Why Modern-Day Marketers are Embracing AR

You would be right to assume that modern advancements in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and 3D applications are already changing the face of branded advertising.

For generations, unresponsive billboards and ordinary product packaging were once standard marketing formats. Now, we’re seeing a significant shift towards incorporating more interactive practices, serving as a catalyst to drive customer engagement.

Immersive advertising certainly isn’t a new concept, as was demonstrated in the 1989 film Back to the Future II with its humorous inception of a ‘Jaws 19’ hologram cinema advert.

But, nowadays, a quick scan of a QR code on your phone gives you instant access to interactive adverts that can animate your daily commute. At the same time, AR gamification apps on connected packaging allow you to play games from the comfort of your home.

Techopedia explores the possibilities of AR and 3D and how how they dramatically change the face of branded marketing opportunities.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. How AR and 3D Enriches Customer Engagement
3. Creating AR Immersive Experiences
4. The Bottom Line
5. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. How AR and 3D Enriches Customer Engagement
3. Creating AR Immersive Experiences
Show Full Guide
4. The Bottom Line
5. References

How AR and 3D Enriches Customer Engagement

From a brand’s perspective, heightened consumer engagement has an embarrassing number of benefits, such as fostering product loyalty, driving repeat purchases, and attracting new customers through referrals.

While social media remains the apex platform for brands to engage with fans, AR and 3D applications are mounting their own assault on consumer interactions using personalized, immersive experiences.

Chatting with AR studio Yord’s Veronika Ballardini:

“Over the past few years, the adoption of augmented reality by retailers and e-commerce brands has significantly transformed. Initially, AR was perceived as a novel technology with limited practical applications.

“However, its potential to enhance customer engagement and provide immersive shopping experiences has driven a rapid increase in its adoption.”

Maybe the most enticing of these applications are the attention-grabbing adverts on animated 3D billboards.

Fully embracing ‘Back to the Future II’s Jaws 19 concept — albeit with superior graphics — a superb example of a 3D billboard’s ability to capture an audience’s attention was Amazon Prime Video’s launch of The Wheel of Time in London’s Piccadilly Circus.

However, there are distinct advantages to going all-out to develop a fully immersive audience experience.

One prime example of this was Yord’s collaboration with LEGO, which featured in six European LEGO stores, where, using motion-capture technology with 3D graphics, users could morph into one of the eight LEGO Friends mini-dolls.

As a result, kids and adults could customize their characters while the figures went on to mirror the users’ motions in real-time. This successful campaign drew authentic engagement from both LEGO fans and random passers-by.

Another guerrilla marketing tool available to brands is the advancements in AR street advertising, as demonstrated in Malibu’s A Bit of Sunshine campaign, strategically placed on billboards and bus stops across the globe.

Here, a quick scan of the advert QR code provided an otherwise captured audience with an opportunity to enjoy its Malibu-themed AR games and features, all set to upbeat tropical music playing in the background.?

Creating AR Immersive Experiences

Beyond advertisements, the realization for brands to interact and gamify consumers before, during, and even after a sale or service provision opens up a new realm of possibilities.

As detailed by Veronika Ballardini, “Another exciting project was for ?koda Auto, where we digitalized their co-founder, Vaclav Laurin, into a Metahuman.”

Additionally, AR marketing is not just limited to onsite premises, retail outlets, and even stadiums; today, it includes leveraging this advanced technology to engage consumers directly within their own homes.

A pioneering aspect of this is the evolution of extended reality (XR) concerts, where listeners can immerse themselves in a virtual event from the comfort of their sofa. Perhaps the most notable demonstration of this was DJ Fatboy Slim’s epic Eat Sleep VR Repeat concert in collaboration with ENGAGE.

Finally, pioneering AR gamification has become a fantastic tool for promoting consumer retention, product demonstration, as well as customer referrals to potential new clientele.

An example of this is the forward-thinking Pokémon Smile application, which imaginatively transformed the mundane task of motivating kids to brush their teeth into a playful adventure with Pokémon animations. Of course, the concept solves a routine problem for frustrated parents everywhere, but it also appears to be a hit with the kids, too.

The Bottom Line

Discussing the benefits of these technological advances, Veronika concluded, “Looking ahead, we are focusing on enhancing projects with more personalised AR experiences powered by artificial intelligence.”

“We envision features like AI-driven style recommendations and even more realistic AR simulations that can adapt to individual user preferences and environments. These advancements are expected to further enhance consumer engagement, reduce return rates, and ultimately drive higher sales.”

This means marketers are not solely relying on standard content and visuals on traditional billboards to catch the eye of a passing consumer. Instead, a new world of possibilities is opening up, where the continued development of AR, 3D, and the inclusion of VR headsets can help branded campaigns go viral.

Even the most ardent traditionalist will find it hard not to raise a smile when an ingenious AR advert campaign is able to grab their attention.

For us consumers, the continued infusion of augmented reality and 3D technologies in advertising will only make life more entertaining. Yet, it presents a challenge for marketers to stretch their creativity beyond the customary two-dimensional way of thinking.