fueled by data. By turning cold analytics into a warm, personalized memory, Snapmatic AI helped Qlik demonstrate the power of their own platform in a way that was fun, tangible, and unforgettable.
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