Augmented reality in marketing

How do you attract attention?

Marketing activities on the Internet - it's a book-size topic. For a long time now, just having a web presence means literally nothing. Developers of websites - business cards and presentations of companies and shops - have challenging tasks to fulfil. Firstly, it is the visibility and search position of the site, and secondly, its attractiveness to the viewer.

We now spend about one third (!) of our lives with access to the web. Leaving aside the sociological dimension of this phenomenon, this is a huge "piece of the pie" for marketing specialists. When looking for a simple product, for example sports shoes or a chair for the kitchen, a potential customer usually browses a dozen or so websites. How much time he or she spends on a site can be checked using a number of tools such as Google Analytics. However, the most relevant question is how to extend this time?

A relatively new tool is augmented reality technology. 3D images, actions and the possibility of interaction are effectively replacing traditional graphics, becoming a new and incomparably more powerful medium.

A perfect example of this was Burger King's campaign. Using its speciality of grilling on fire, the popular chain created an application that, when the smartphone camera was pointed at a competitor's advertising banner, burned it in 'hellfire'. This feature increased Burger King's app downloads by 1.5 million!

The example comes from the top

The expansion of augmented reality in marketing was accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The inability to see products in stationary shops and more time spent in front of a monitor or smartphone screen was immediately exploited by the retail giants. Castorama then introduced a 'fitting room' for its products on Instagram reaching a mass audience with sponsored filters. Another chain went even further - Carrefour creating an immersive catalogue a year later, which included 100% of the Christmas gifts on offer, while Dior made it possible to 'try on' make-up.

How does immersion work?

Augmented reality technology is much more than virtual fitting rooms and product configurations. An interesting application is games and surveys that immerse the viewer in the action with elaborate scenography, combining learning about products with great fun and even the possibility of winning gadgets or discounts. References to augmented reality can also be found in traditional catalogues or packaging. By scanning a QR code, a potential buyer can explore different versions of a product or be transported to a specific environment.

The big three of media

Facebook, YouTube and Instagram are the media that reach the largest group of Poles, in that order. Depending on the target group, its age and preferences, augmented reality skilfully applied can bring an almost geometric increase in audience numbers. Younger people prefer games, games combined with their favourite music and a virtual world similar to computer games. Older people prefer quality and the ability to select the information they need on their own.

AR filters that allow us to create unique content with our own participation on Instagram and share it with friends is a veritable chain reaction that is becoming essential in building a new brand or in strengthening an existing one. Today, using the native software of our smartphones, we do not need to download additional applications to actively exploit the possibilities of augmented reality.

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