Different Types of Augmented Reality Advertising

To raise brand awareness and improve customer loyalty, businesses have been turning to Augmented Reality advertising. And no, it’s not because it’s the shiny new thing. AR advertising has actually been around for a while but it’s only recently that it’s become accessible to any size business. And most importantly, it’s extremely effective.

What is Augmented Reality Advertising?

AR is where the real world meets a computer-generated world. It’s an interactive experience of a real-world environment, such as a city street, where the objects that reside in the real world are enhanced by computer-generated information. While AR is most well-known in gaming, like Pokémon Go, it’s being spreading like wildfire in the advertising world.

Augmented reality ads are different from regular ads because they are immersive. They create an interactive experience for customers, which can help create an emotional connection with them. Unlike images or banners, AR ads are lifelike and provide customers a connection to your product or service with which they are interacting. And now, with Web AR, no app is required—making it an affordable advertising option that even more users can access.

Types of Augmented Reality Advertising

There are five main types of AR advertising: 

AR Out-of-home (OOH) Advertising 

OOH advertising is any visual media that is presented outside of the home. City billboards, bus stop advertising boards, and subway posters are all potential types of OOH advertising. Imagine taking it one step further, and making your OOH ad interactive by using AR advertising. Your business can be brought to life wherever life is bustling.   

ABInBev and BonV!V Spiked Seltzer wanted to create an innovative retail experience for their customers. Our team worked closely with the global drinks brand  to develop an experiential Out-of-Home advertising campaign in San Diego and downtown Los Angeles. The experience is activated through a unique QR code, which passersby can scan with their smartphone or tablet devices. Once scanned, the AR experience will come to life, enhancing the mural graphics on the wall and showcasing a full immersive 3D vending machine with custom animations. The unique experience allows the passerby to interact with the vending machine, select their favourite can of BonV!V Spiked Seltzer, for the AR vending machine to virtually dispense. One of the key features attached to the campaign is a custom branded map in the California area, which directs the user to their nearest store stocking BonV!V Spiked Seltzer. The user can select a store in which they are seamlessly transported to Google Maps navigation where they can get directions to the store to purchase a can of refreshing BonV!V. Another feature of the AR experience is the integrated Instacart, which gives the user the ability to instantly purchase their favourite BonV!V drink which can be delivered to their door in just a few hours.

AR Print Marketing 

Any traditional print marketing, like Direct Mail, postcards, flyers, and posters to name a few, can be elevated by adding an AR element to them. They will be more engaging for your customers, and stand out among the other print ads that they come across every day. 

The Golden Road Brewing campaign was printed in the Los Angeles Times, to celebrate the L.A. Dodgers World Series win and promote an offer on the L.A. Dodgers Blonde Ale. The web based augmented reality filter puts a L.A. Dodgers cap on the user and prompts them to “Tap To Celebrate!” Once tapped, a can of Dodgers Blonde Ale appears, opens and sprays beer. The crowd cheers and confetti in the shape of baseballs, the Dodgers logo and beer cans fall around the user. Users can click to take a selfie to share on their social media platforms. The filter also features a “Redeem Rebate” option which takes users to an interactive Dodgers blue map, which directs users to the nearest bar or store that sells Dodgers Blonde Ale.

AR Product Packaging 

AR turns packaging or labels into an interactive and engaging experience. You can provide how-to videos, a thank you message, or even a fun way to reorder. The possibilities are endless. 

The Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold brand created a unique AR experience with the Yosemite portal which transports consumers into the beautiful Yosemite landscape. The experience was created to deliver a unique and immersive experience for the brand. The Yosemite experience featured a 3D Augmented Reality Portal, which invites users to walk into the portal, which comes in the form of a white yurt. Once through the portal door, users can explore the beautiful Yosemite landscape, complete with flowing waterfall, campfire, park bench and, of course, an ice cold pack of Michelob ULTRA Pure Gold.

AR E-Commerce 

With app-less AR (Web AR), customers can view and experience your products in 3D from the comfort of their own home. They can “Try Before They Buy” right through your existing e-comm website, improving buyer confidence and thus, increasing sales.

Samsung pivoted their latest product launches to virtual-only events instead of attending the IFA Electronics show in Berlin this year. Samsung and their media partners worked together to deliver a truly unique and immersive live streamed experience. This included live Web-based Augmented Reality product demonstrations created by the experienced WebAR development team at Aircards. The event showcased the upcoming Samsung product range in full 3D Web-based Augmented Reality. Viewers should be able to activate the experiences directly from the livestream and view select products in 3D from within their own home. Custom animations associated with each product experience to increase interactivity.

AR Events and Conferences

Do you need to plan an alternative for a live-event that had to be cancelled? That could not be more relevant than it is right now given our current social climate. AR events and conferences can provide your audience with an immersive event experience at home through 2D video, 3D animation and volumetric motion capture. 

With their global events and conferences cancelled due to the pandemic, Nutanix teamed up with key Dubai-based partner CXO Strategies and Aircards to deliver an entirely virtual expo experience using web-based Augmented Reality.

The experience featured a full-scale stand that users could place within their own environment and physically walk around to explore. Multiple interactive touch points were integrated into the scene, each featuring high production-value video content and associated 3D CTA buttons to learn more.

Augmented Reality Advertising for Your Brand

There has never been a better time to take your advertising to the next level. Any one of these five AR types of advertisement can provide your customers with an immersive and interactive experience which is sure to leave a lasting impression. Learn more at Aircards or contact us today.
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