What is Augmented Reality?
With Augmented Reality, a virtual layer is placed over the physical reality. It is therefore different from Virtual Reality (VR), in which reality is completely replaced by a virtual variant, as it were. This makes AR more accessible than VR. For AR, a smartphone or other device with a camera is sufficient, since the possibilities to project 3D images are built into most devices.
A well-known example of AR is Pokemon Go, where the game's players can observe and catch Pokemons via their smartphone. To do this, the app projects animations onto the images from the camera. The fact that this game from 2016 has become the most popular app at the time already shows how powerful AR is. Check out the must-have mobile AR apps here.
AR and branding
However, augmented reality can be used for more than just entertainment. This makes it a strong marketing tool. With AR, you retain attention for longer and strengthen the functioning of the memory. It is therefore very suitable for use in branding. This is how we have for our partner Stan & Co, element of Debut Horeca, made a nice AR feature on the menu. There is a QR code on this menu. This code leads to a website that allows the user to project two bottles of Fuze Tea with streamers into space. For example, you can put bottles of iced tea on the table in the restaurant. A marketing stunt that certainly attracts attention and stays with the customer for a long time.
Enriching the digital shopping experience
For other producers, AR can have a direct relationship with their marketing, for example by showing something that was once there. In the cultural sector, it is used to bring old cities, such as Rome, back to life by projecting old buildings over the existing buildings. With AR, however, you can not only bring the past to life, but also make the future visible.
With this, for example, the furniture industry or the clothing industry can enrich the consumer experience. With AR you can show what a piece of furniture looks like in your customer's interior or how a dress looks on your customer. Read is us blog about mobile AR how Gucci is doing this in collaboration with SnapChat.
This offers application possibilities for web shops. This gives customers a better idea of the product and makes it easier and faster to make a choice.
A good example of this is our advertising campaign for Piet Boon. For this manufacturer of furniture and kitchen we have created an advertisement that allows the public to place a piece of Piet Boon furniture in their own interior via the advertisement in Google and Facebook. This gives the public an immediate idea of how the furniture fits into their own home. This gives a much more concrete experience than an image!
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If you want to know more about AR and the possibilities Social Brothers can offer your company in this area, view our webpage about AR and VR† take it easy contact if you want to know more about this topic.