If you’ve used Snapchat in the last couple of months, or have existed online in any capacity in the last couple of months, you’ve probably seen this guy:
As he plagues our dreams and Snapchats sent to us by friends, he is utilizing something that’s becoming more prevalent in the marketing world. It’s called augmented reality, and it’s when a computer-generated image is projected, through your screen, into reality.
Two, less annoying examples are IKEA and AMC Theaters. Both respectively use mobile apps to pivot on how they explain and communicate their services.
Of course, you can go to IKEA and pick out what you want, pray it matches the aesthetic of your room, and then pray again that it’ll fit somewhere. However, with their mobile app, you can save time and money by doing it all from the comfort of your home.
The augmented reality app from AMC is similar but doesn’t go as far in convenience: We all go to movies, and we all pass posters of movies that will come out soon. We look at them and say, “Hey, cool.” That’s about the extent of our interaction. By creating this app and using augmented reality, AMC is letting you scan that poster and then watch the trailer, eliminating the chance of you forgetting about it or having to comb through other video services to find the trailer.
Augmented reality isn’t new. However, the way it’s being used is new and is developing every day as brands find various ways to take advantage of it. Consumers are always looking for new ways to consume content, while marketers are always looking for new ways to deliver that content. Augmented reality isn’t so much about the message itself, but the way in which the message is delivered. The cliche phrase to say here is that consumers are looking for an ‘experience’ when it comes to content.
Moving forward, we can expect a lot more brands to create a lot more engaging, creative, convenient and downright fun, ways to use augmented reality to connect with their audience.
Until then, rest assured that Snapchat is already creating other augmented reality characters like our hot dog friend. There’s even a female version of it now so that you can alternate between the two.
Welcome to the future.
