The landscape of digital marketing is constantly evolving. Technology advancements promise an everchanging ability for brands to innovate as dynamically as possible, thereby bridging the gap and crossing boundaries between our virtual and physical worlds. Enables brands and audiences to better connect and to open up new and exciting possibilities for creating an immersive and engaging branded experience. Augmented Reality Marketing offers businesses one of those revolutionary approaches, that over the last few years has taken basic implementations to new levels of sophistication and one that feeds an evergrowing consumer appetite for immersive interactive content.
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Augmented Reality Marketing
Augmented Reality Marketing has been around since the early 2000s but it took flight after smartphones and faster internet became more accessible to consumers. Smartphones and the internet opened the doors for brands to explore new ways of engagement, and for customers, it propelled their appetite for new and exciting entertainment.
There exist 2 primary types of Augmented Reality Marketing. Each of them offers unique advantages with engagement-rich canvases for brands to communicate captivating narratives and stories that will resonate with their customers.
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Marker-based AR
- Marker-based AR Is also referred to as Image Recognition AR and relies on a QR code to trigger the interactive experience. A critical point is that they are limited to mobile smartphones/tablets, and require downloading a dedicated app.
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Markerless AR
- Markerless AR does not rely on QR codes to trigger the experience. Instead, it uses location-based data like GPS or accelerometers on smart devices to detect and trigger the experience. They are more complex and expensive to develop but they offer more options, especially in online shopping and gaming.
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Projection-based AR
- A subset of Markerless AR, Projection-based AR relies on projectors to display 3D imagery or digital content or holograms on 2-dimensional surfaces like walls, floors, etc.
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Superimposition-based AR
- A subset of Markerless AR, Superimposition-based AR identifies central objects and/or features that are in the viewer's line of sight (ex book cover, landmarks, etc) and then overlays relevant content onto that object.
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Location-based AR
- A subset of Markerless AR, Location-based AR relies on geographic locations to deliver images and content at that specific location (ex. Pokemon Go, virtual scavenger hunts, retail store exploration)
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- Markerless AR does not rely on QR codes to trigger the experience. Instead, it uses location-based data like GPS or accelerometers on smart devices to detect and trigger the experience. They are more complex and expensive to develop but they offer more options, especially in online shopping and gaming.
Augmented Reality Marketing requires that marketers and brands choose the right brush strokes when creating their campaigns lest their efforts go to waste.
AR Transformations in the Real-World
Augmented Reality Marketing transcends industry boundaries and integrates seamlessly into any marketing mix - irrespective of the sector, marketing strategy, or brand. It can create a revolutionary impact when executed right; create memorable work, breathe fresh life into an old brand, energize a brand’s narrative, create cult-like followers, and even win global awards.
Crafting Unique Narratives and Navigating the Unknown
Augmented Reality Marketing allows brands to leverage data and create personalized user journeys that heighten user engagement, and trigger memorability and brand love. Augmented Reality Marketing also allows brands to create interactive product demonstrations which are extremely helpful in with B2B category (ex manufacturing, construction etc).
Here are some examples of B2B brands that have successfully leveraged augmented reality:
Here are some examples of B2C brands that have successfully leveraged augmented reality
Augmented Reality Marketing does come with its own challenges that businessses must navigate through (especially if you're trying it for the first time or if you're unclear about the outcome you're trying to achieve). Some of these exampls include - unclear user interfaces, tight deadlines, limited development budgets, buggy technical glitches, etc will very quickly derail your AR initiatives. Therefore marketers must spend considerable time understanding what problem AR is going to solve for the business, collaborate with partners, and guide them out of potential obstacles that could arise down the road.
The benefits of Augmented Reality Marketing
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Promotes the brand more innovatively and effectively
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Offers a wider market reach
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Creates a buzz around a brand
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Delivers a more immersive and interactive experience to customers
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Guides customers through their purchase decisions
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Saves marketing costs
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Boosts sales
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Reduces customer returns
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Overcomes language barriers
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Boosts Social media marketing initiatives
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Offers better customer service
Steps to creating Augmented Reality Marketing Campaigns
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Defining campaign objectives
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Having adequate time
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Ensures budgets are supportive of the task
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Deep consumer understanding
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Clarity on technology consideration
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Content mapping and creation
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Research, ideation and simple user-interface design
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Collaborative environment with developers
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Rigorous testing, iteration, and refinement
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Marketing promotions with influencers/celebrities etc
Questions for marketers to ask when creating their Augmented Reality Marketing campaign
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Does the campaign offer a truly Immersive Experience?
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Does the campaign offer Integration with AI?
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Does the campaign seamlessly integrate and overlap with Social Media?
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Does the campaign leverage consumer insights captured for previous Enhanced Data Analytics?
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Does the campaign capture new data that can help the brand create new personalized communication and effective targeting?
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Does the campaign benefit from E-Commerce Integration?
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Does the campaign offer potential extensions to traditional Print and Outdoor media?
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Does the campaign offer seamless access via WebAR?
Conclusion
The future of Augmented Reality Marketing is still being written as technology advances, tactics change, customers evolve, etc. Its future lies in greater seamlessness of creative immersive experiences that shock, delight, and entertain customers. No more is Augmented Reality Marketing limited to specific categories or business sectors. Augmented Reality Marketing can play a pivotal role in your marketing mix. Businesses that recognize, embrace, adopt, and adapt to the ever-changing landscape are the ones that are most likely to enjoy a competitive edge over their competition in this hybrid marketplace. The future is unwritten, it is exciting, it is shared and it will undoubtedly transcend the ordinary.
Additional Reading: Sell Happy Emotions, The power of PR, AI possibilities in Mar-Comm, Creating Effective Customer Journey Maps, Why Experiential Marketing Matters, Customer Centricity for Business Growth, Consumer Insights Marketing Success, How to define and deliver Value, Behavioural Psychology for customer loyalty, Marketing Funnels in a disloyal marketplace, Customer PainPoints and more, Customer Biases for Brand Growth