AR Technology And The Pursuit For Innovative Ads

Augmented Reality is a computer-generated, interactive experience that combines real life with cartoon or 3-D animation.

In 2015, Snapchat was the first to use augmented reality with the introduction of "lenses", which was able to bring this feature to its' casual userbase. It was proven to be a success, as the following years brought in a lot of revenue for the company. The value of the brands that partnered with Snapchat then increased as everyone started to hop onto the trend.

Lenses, therefore, are tools that allow the user to create 3D effects, such as objects or transformations. However, it is important to keep in mind that Lenses are not the same thing as Filters. Filters only provide edits to photos.

Logistically, AR allows the audience to remember the brands and what they sell more often. When it comes to literature, words can only go so far to grasp the attention of audiences. In reference to emotional branding, a topic previously discussed in a blog post, a successful marketing post applies to all facets of intelligence: the consumer's cognitive, emotional, or behavioral activities while they're looking at the ad. AR Marketing is an excellent way to close important gaps for prospects and separate brands from their competitors.

Some incredible examples of AR marketing in the latest advertising stratosphere come from IKEA, who created an app called "Place", which used real-time 3D models of furniture so the user already knows what they want prior to going into the store. AR allows the user to also make the journey to buying the product a quicker process. Interestingly, the tool increased product sales and interest for the store by 20%.

Another notable brand to jump on this trend was Coca-Cola. While typically a B2B or B2C brand, (b2b meaning business-to-business and b2c meaning b2c, or business to consumer), their version of augmented reality was to test how a branded vending machine would appear in stores. While as a consumer of Coca Cola and its products, it is easy to see how the brand is already the reigning king of marketing. So why mix things up? Well, to solve the issue of returning customers, of course. By utilizing AR marketing and stepping out of the box, this shows consumers of the brand that they are committed to giving convenience above all else.

Therefore, while AR marketing is an inherently new business venture so there are risks to choosing to add this feature, there is long term success. Long story short, if you're a marketer or a creative, augmented reality is here to stay -- and it will be up to you as a brand owner on whether or not to jump on this consistantly evolving trend.