Everything nowadays runs through or is dependent on the Internet, while the Web itself depends largely on ads. Like them or not, they are the engine powering the vast digital megastructure. Therefore it is only natural that any groundbreaking invention will be quickly taken up by marketing gurus. The latest of these come in form of social media Augmented Reality ads.
AR saw tremendous growth over the last decade, both in technology development and fields of application. Anywhere from gaming to medical students’ surgery training, AR apps have proven useful. In many ways it is the next, unexplored battleground for the big guns to compete over.
Facebook certainly among them. The company has announced that their existing Messenger AR technology will be moving to News Feed. What this brings to the screens is the possibility to tap and try a product in the confines of one’s phone. The likes of Sephora, Nike, and Kia were quick to develop their apps in support of this new form of Augmented Reality interactive advertising.
Marketing has traditionally tried new ways to effectively influence and connect with users. Texts and videos have replaced pop-up windows, just as these have given way to a smarter strategy of presenting only relevant ads to users. Now with Augmented Reality ads on the horizon brands see the opportunity to interact with their consumers, not just passively provide information. Snapchat was the first company to realize what a game-changer AR advertising is. Lenses were, and still are, the easiest way to promote a brand through Augmented Reality. Facebook and Instagram are now ready to take AR marketing to a whole new level.
The beauty and furniture industries are particularly apt for 3D ads. Sephora for instance lets their users try out a product via their Visual Artist feature. Mary Beth Laungton, the company’s executive vice president sums it up perfectly: ‘To be successful as a retailer, we’ve got to be where our clients are’. And indeed, being able to showcase their product more interactively through AR ads increases conversion just as helps the consumers deciding on a product. As for the furniture brands, IKEA and Houzz make it possible to test a piece of furniture through customer’s cameras.
There are huge monetary incentives for brands to invest in Augmented Reality ads as well. Reports unequivocally agree that the market size revenue for AR is making a dramatic upward curve. 2019 is set to almost triple the projected revenue from this year, while the year 2022 may see 10 times as much market revenue than what is currently enjoyed.
The nature of advertising is slowly changing just as it stays the same. The goal is still to reach out to customers, but the means are making a shift towards interactivity. Now that the likes of Walmart are entering the virtual space, AR marketing will be a necessary complementary part to reality tech E-commerce. And here the social media Augmented Reality ads have a major role to play.
