AR – What is it and how do I use it?
We’re well and truly into 2017 and predictions about the hot trends for this year seem to be right on track. This year we’re seeing a lot of inquiries about AR and how our clients can integrate AR into their marketing strategy to drive campaigns and increase engagement.
So what is AR and what does it have to do with promotional products?
Augmented Reality is:
“a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world, thus providing a composite view.”
Yes, exactly like Pokemon, or when the commentators draw lines on the football field to explain a play or umpires decision. AR incorporates any object or landscape with virtual objects to create a real-time digital interaction. There are many ways to deliver an AR experience. You can use your phone or 3D viewers which places 3D models in a place or location. You can create context for a building, event or location by creating AR browsers full with information. As an example, you could create an object and direct your audience to point their phone at it. When they do, up pops an array of information or guidance.
I don’t even know where to start
If all this sounds a little bit Back to the Future, it’s worth remembering that augmented reality has lots of real world applications – from education to logistics AR is used both for teaching (the use of AR apps to explore the body in 3D) and a tool to demonstrate surgeries to patients.
The one thing that’s not changing in the digital marketing space is the need to engage your client when you’re telling your story. AR is no different. What are you doing to compel them to engage with you, either with AR or otherwise? Promotional products are the ideal pivot point for instigating this engagement.
Perhaps it’s an image on a t-shirt and different images prompt different AR. Perhaps it’s the humble pen and once a month you promote your deals using the pen as the focal point of the AR campaign. Or a small model so your patients can see what will happen in their surgery. Regardless, if you’re looking to keep the momentum of an AR campaign going, something tangible drawing your audience back to the conversation will be a vital component to ongoing success.
For fun, take a look at some of these great uses of AR
Visualiser
Ikea Catalogue app – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaxtLru4-Vw
Tattoo app – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3rtxatKy0Y
Explore organs as medical teaching – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vycvec8Tl7I