Brands, Augmented Reality Is Still Cool

“It will be embedded in televisions, cars ... everything that has to do with vision. You don't want to be aware of that, you just want to experience.” (King Yiu Chu from Layar).

Remember the first time you found out about augmented reality (AR) and showed all your friends because you thought it was cool and futuristic technology? What happened and why is the technology still struggling to make an impact on the mainstream after years of hype?

Augmented reality essentially overlays digital information onto the real world so users can interact with virtual objects through the ‘viewfinder’ of their web or mobile cameras. There are currently three types of AR:

• There’s marker-based AR which involves a visual marker that contains the data for animations (sort of like QR barcodes);
• Markerless - This activates the 3D/animations through a graphic or recognised object. A good example is Ben & Jerry’s iPhone app that recognises its ice cream lids to create colourful animations;
• AR readers - apps such as Google Googles and Layar combine other mobile technologies like GPS and online data (e.g. reviews) to display virtual objects on the user’s phone screens. TripAdvisor’s Live View places reviews of local locations based on the user’s location.

There’s a handful of notable campaigns which have used AR, but the number is still relatively low compared to other emerging technologies, like QR. Some of the engaging AR campaigns  include: Lego’s in-store AR kiosk, BMW/Mini Cooper’s magazine ad, Stella Artois Le Bar Guide and the Transformers ‘We Are Autobots’.

It’s slightly disappointing to see this promising and lets be honest, cool, technology lag behind QR codes, which only offers a fraction of what AR is capable of (read: how AR kills QR). Even with the rapid increase of smartphone users, AR appears to only be used by a few brands. But one thing is for sure, it’s clear that AR can be used for many different things; from libraries (check this out), travel (CNN has a good list), history (through Layar), education (check out PBS Kids’ new app) to innovative brand interaction (awesome Lynx campaign).

Before we go into more detail, it’s worth highlighting some of the advantages AR offers to brands and marketers:

• It’s still treated as something new and cool. According to the Mobile Marketing Association, AR is the 6th biggest trend to watch in the coming year (here);
• It’s a great opportunity for brands to engage with users, especially on a local scale with geo-targeting or with engaging content. Look at Volkswagen’s campaign or Mercedes’ UK AR billboard campaign;
• According to Lou Dubois, NBC’s Social Media Editor, it’s likely to be cheaper than billboards and magazine ads (unless they’re in AR). The base rate of Sports Illustrated’s 2011 swimsuit issue was $405,300 for a one-page ad, whereas AR campaigns can start at $5,000;
• Smartphone usage is going up (42% global sale increase in Q3 2011 compared to Q3 2010) and 3G/4G coverage is increasing.
• We’re in a digital age where interaction with users is becoming the norm - look at Siri’s success that’s been credited for high iPhone 4S sales. It’s a more engaging way to connect with users than QR or Foursquare. Marmite’s brand manager Danielle Hayward-Bradly said that Marmite’s recently-launched AR app is “[more] than just QR codes, creating a more in-depth and engaging experience for consumers”;
• The technology is still new, so you’ll have more freedom to try something that hasn’t been done before. Each new campaign is innovative in its own way - check out the latest Tesco one.

As with most new technologies, there’s a degree of scepticism that could slow the adoption of AR down - which makes complete sense. Some drawbacks include:

• It requires more time and money to develop and to get it right (you can’t get away with a QR code generator);
• Coming up with the right campaign can take time and can be risky in terms of ROI. It’s clear that AR can be costly, and putting together all the variables (PR, social media etc.) to ensure a campaign is successful is resource-intensive;
• The need to download a custom app can make it inaccessible. Many people still don’t know how to use QR codes, meaning they’ll also struggle with AR.  Smartphones don’t usually have integrated AR readers, so a dedicated branded app or a generic AR reader would be required. There are efforts to standardise AR, but again, this would still require content to be developed;
• A general lack of user-awareness about the technology. It’s been around for a while, but within people who read about technology or marketing. AR is sure to impress people, but there’s still a large number of people who’ll have never heard of ‘augmented reality’. (Here’s an interesting article by Gizmodo - “If Apple supports AR, will people finally care?”)

It’s easy to be sceptical about AR, especially with cheaper and more accessible technologies like check-ins and QR codes. These don’t require as much effort and money to develop, making them easy to implement and use. So what’s preventing the highly-hyped AR from becoming widespread? Is it really still in an experimental stage trying to define itself?, as the Guardian’s Stuart Dredge suggests? - “AR is cool, but nobody really knows what it’s for, or how it will make money.”

Similarly, Nick Brown, CEO of AR company CrossPlatform, claims that AR is inaccessible: “One of the worst things... is the name. Augmented reality? What does that mean to the public?” There’s a general lack of awareness, understanding and education about what AR is and what it can do, meaning brands run the risk of creating ‘dud’ campaigns that only a small audience would know about.

Recent campaigns have proven to be extremely effective for brand building, and if the rumours about Apple’s AR experiments are true, it could disrupt the AR landscape by boosting its awareness, making it significantly more accessible to the public. Brands that are already involved with AR will have a head start for being early adopters.  

Conclusion

So we know that augmented reality is an innovative and engaging way for a brand to connect with its fans, but it’s also clear that running an AR campaign will require a lot of resources and planning. Most campaigns come from some of the biggest consumer brands, and they’re pretty impressive, technically, and often leave a lasting impression.

By looking at different examples, an AR campaign requires a lot of coordination. In most cases, social media will be key to inform your fans and social networks, PR can help to get the word out to the press and some form of advertising can build awareness, but before all that, your campaign needs to work and have a purpose; to offer a valuable experience. As Topcoder Inc.’s (a development community) marketing manager Clinton Bonner says, it’s no longer a “look at this cool thing you can do with your phone!” but a “wow, that was valuable to me”. Your campaign needs to stick, so look at it from a consumer’s point of view.  

The campaign can have shareable media (such as the Transformer Autobots) or an actual use (such as TripAdvisor and Stella’s campaigns), but the delivery has to be an immersive experience. Lynx’s ‘Fallen Angels’ viral campaign didn’t offer anything practical, but the experience was so memorable that people couldn’t wait to try it out and tell their friends. It ultimately “boils down to …. delivering something of value” (Clinton Bonner) that people are happy to tell their friends about.  

AR is definitely something brands should look into, but it’s not for everyone. Existing campaigns are generally from "cool" consumer brands - e.g. Lego, Lynx, BMW, Stella, Volkswagen, H&M, Ben & Jerrys, Sega and Google. These are brands that are often associated with technology, creativity and innovation, so their AR campaigns reflect these qualities to their audience.

With the right push, great functionality and and the right creative for your audience, an AR campaign could work wonders. But it requires careful planning and execution - ultimately, it comes down to whether this emerging platform suits your brand.

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If you have something to say about AR or like to share some cool campaigns, so make sure you leave a comment, as we’d love to hear any thoughts!