Stella’s Augmented Reality the new Product Placement?

Stella Artois has launched Le Bar Guide to help beer connoisseurs locate a perfectly poured Chalice of the world’s best-selling Belgian beer. The application combines the street view on the iPhone screen with augmented reality (digital images overlaid on the screen when looking through the iPhone 3GS camera) to provide an interactive guide to nearby bars.

Searches can be organized by country, zip code or rating. With the iPhone held vertically, Le Bar Guide reveals profiles of bars in the immediate vicinity, with graphics overlaid on the street view.

The application, created by Acrossair, has user-generated content features for consumers to rate bars according to ‘Le menu,’ ‘Le dance,’ ‘La clientele’ and ‘Le service,’ creating a peer review system for beer connoisseurs worldwide. Those looking for a perfect setting for people watching, a lively dance spot, or just a great place to meet with friends can select a bar according to their preferences – from New York , to Los Angeles , to London .

The 3D augmented reality version of Le Bar Guide can be used on iPhone 3GS handsets, while a 2D version is available for iPhone 3G and iTouch users.