Here on the blog we feature a lot of new layers with impressive 3D models or (more recently) animations, but sometimes, less is more. Many of the most popular and useful layers on the Layar platform are the simple and functional ones that provide relevant and plentiful information about one’s surroundings.

The new Cruzvirtual layer, a project created by Layar partners ElipseAD for major Spanish pharmaceutical cooperative Cofares, is a perfect example of how a simple-looking layer can be extremely effective.

The Cruzvirtual layer is a collection of nearly 20,000 pharmacies in Spain with location information and contact options for each. About 2,000 pharmacies in the database have also paid for the “premium” services, which adds email, hours of operation and social sharing capabilities to the pharmacy’s listing - a unique example of how developers can produce revenue from layers!

In the coming months, there are also plans to add a direct messaging system to the premium pharmacies that would allow customers to request products, pharmacies to solve customer issues and more.

In addition to being on the Layar Browser, Cruzvirtual is also available in a free, standalone app in the App Store.