All industries can benefit from using augmented reality apps as a way to market themselves in creative and unique ways. Both large and small companies have invested in augmented reality to better engage with consumers and to increase brand awareness and reach.
Keep reading to learn how businesses have used augmented reality campaigns to create a more immersive customer experience for consumers.
Asos Virtual Catwalk
Asos continues to embrace mobile innovation and has now integrated augmented reality into its app. A few months ago, the company launched its experimental Virtual Catwalk, an augmented reality feature that lets shoppers see products in real life. The AR feature is available on iOS versions 11.3+ and is currently being tested on select products.
To use the feature, a smartphone a user simply points their camera at a flat service and then clicks the AR button on the product page. The app then displays virtual models in the selected environment, giving customers a unique and intimate way to view products that they’re interested in purchasing.
Even though consumers can’t see the product on themselves, being able to see it on a model in a familiar environment creates a more immersive online shopping experience.
Lowe’s & AR Home Design
Lowe’s is best known as a home improvement company, selling tools, appliances, and other items that customers need to upgrade and improve their homes. Over the years, Lowe’s has added more products to its inventory such as décor, rugs, and other home furnishings.
While you can see products in-store and online, it can sometimes be hard to envision an item in your own home. To remedy this, Lowe’s has added an AR feature to its app that lets people put life-sized products in their homes and outdoor spaces. This aids the buying process and gives customers confidence that the product they’re buying looks great in their home.
This isn’t the first time Lowe’s has embraced AR in its app. Years ago the company used an AR feature that let shoppers find items during in-store shopping trips.
Macy’s Cosmetic Sampling Campaign
Finding the right shade in the cosmetic aisle is no easy feat. While it’s important that companies are creating an ever-growing number of shades for people of all colors, the more options there are on the shelf, the harder it is to find the one that best matches your skin tone. While many stores offer samples, not all colors are available.
Because of the difficulty people face in finding their perfect shade both in-store and online, Macy’s has invested in the use of augmented reality to help. The company already uses augmented reality technology in its Virtual Room Designer.
Earlier this year, Macy’s announced that it will be expanding an augmented reality app to all mobile users. The company has partnered with Modiface, and with the new app, mobile users can virtually try more than 1,000 cosmetic products without having to step foot in the store.
The augmented reality experience will also be available at select locations at in-store beauty displays.
Gucci – Try on Shoes
Gucci is another big retail brand that has realized the benefit of AR technology. The company has added an AR feature to its app that lets users try on shoes before purchasing them. Similar to clothes or even cosmetics, trying before you buy can be a huge perk for online shoppers.
To use the feature, an app user just has to point their smartphone camera down towards their feet. The app then creates a digital overlay of the selected pair of shoes. Using the Gucci app, consumers can even take photos of the pair they’re considering and share it with friends or on social media.
Giving online shoppers a visual representation of how a product will look on them in real life can improve customer satisfaction and may even reduce return rates.
Stranger Things – AR World Lens
Stranger Things is one of the most popular television shows to hit the small screen. But did you know that you can immerse yourself in the show? When promoting the second season, Netflix teamed up with Snapchat and launched a 3D world lens, which let users wander through Joyce Byers’ living room.
In the room app, users could tap different elements to find surprises and hidden messages. Users could even make their way into the Upside Down!
Netflix also introduced a feature on its app that gave users Eleven’s signature nosebleed. If a user raised their eyebrows when using the feature, they were transposed into the Upside Down.
Conclusion
Over the last few years, companies have used augmented reality apps to better engage with consumers and to create a more immersive and engaging experience. In the future, expect virtual reality to be used even more as a way to more creatively market products and to engage with customers in unique and customized ways.
