The world of marketing and advertising is constantly evolving, especially in this age of the digital. And, digital marketing strategies and tactics are updated as technology advances.
We’re here to talk about AR advertising. First AR, which stands for augmented reality, is an interactive experience of an environment which is just like the real world. The objects in our real world are enhanced to appeal to multiple senses including visual, auditory, touch, and even others. They’re enhanced with the use of computers and other technologies of course. Feeling a little lost? I was. Remember the game that made the world go crazy? Pokemon Go is an amazing example of augmented reality. You just moved your phone around the real world and in the camera the pokemon appeared for you to capture. Side note. AR and VR are different. Virtual reality is a virtual world. AR is overlays on top of our real world.
What’s the Deal With AR Advertising?
But we’re not here to talk about AR games. AR advertising is here and it’s changing the way that digital marketing and advertising is functioning. With AR, advertising becomes interactive. Marketers and advertisers can reach out to their customers or target audience in never-before-seen ways. So, how does it work?
Probably the best way to understand how it works is to look at how others are making use of it. Let’s start with Zara. They launched their app which allowed their customers to point their phones at different places in their shops or on the boxes they receive, and it showed them their clothing lines.
Domino’s Pizza gives their customers the ability to create their own pizza as well as seeing the option to the full menu.
IKEA, everyone’s favorite furniture retailer, released a mobile app back in 2013 that showed their potential customers virtual pieces of furniture. All they had to do was put a print furniture catalog on the floor, scan it with their phones or tablets, and they were able to see the virtual furniture! This allowed them to easily visualize what the furniture would look like in their homes.
AR advertising is definitely gaining traction and it’s not just because it’s super cool! Yes, part of it is because it’s more accessible now with the upgrades in mobile technology and their applications. But, a main reason has to be that it provides engagement that other types of advertising never did and also immersion. J
To Jump, or Not to Jump on the Bandwagon
I say jump. Why? Because AR advertising makes ads interactive. This in turn makes them engaging, and that of course makes them effective! Many companies are already on board with this tech and more will be getting on. With the technology available nowadays, and the technology that will soon be available, augmented reality will be a huge part of our lives for decades to come. Jump on now while the players are few and there’s space to make an early impact.