Top 5 ways brands can utilize augmented reality
Augmented reality is everywhere right now - the newest 'bright shiny object'... is it a fad or is it a viable tool for marketeers? There are lots of technical bugs and some very ill conceived campaigns (what's the point? who cares?) but used strategically and creatively it can be a powerful experience for brands and audiences.
Some of the best ways I've seen brands using AR are:
1) Enhancing traditional print campaigns:
instead of just having a small 'www' invitation to a brand website on a magazine ad, entice audiences with an offer or content they can only see using the printed piece to unlock the information online. Both Best Buy and Walmart have used AR with their weekly circulars - Best Buy 3D highlights their new Twitter service 'Twelpforce' and Walmart's 'Your Zone 3-D' demostrates the creative options for their teen furniture line.
2) UGC:
with a webcam and cool 3D graphics brands can empower consumers to create their own cool videos. Molson's beer bottle fans controlled animated party messages which could be recorded and uploaded to the (age-verified) website.
3) Facebook apps:
use the active social media audience to expand the reach of a campaign. Kia created 'Go Hamster Go!' to promote the new Soul car with an interactive branded game that uses face recognition to incorporate the gamer directly into the environment.
4) Try-it-before you buy it:
AR can be used as a new techie way of sampling. Ray Ban created an application that allows fashionistas to try on several sunglasses styles.
5) Enhancing a product purchase:
Rewarding consumers with additional experience for purchasing a product. Mattel is including 'web tags' with each of it's new Avatar action figures, extending real-world toy with additional online character biographies and animations. The 3-D images will react to each other when two of the tags are on screen together.
Augmented reality is everywhere right now - the newest 'bright shiny object'... is it a fad or is it a viable tool for marketeers? There are lots of technical bugs and some very ill conceived campaigns (what's the point? who cares?) but used strategically and creatively it can be a powerful experience for brands and audiences.
Some of the best ways I've seen brands using AR are:
1) Enhancing traditional print campaigns:
instead of just having a small 'www' invitation to a brand website on a magazine ad, entice audiences with an offer or content they can only see using the printed piece to unlock the information online. Both Best Buy and Walmart have used AR with their weekly circulars - Best Buy 3D highlights their new Twitter service 'Twelpforce' and Walmart's 'Your Zone 3-D' demostrates the creative options for their teen furniture line.
2) UGC:
with a webcam and cool 3D graphics brands can empower consumers to create their own cool videos. Molson's beer bottle fans controlled animated party messages which could be recorded and uploaded to the (age-verified) website.
3) Facebook apps:
use the active social media audience to expand the reach of a campaign. Kia created 'Go Hamster Go!' to promote the new Soul car with an interactive branded game that uses face recognition to incorporate the gamer directly into the environment.
4) Try-it-before you buy it:
AR can be used as a new techie way of sampling. Ray Ban created an application that allows fashionistas to try on several sunglasses styles.
5) Enhancing a product purchase:
Rewarding consumers with additional experience for purchasing a product. Mattel is including 'web tags' with each of it's new Avatar action figures, extending real-world toy with additional online character biographies and animations. The 3-D images will react to each other when two of the tags are on screen together.
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