Augmented Reality (AR) technology has revolutionised how brands approach marketing. AR allows brands to create immersive experiences seamlessly blending virtual and real worlds. This technology has opened up new opportunities for marketers to connect with their customers and create a more engaging and personalised experience.
AR is the future of marketing —it allows brands to create immersive experiences that are personalised and engaging. AR is also becoming more accessible as technology continues to evolve. As more people adopt AR-enabled devices like smartphones and smart glasses, the opportunities for brands to use AR in marketing will only increase.
This blog post will discuss how brands can use Augmented Reality in marketing, why AR is the future, which brands are leading in AR, and some use cases in industries like banking, travel, retail, medical, and fitness.
How Brands Can Use Augmented Reality (AR) in Marketing
- Product Visualisation: Brands can use AR to create virtual product demos that allow customers to visualise how a product looks and functions in the real world. For example, Ikea’s AR app allows customers to visualise furniture in their homes before purchasing.
- Interactive Ads: Brands can use AR to create interactive ads that allow customers to engage with their products more effectively. For example, Pepsi used AR to create a bus shelter ad that allowed customers to play a game of soccer with virtual players.
- Virtual Try-On: Brands can use AR to create virtual try-on experiences that allow customers to see how products will look on them before making a purchase. Sephora’s AR app allows customers to try on makeup virtually.
- Gamification: Brands can use AR to create gamified experiences that allow customers to interact with their products in a more engaging way. McDonald’s used AR to create a Monopoly-themed game that customers could play in-store.
How can CMOs prove to the board these new technologies are working and that they should implement them?
To prove the effectiveness of AR in marketing, marketers must measure the impact of AR on their campaign metrics. This can be done by tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like engagement, brand awareness, sales, and customer satisfaction. Brands can measure AR’s impact using various methods, including surveys, A/B testing, and analytics tools. By demonstrating a clear ROI and a positive influence on these KPIs, CMOs can make a compelling case to the board for implementing AR and other new technologies.
Let’s look at the differences between VR and AR in marketing.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are two technologies that are often confused but have some essential distinctions.
Virtual Reality is a technology that immerses users in a completely virtual environment, often through a headset. VR experiences can be used in marketing to create fully immersive experiences that allow customers to explore a product or service in a virtual environment. For example, car companies like Audi have used VR to create virtual test drives enabling customers to experience a car before purchasing.
On the other hand, Augmented Reality is a technology that overlays virtual content onto the real world, often through a smartphone or tablet. AR experiences can be used in marketing to create interactive and personalised experiences that allow customers to engage with a product or service in the real world. For instance, beauty companies like L’Oreal have used AR to create virtual try-on experiences that allow customers to see how makeup will look on their faces before making a purchase.
One of the main differences between VR and AR in marketing is the level of immersion. VR provides a fully immersive experience that can transport users to a virtual environment, while AR provides a more interactive and personalised experience that overlays virtual content in the real world.
VR and AR in marketing also require different levels of technology needed. VR experiences typically require more advanced technology, like a VR headset, while AR experiences can be created using a smartphone or tablet.
VR and AR are two different technologies that can be used in marketing to create different experiences. CMOs should consider the goals of their marketing campaign and the preferences of their target audience when deciding which technology to use.
The most notable and significant difference between AR and VR is that AR adds things to a person’s existing world, and VR immerses them in a new world, so while the VR world is a new reality, AR supplements an existing reality.
Which of these technologies is better for marketers?
The excitement and enthusiasm for AR and VR technologies are evident, yet how these technologies influence consumers remains uncertain. Tim Hilken of Maastricht University in The Netherlands undertook a research project to understand better AR and VR’s impacts on the consumer experience. The results indicated that both technologies could effectively achieve marketing objectives with different outcomes. Specifically, AR proved more efficient at generating higher purchase intentions, while VR elicited more favourable attitudes towards the brand.
Why Prioritise Augmented Reality Over Virtual Reality?
In most cases, consumers would naturally prefer AR over VR, and here’s why.
Augmented Reality grants a new dimension of depth to our world, enhancing our senses and immersing us in a new reality beyond the limitations of what we perceive. Unlike Virtual Reality, AR empowers us to live in our Reality while unlocking infinite possibilities that can improve our lives.
Humans have an innate desire to stay grounded in the real world, and AR provides the perfect solution to make that happen. Simply overlaying computer-generated content onto our everyday experiences, we can step into an enhanced metaverse while firmly planted in the real world.
When it comes to VR, it can be isolating and somewhat disorienting for many individuals, and most people do not want to spend hours looking at screens right in front of their eyes.
The benefits of AR, however, are numerous. Its interactive capabilities unprecedentedly open up the potential for education, work, travel, and entertainment. Whether it’s a museum tour or a surgical procedure demonstration, AR takes learning to a new level. Imagine experiencing art and museums, getting around a new city, or even redecorating your home without leaving your front door.
AR brings to life a whole new universe of possibilities. With an immersive first-person perspective and the freedom to customise your view to your preferences, AR provides an extraordinary sensory experience that both VR and the real world alone could never replicate. AR allows you to see what others see in real-time.
Augmented Reality has limitless potential to improve our lives, and it’s time we embrace the real-world solutions it offers.
The use of AR in the Metaverse
The metaverse is a term used to describe a virtual world where people can interact with each other and digital objects in a fully immersive way. It is a fully realised virtual universe that is not constrained by the physical world’s limitations. In the metaverse, users can create and customise their digital avatars and interact with other users in real-time.
On the other hand, Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital content onto the physical world. AR enhances the real world by adding virtual objects, images, and information visible to users through mobile devices, smart glasses, or other AR-enabled devices.
While the metaverse and AR are related to creating virtual experiences, the critical difference is the level of immersion. The metaverse is a fully immersive digital world where users can interact with each other and digital objects in a virtual environment. In contrast, AR enhances the real world by adding virtual elements on top of it.
As augmented reality technology grows more accessible and cost-effective, more people use it. Marketers can pair AR with the metaverse to develop vivid experiences.
In augmented Reality (AR), data tags and overlays pop up over virtual and tangible objects, providing details and action points so you can see real and virtual things simultaneously.
Augmented Reality in the metaverse offers unprecedented opportunities for marketers. By utilising AR-based product visualisations, brands can create emotionally engaging, interactive experiences that can be accessed from anywhere. This could revolutionise the marketing industry by breaking the bounds of traditional advertising and bringing the advantages of AR to the masses.
Persistent Augmented Reality
A report shows that over 50% of smartphone owners already use AR apps when shopping.
Augmented Reality (AR) offers a way to blend virtual elements into the real world. With Persistent AR, digital imagery and sounds become part of the world beyond when you’re using them, allowing for a longer-term experience and presence. Persistent AR is seen as an essential tool to facilitate the evolution of the metaverse.
Persistent AR is an innovative technology that overlays digital objects in real-world environments seamlessly and persistently. In other words, it allows users to interact with virtual elements in the real world for an extended period without interruptions. Persistent AR has gained immense popularity in various fields, including entertainment, education, gaming, and retail, to name a few.
A noteworthy example of Persistent AR is the game “Pokémon GO.” This game overlays digital creatures in the user’s real-world environment and allows them to interact with them in real time. The game uses the smartphone’s camera and GPS to track the user’s movements, enabling the creatures to follow them. This type of persistent AR is also known as location-based AR.
Another example of persistent AR is the app “IKEA Place.” This app allows users to place digital furniture in their real-world environment and see how it would look. The app uses the smartphone camera to measure the room’s dimensions, ensuring the digital furniture is proportionate and scaled correctly.
The retail industry uses Persistent AR to enhance the shopping experience. Many cosmetic companies have launched AR try-on apps allowing customers to try different makeup products virtually. These apps use facial recognition technology to map the customer’s face, allowing them to see how different products look on their skin.
Persistent AR is revolutionising how we interact with digital content in the real world. Its endless possibilities offer numerous benefits in various industries, making it an essential tool for the future of technology.
Persistent Augmented Reality (AR) technology enables the placement of virtual objects in the same location each time they are viewed. Apple ARKit and Google ARCore, amongst other mobile AR APIs, allow this kind of experience to be created. Marketers can use this by deploying virtual billboards that stay visible within a given area of the metaverse.
Platforms and brands leading in AR
- Apple: Apple’s AR kit has made it easy for developers to create AR experiences for iOS devices. Apple has also integrated AR into its products, such as the AR-enabled Measure app.
- Snapchat: Snapchat’s AR filters and lenses have been a hit with users, allowing brands to create their own AR filters and lenses for advertising.
- Google: Google’s ARCore has made it easy for developers to create AR experiences for Android devices. Google has also integrated AR into its products, such as the AR-enabled Google Maps.
- Facebook: Facebook’s Spark AR Studio allows developers to create AR experiences for Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. Facebook has also launched AR ads allowing brands to create interactive AR ads.
Use cases of AR across Industries
Augmented Reality is a game-changer in the marketing field. It provides brands with a new platform to create immersive experiences that are personalised and engaging. The application of AR in industries like banking, travel, retail, medicine, and fitness highlights the potential for AR to transform the way we interact with products and services. As more brands embrace AR, we expect to see more innovative and exciting use cases emerge.
Here are some noteworthy examples of how various industries are utilising AR technology.
- Banking: AR can be used in banking to create virtual banking experiences that allow customers to manage their finances in a more engaging way. Bank of America’s AR app lets customers visualise their account balances and transactions.
- Travel: AR can be used to create virtual tours that allow customers to explore destinations before they book their trips. Marriott’s AR app allows customers to explore hotel rooms and amenities before booking.
- Retail: AR can create virtual shopping experiences that allow customers to try on products and visualise how they will look in their homes. Ikea’s AR app allows customers to see how appliances and furniture will look in their homes.
- Medical: AR can be used in medicine to create virtual training experiences that allow medical professionals to practice procedures in a safe and controlled environment. For example, AccuVein’s AR device enables medical professionals to see veins under the skin to facilitate IV insertions.
- Fitness: AR can be used in fitness to create virtual workout experiences that allow customers to participate in personalised and engaging workouts. Peloton’s AR app allows customers to participate in virtual cycling classes and see their progress in real-time.
How Can AR Be Used for Marketing Today?
While it’s still early days for AR, and we have not quite reached widespread adoption, brands must start thinking about using AR capabilities now to prepare for the future once it is accessible enough for rapid mass adoption. It is essential to understand what makes the technology better and what practical use cases exist for this technology. How can AR help brands position their products in the best way possible? And how can it enhance experience and engagement?
The technology enables marketers to position their products and services favourably while allowing customers to build an experience around the products that pique their interest. In this way, AR opens a world of possibilities not only on how but also where and the scenarios in which the product may be used.
In a world where customers want to be in control of how they want to engage with brands, AR can become an essential component of a marketer’s toolkit.
Pairing AR in the metaverse to elevate brand experiences.
How does AR marketing fit into the metaverse for brands?
While the mass adoption of the metaverse is still in progress, there is a significant number of regular users that brands can leverage.
Marketers must understand that the metaverse extends beyond virtual worlds, gaming, and PR events. The metaverse’s larger opportunity for brands lies in the real world rather than within metaverse worlds like Horizon Worlds, Decentraland, Roblox, or the Sandbox.
The most significant advantage of using AR is the endless possibilities it creates that do not exist in real life.
In the metaverse, AR will allow consumers to interact with and experience a product before buying it, creating a solid connection between the buyer and the product. Online shoppers can use virtual try-on filters to see how they would look wearing hats, shoes, watches, and clothing, among other items, without visiting a store. This increases customer satisfaction and significantly reduces returns and exchanges. Similarly, furniture shoppers can test whether a product will fit in their living rooms and many other products.
What does this mean to brands when it comes to AR marketing in the metaverse? Although we haven’t yet reached the mass adoption stage, brands have enough consumers to begin testing AR as a marketing and engagement tool.
Imagine virtual artwork on our living room wall that is animated and keeps changing; people can also interact with it. Or consider assembling furniture or other complex products, where AR can provide step-by-step visual instructions overlayed directly onto the assembled objects. AR can be integrated into gaming experiences, allowing virtual objects and characters to interact with the real world. For example, players can use their smartphones to see virtual creatures overlaid in their physical environment and engage in augmented reality battles or quests.
These scenarios are meaningful opportunities for brands to engage with prospects and customers. Currently, many brands use AR to enhance their marketing efforts, and most often, this is accomplished through AR-enhanced mobile apps.
We know that today’s consumers prefer shopping online, and AR helps provide what is missing from the online shopping experience. With AR, they can try things out and interact with a product before purchasing it, mimicking the in-store experience more closely.
The rapid pace of technological advancements and the continuous implementation of innovative ideas in immersive Reality suggests that the emergence of the metaverse is inevitable. The metaverse is set to be constructed collectively, with many imaginative individuals contributing creative concepts and practical applications daily. And AR, more than VR, will be at the forefront of this metaverse.
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