Enter Real Environments – Marketers can allow their audiences to use AR to enter real environments via their mobile device. By providing users with a completely immersive 360 degree view, they can get closer to the world that the marketer would like to present. From stadiums, stores and hotel rooms to outdoor venues and even live concerts, AR will help bring consumers closer than ever to the brands they love. An example can be seen at: triggerglobal.com/work/vuforia-tango-keynote
Bring the Brand to Life – By using AR, companies can “overlay” their experience directly into the real world of the consumer, delivering a new level of interaction and opportunity. When consumers can see their favorite brands and characters right in their own, familiar environments, it provides a deep connection, which can lead to increased brand engagement. For example, prior to the release of The Last Jedi, fans were able to go to major landmarks around the world, such as the Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate Bridge and Niagara Falls and see a life-sized Star Destroyer in AR hovering above. An example can be seen at: triggerglobal.com/work/star-wars-landmark-ar
A New Level of Social Media Engagement – Brands are always seeking ways to increase their social media engagement with their followers and fans. AR presents a powerful tool to deliver unique experience, visuals and videos that encourage social creation and sharing. Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are already using AR to provide new tools for their users. The more content a brand can provide to its fans, the more buzz it can potentially secure on social media. An example can be seen at: triggerglobal.com/work/Snapchat-lens-studio-partner
Using Location-Based Experiences for Marketing – From retail store and restaurants to hotels and concert venues, many businesses still rely on foot traffic to be successful. By adding AR to the businesses’ marketing mix, they can develop compelling content to bring consumers to their location. These location-based experiences can utilize the existing location’s footprint and add a new layer of interactivity, content and personalization. By providing unique experiences, such as AR photos with the brands images or compelling games that use the location as the “playing field,” brands can bring in traffic while separating themselves from the competition. An example can be seen at: triggerglobal.com/work/disney-resorts-sw-rebels
Keeping a Brand Fresh – Any brand can create an app, website or Facebook page, but the challenge is developing fresh content to bring consumers back. AR presents the opportunity to deliver something new and exciting to consumers, while also allowing marketers to continually update the experience, so that consumers will want to see what is next and new. We are still in the early stages of AR being used for marketing and advertising, but some brands have already done amazing things and the future is bright. An example can be seen at: triggerglobal.com/work/nba-ar-app
AR AND 5G
With the advent of 5G technology, many industries are poised to be reshaped. From self-driving cars and healthcare to manufacturing and entertainment, 5G will have a major impact on both businesses and consumers. One area that will see a major impact due to 5G is augmented reality (AR). Jason Yim, CEO of mixed reality agency Trigger, has some great insights into why 5G is the technology that will push AR into the mainstream and how AR can become a part of everyday life.
Here are four reasons Yim sees AR truly taking off after 5G becomes widespread:
- Size of content: Basically a “bigger pipe” allows AR creators to push more content to a device. For example, Volumetric 3D video is a hot topic within the AR industry. Right now that type of content has to be preloaded into an app and is so size prohibitive that content creators have to use it sparingly. Yim believes that if 3D content could be streamed, it would open up many content opportunities in industries including entertainment, sports or even travel and hospitality.
- Micropositioning: Yim states that the anticipated leap in accuracy of indoor positioning with 5G will be a game changer in retail and other locations including airports, museums and theme parks. Consumers will have access to advanced AR experiences that more accurately allows them to see yet-to-be-purchased furniture in their living room, new clothes on their body before they order, new types of experiences at tourist locations and more.
- Connectivity at events: With 5G, those going to large public arenas, events, concerts and sporting events will no longer be bogged down by the concentrated traffic. Therefore, consumers will be able to take part in amazing, new social experiences that up until now could not be done because of bandwidth
- Speed to the cloud: Some AR experiences hinge not on the size of the file, but the speed of processing and transmission. A Google Lens-type of recognition tool, where for example you point at a flower and get identification back, may only appear to the consumer as a few lines of text, but its usability depends on its speed. Waiting 2 seconds may create a very frustrating user experience, especially over many scans and frequent use vs. an "instantaneous" response. 5G will vastly increase speeds in communicating with the cloud, delivering a much better consumer experience.