About a month ago, I wrote an op-ed for Adweek entitled “2010: The Year of Augmented Reality“. What I was trying to convey in the op-ed is that while Mobile will be the key component of AR in the future, right now there are many different advertising and marketing channels that can actually utilize AR in creative and innovative ways. Though I won’t republish the article here (you can read it on Adweek’s site), I did want to include embedded video examples below of how channels such as Interactive Storefront Displays, Digital Billboards, Event Marketing and Point Of Purchase are currently using AR. Web, Mobile and Print get all the press but these examples show how brands should think of AR as being adaptable to pretty much any marketing or advertising channel. If interested in even more examples than below, check out the Facebook Augmented Reality Page which has just about every recent AR example out there. So, without further adieu…
POINT OF PURCHASE
POP might be the most advantageous channel for AR given that a well-planned and executed AR initiative can easily turn consumer purchase interest to intent in a matter of seconds. Kiosk format provides little to no barrier of entry for consumer.
Developed by Metaio
INTERACTIVE DIGITAL BILLBOARDS
Numerous brands could leverage the unique participatory interaction of an interactive billboard.
Developed by Chris O’Shea
EVENT MARKETING
Event Marketing, like point of purchase, is also a great channel for AR, given most consumers will likely already have interest in your brand. Though most of these executions are gimmicks, this channel is maturing.
Developed by Total Immersion
Developed by Metaio
INTERACTIVE STOREFRONT DISPLAYS
AR-based storefront displays can be used in myriad ways to help drive consumers into your store.
Developed by Simon & John
Developed by Jim George & Karolina Sobecka
MUSEUM / PUBLIC WORKS
The binoculars or viewing mechanism mimic how optical AR can function in the future. For now though, AR helps museums become interactive by making history come alive.
From a report in Adweek (by Ann Mack) a few weeks back titled, “Millennials’ Age Of Anxiety”, there was some interesting information in regards to how Millennials are dealing with the current “Great Recession”. What stood out in this article is how easily this demographic group is willing to give up ‘traditional entertainment’ as the Internet and Mobile Phones are their entertainment. What isn’t a news flash is how integral both are to the lives of this younger generation. Below is the money shot from the article:
“There are two exceptions to the idea that teens and twentysomethings are willing to downgrade or give up the amenities: their Internet connections and their mobile phones. They already see these things as extensions of themselves, and the downturn is only increasing that bond. And no wonder — these media offer a wide array of content and applications at low to no cost, easily replacing paid products and services. More importantly they offer connectivity.
For today’s teens, connectivity is entertainment. What’s ditchable are traditional forms of entertainment such as football games and hitting the mall. Socializing and entertainment these days is just as likely (if not more) to take place in the digital or mobile worlds.”
We Are Organized Chaos (WAOC) is Zugara’s (www.zugara.com) interactive marketing and advertising blog where we’ll be featuring some great projects and discussing upcoming trends in the digital world. Work — good and bad — will be critiqued. Hope you’ll enjoy reading our insights and thoughts on interactive.
