How Augmented Reality Is Used in Advertising
Advertisers are always looking for innovative new ways to communicate their message to consumers. With the rise in prominence of augmented reality (AR), they now have the opportunity to create unique campaigns that blend the digital and physical worlds together to leave a lasting impact. AR is becoming more mainstream with many companies using the technology in their advertising.
Augmented Ads
In a world where consumers are bombarded with messages every day from multiple channels, AR is seen as a way to get cut-through in a crowded marketplace. Consumers today suffer from information overload and getting your message to stick is increasingly difficult. Luckily, there are many ways that businesses can leverage AR to engage customers and push them along the buyers journey.
Firstly, AR is unique in that it enables you to utilise virtual try-ons. Consumers can virtually try out clothes, jewelry and other accessories from the comfort of their own home. This gives AR an edge over other forms of advertising as a powerful tool for increasing engagement and increasing sales. Customers simply need to scan a picture on their phone with the right app and they’ll be able to experience AR in action.

Secondly – AR ads can incorporate advanced hyperlocal advertising. Effective digital ads utilise machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyse the behaviour of customers, which lets them deliver the right message at the right time to the right person. A traditional hyperlocal ad enables you to send a specific message to your target persona. This type of ad could inform a customer about local shops such as cafes or restaurants, whereas hyperlocal AR ads can display actual objects on the smartphone of the customer. This ensures that the user not only receives information about a specific location, they also get guided there.

Cost Effective Advertising
An AR advertising campaign can be much more cost effective than a traditional print ad in a popular magazine. You can also use an AR mobile app across multiple campaigns to enable your marketing dollars to stretch even further. The cost of an AR campaign can vary significantly depending on the quality and cut-through you’re seeking. However, you can still be sure it’s cheaper than most traditional means of advertising.
Emotional engagement
AR ads are also great at forging emotional connections with customers. AR is interactive and realistic, which creates engagement that other forms of advertising can’t replicate. This not only creates emotional connections, it also helps build brand awareness and encourages future engagement and purchases.
Final Thoughts
With customers receiving multiple messages every day from various brands, finding a way to cut-through the noise is crucial. Augmented reality is an option to get your message across and engage customers in unique and innovative ways. As this technology continues to become more mainstream, expect to see even more creative ways to reach and create bonds with your customers.