If there is one thing every good Marketing and Business professional knows, it is that consumers are always changing. The days when phone book ads and telemarketing were champions of reaching customers are well behind us. Traditional marketing channels like TV, Direct Mail, and Outdoor are still effective but have given way to the digital age and the world’s shift to the Internet and Mobile Phones
The evolution of the customer continues. As new technology becomes more refined, consumers are learning about new ways to engage and transact with the brands they love!
One of the latest advances that are capturing the attention of Marketing professionals is Augmented Reality or “AR” for short. AR is not just for games like Pokemon. Now it is being used widely to allow users to interact with physical virtual objects in their environment. And unlike Virtual Reality, the experience doesn’t require complex hardware and computing power to get a truly compelling experience. It is as simple as having a smartphone!
So how are companies integrating Augmented Reality? Some of the companies that gravitated to AR quickly were furniture retailers (IKEA, Houzz), and games (Machines, Euclidean Lands). But now you can do cool things like “test drive” a tattoo by seeing what it looks like before going under the needle. IPhone users can use their phone as a measuring device. And who doesn’t love the fun of augmented filters in Snapchat?
Despite these creative executions of Augmented Reality, it can do even more – and it can help you cut through the noise to reach your consumers.
Imagine distributing printed materials to your customers that can literally come to life. Companies are now using direct mail postcards with AR images that render 3-dimensional objects or present a custom video. All through the use of the customer’s smartphone.
Retail transactions can also benefit from the use of AR. Imagine walking into a bar and instead of looking at a static drink menu, you can see the drink being made right in front of your eyes and then use Apple Pay to purchase.
The ideas are endless and Augmented Reality can be integrated into sophisticated
marketing tactics inexpensively. As consumers become more fickle about traditional ways of reaching them, unique and compelling methods – like Augmented Reality – are cutting through the noise. Consumers love the interactivity and the cutting-edge nature of the communication.
Echo’s R&D team is at the forefront of developing some of the most creative uses of Augmented Reality and can help you integrate AR into your strategy. Instead of using the same tactics as your competitors, BE DIFFERENT! Contact us today to learn more.
Check out our new AR Postcards!
AR-enhanced mailers can see double the average response rate (as reported by the Direct Marketing Association)