Augmented reality (AR) is becoming an integral part of the marketing sphere, although companies are only beginning to scratch the surface of this technology’s potential. With AR, businesses are discovering new revenue opportunities by creating interactive content that motivates users to buy a product or service.
Many companies have developed apps with AR technology in order to boost sales. In fact, according to GrowthEnabler’s Market Pulse Report, 25% of brands will have implemented augmented reality by 2022. As such, it’s the perfect time to explore augmented reality applications in marketing. But precisely how are businesses using AR in their marketing strategies?
AR Lets Customers Try Products Before Buying Them
Perhaps the most popular way AR is helping companies increase sales is by allowing consumers to digitally try out products before purchasing them. For example, Home Depot’s app lets users virtually test different shades of paint in their home using AR. The company notes that upwards of 75% of potential customers are unable to make a decision regarding what color to paint their walls. Project Color addresses this problem, allowing customers to get an accurate idea of how different shades of paint would look in their home.
The app even considers different shadows and lighting conditions in the room to provide a realistic picture. Once a user picks a shade, Project Color connects them with Home Depot’s Color Center so they can buy the paint online. Alternately, users can find a nearby location where the paint shade will be reserved.
San Francisco-based vintage furniture and decor store Chairish has a similar app. Users can point their phone at an item and then place a 2D image over the camera’s focal point. They can then look at everything from dining tables to entryways and antique furniture to see what these items would look like in their actual homes.
Enabling customers to virtually test out products is the primary use of AR in marketing. It’s highly effective, too, as it reduces buyer’s remorse while optimizing the shopping experience and improving customer satisfaction. And an improved shopping experience, in turns, means increased ROI for your company.
Using 360 Video in Marketing
Companies are finding success with AR video capabilities. For instance, Amikasa, a 3-D Room Designer, uses 360 Video to create custom floor plans for those looking to build a manufacturing plant or office building. Amikasa accurately measures the dimensions of your space, then the app lets users virtually explore the finished product to see if the plan meets their needs.
Lipton Iced Tea also uses the technology with their Magnificent Matcha Tea campaign, providing tea drinkers with an interactive, lifelike ad that attracts customers. Consumers can watch a video depicting a tea bag as it undergoes the brewing process and becomes a cup of tea. The interactive nature of the content coupled with the novelty of the technology engages customers and assists the company’s marketing efforts.
In addition, hotels are starting to leverage AR, including The Hub Hotel. Each room features a wall map of the surrounding area. Travelers can point their device at the wall to view AR video content teaching them about local points of interest such as restaurants and tourist spots.
These companies prove that AR’s video capabilities can be used to effectively engage consumers by providing interactive, dynamic content that captures the imagination. The technology is reeling in consumers in the hospitality and manufacturing fields, while food and beverage companies are also taking advantage of AR to promote their products and services.
Augmented Reality Applications in Marketing Engage Consumers
With augmented reality, businesses are discovering new revenue avenues that would have been impossible before the technology existed. The immersive nature of AR instantly attracts consumers and gets them hooked on the app, increasing the chances of consumers buying that company’s products and services.
Such is the case with Virtex Apps, which debuted during the last Super Bowl. The AR mobile app offers fans the opportunity to compete with each other throughout commercials and halftime shows at live sporting events. With Virtex Arena, users can play mini games, including a kicking game and a passing game. Fans can compete from their seats while the app adjusts according to where they’re located in the stadium. The games continue throughout the event, monitoring team scores and giving engaged fans a stake in the outcome.
The company has also used the app to reel in clients for its sponsors’ products and services. Virtex Arena offers sponsorship and marketing opportunities by placing brands’ logos in front of thousands of fans, whether they be on virtual banners, helmets, cleats or the field of play. This app is successful because it provides an avenue for users to become deeply involved in the sporting event and connect with each other using AR. Virtex Arena has helped the company increase its profit margins by offering sponsorship opportunities to a slew of brands in a digital, interactive manner that is attractive to young sports fans.
Many companies have yet to implement AR into their marketing strategies, but the ones that have are reaping the benefits in the form of increased customer loyalty and higher profits. Customers want to feel special when shopping, and the technology’s ability to create a personalized experience from the comfort of a user’s phone is a revenue-driving venture that can go a long way toward bolstering a company’s market share.
If you’re hoping to integrate augmented reality technology into your marketing strategy, you will need an experienced development team by your side. At 7T, we develop custom augmented reality applications that will help you achieve your goals. We’re also well-versed in other emerging technologies, including virtual reality, blockchain, artificial intelligence and natural language processing.
7T is headquartered in Dallas, but we also serve clients in Austin, Houston, and beyond. If you’re ready to discuss your project, we invite you to contact us today.
