If you’re a brand, a company or a business owner of any size, you likely have heard of augmented reality. It’s a fairly new technology, but one that has a lot of marketers and advertisers, no longer able to ignore the explosion of this tech, asking three big questions…
- What is it?
- Is it worth it?
- How do I use it?
Nobody wants to the last one to the show, but jumping on board with a brand new technology can be almost as intimidating as falling behind. You have a budget, perhaps a board to reconcile with — and prove that successes are happening. It’s easy to go with what’s tried and true — but here’s the big deal:
What has worked in the past, isn’t working anymore.
That can feel scary — especially to those who have been in the industry for years. The truth is, the world has never been as mobile, and consumers have never been as saturated with standard marketing as they are today. Simply put: Billboards just don’t wow. Magazine ads are numb, and commercials are just an option with the widespread use of DVRs and subscription services.
You can’t force someone to give you their attention. You have to earn it.
“Say it ain’t so!” cry the marketers. “It’s not the way it’s done!” scream the CEOs. But alas: The world of marketing needs a splash. A hook. Something new to wake up the masses and earn attention — not just buy it. Whether it’s fair or not, consumers are in control more than ever — and they’re numb to “sugar-coated” marketing. Stories and experiences sell — and while it may take a bit more thought on the front-end, here’s the beauty of it all:
When you get their attention, it’s quality. Engaged consumers are now more loyal and viral than ever.
Once you win them over, you have more focus, attention and brand loyalty than ever before. Add in social media and you have yourself a viral campaign, and we all know — that level of engagement sells…a lot.
1. Augmented Reality: What is it?
Simply put, augmented reality allows someone to experience your product — understand your story — deeper and more intimately than ever. That’s vague, we know, so here’s a quick video that explains precisely what it’s capable of:
2. Is it worth it?
To put it plainly, Augmented Reality captivates audiences in ways that, to this point, have never been experienced by marketers. That said, you’re a numbers type. A decision maker! How about some proof! Campaigns that make use of augmented reality have not only resulted in some of the most viral social media campaigns in the world, but the conversion rates associated with augmented reality campaigns are experiencing unprecedented levels.
Here’s a free download PDF, outlining a few hard numbers and stats on the topic, but one of our favorite stories comes from a promotion that we ran as an experiment for this very question…
The unofficial Facebook fan page for the Superman: Man of Steel film allowed Gravity Jack to integrate a 3D augmented reality experience on only their Facebook profile cover photo. Only one Facebook post could promote the new image — that was the rule. That’s when things got crazy…
- Facebook’s algorithms limit the viral ability of a post to 8% — in order to ensure value for paid posts. The augmented reality cover photo experience organically blew past the algorithms and jumped to a viral level of 41%. Prompting Facebook to reach out for an explanation and investigate for spamming — it was verified as clean.
- The experienced attracted over 450 blog posts on independent websites, including ComicBookMovie.com, ComicBook.com, Ubergizmo.com, MovieViral.com and Hey U Guys!
- The Facebook page reached 61,000 likes, just 5 days into the post.
- The post received so much viral attention on the internet, that Warner Bros. issued a DCMA takedown notice because of the unofficial nature of the page and the level of attention the post received. Gravity Jack complied completely.
This is just one success story from Gravity Jack’s powerful augmented reality technology, and our favorite experiences are those endorsed by brands like the ones below (all of whom have worked with us!):
[clientLogos]
The truth is, it works…and it’s shaking up the world of marketing and advertising. In a few words: Yes. Yes, it’s very worth it.
3. How do I use Augmented Reality?
This is a question that becomes a bit unique, based on your business model, product and brand. Every company and brand — in every vertical has something to gain from augmented reality. It’s because of this that the technology hasn’t been labeled as a niche tech…it’s a ground breaker for this reason.
What you must ask, is “What experience does our product or service provide consumers? Your answer to this question will dictate the experience that you need to portray, using this powerful new technology. When consumers experience you, your product or service has the best chance to wow. Consumers who need you, know and understand that you provide the solution. The conversion is like clockwork.
Start with a consultation with our experienced augmented reality development team. We not only design and develop this technology, we were the first company in the United States creating it. We’re on the forefront of research and development — with our own in-house, doctorate-level development team — and can prove it with every move we make. We work with brands to pinpoint the target, then build a custom solution to achieve just that — in a viral, conversion-happy way that can only be explained in some of the most impressive ROI reports you’ll ever land on that boardroom table.
