Augmented Reality Marketing

Augmented Reality or AR is a technology that combines the real world with a computer-generated representation of an item and gives the user a feel of how an item would look in the real world. (What Is Augmented Reality? Here’s What You Need to Know about the 3D Technology, 2020)

AR technology is one of the latest additions to Digital Marketing which lets its users experience a much interactive advertisement or even see how a product will look like in real life just with the help of their phones or other AR compatible devices.

People are inclining more and more towards Technology for their shopping needs. As a result, AR users are growing at a rapid rate. The active AR users’ population is expected to reach 1.73 billion in 2024 (AR Insider). These stats give a clear picture of how AR will soon change the digital marketing scene by being the next go-to marketing and sales approach.

(How Ikea Is Using Augmented Reality, 2017)

Companies like Ikea and Home Depot have already started using AR to allow their consumers to see how a piece of furniture will look in their homes without actually buying it or bringing it to their homes.

(Wanna Kicks La Mejor App Para Probarte Tus Zapatillas Favoritas, 2019)

Apparel retail brands like Puma, Gucci have started using AR for their products, where a user can try apparel in Augmented Reality and see how it looks on them without actually going to a store or without actually touching it physically in any way.

(‘Game of Thrones’ Ice Dragon Lands on NYC’s Flatiron Building in New Snapchat Lens (Watch), 2019)

Snapchat has leveraged AR marketing by making their app AR advertising compliant. Various AR ads on Snapchat appear to be existing in real life and make an advertisement appealing and engaging

In my opinion, AR is the next big thing in digital marketing. AR has potential for retail by providing shoppers with the feel of an actual product without visiting a store. AR also has its applications in digital advertising to create dynamic ads that blend in with our surroundings. It serves the purpose of giving its user perception of how a product will appear in real life and proves to be entertaining and engaging. AR allows a prospect to interact with the product or an Ad, which increases the chance of a conversion. AR gives a consumer a better sense of judgment while buying a product online, and any consumer would prefer to buy from a website or app which supports AR. Therefore in the near future, AR will not just be a good marketing and sales approach but will become a necessity for many websites and apps to compete with their competitors who offer AR technology on their platforms.

References:

1. AR Insider. (February 23, 2021). Number of mobile augmented reality (AR) active users worldwide from 2019 to 2024 (in billions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://www-statista-com.libaccess.senecacollege.ca/statistics/1098630/global-mobile-augmented-reality-ar-users/

2. ‘Game of Thrones’ Ice Dragon Lands on NYC’s Flatiron Building in New Snapchat Lens (Watch). (2019, April 12). [Photograph]. https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/game-of-thrones-snapchat-dragon-flatiron-building-1203186788/

3. How Ikea is using augmented reality. (2017, October 4). [Photograph]. https://digiday.com/media/ikea-using-augmented-reality/

4. Wanna Kicks la mejor app para probarte tus zapatillas favoritas. (2019, October 28). [Photograph]. https://desenfasados.com/wanna-kicks-la-mejor-app-para-probarte-tus-zapatillas-favoritas/

5. What is augmented reality? Here’s what you need to know about the 3D technology. (2020, December 5). Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-augmented-reality?international=true&r=US&IR=T