AR & Interactive Print for Product Marketing
For product manufacturers, the buyer experience sits high on the list of sales and product marketing priorities. It has always mattered that consumers understand what your products are about, know how to use them and see how they fit into, and improve, their lives. Traditionally, TV ads, print ads, in-store demos and knowledgeable sales staff have guided shoppers on their way to buying a product.
As e-commerce platforms have outpaced brick-and-mortar stores, manufacturers have added hi-res imagery, videos, more detailed content and reviews to their e-commerce websites to engage consumers. Then Augmented Reality (AR) arrived and made shopping more immersive and engaging. Once seen as a novelty, AR overlays are now helping manufacturers such as IKEA and Sephora increase engagement and streamline customer journeys.
AR is changing the way people shop
According to XR Today, 57% of AR users say they’re more likely to buy from a brand offering AR. Customers are more likely to buy from a company that offers an immersive AR experience.
AR experiences are changing the way consumers shop, with 3D animations, 3D modeling, videos, online catalogs and other techniques that mimic the in-store experience. Marketing and ad agencies stand to gain a lot by adding AR functionality to their omnichannel product marketing strategies.
For product manufacturers, distributors and retailers, AR for products lets customers see products as they would look in their own spaces, try products out and try them on, and get a better sense of how they could work for their needs, all from the comfort of their own homes or offices. A recent Snap report found that around 64% of consumers believe using AR when they shop makes them feel more loyal to a brand.
According to a Harvard Business Review article, customers who used AR spent 20.7% more time on the app and viewed 1.28 times more products on average. They were also 19.8% more likely to buy during the session than customers who didn’t use AR, which suggests AR can help businesses increase revenues.
Product Marketing and Interactive Print
One of the many ways to improve product marketing is through Interactive Print and product brochures. They bring highly engaging, interactive digital AR content to a channel that consumers trust and enjoy for its tactile form: print and direct mail. Print overlaid with Augmented Reality product content can turn static traditional media into engaging, highly interactive experiences, where consumers can reach informative product videos, 3D and animations from postcards, brochures, magazines and product packaging.
Interactive Print campaigns powered by Augmented Reality also lead customers smoothly from the AR experience to website landing pages, online stores, contact forms and other online destinations, where they can find out more or buy. Interactive print powered by AR is also the perfect enabler for comprehensive omnichannel marketing journeys and a starting point for both digital and direct retargeting programs. Among the many ways product manufacturers and sellers can promote products with AR-enabled print are:
Product Representation
Augmented Reality in catalogs and brochures lets product manufacturers offer customers the chance to interact with and try out 3D product models and animations from the comfort of their own homes, which largely removes the need to visit a store to make an informed purchase.
Retail companies are finding plenty of ways to engage customers in AR shopping experiences:
- IKEA Place uses Apple phone technology so visitors can view over 2000 products in their own spaces.
- Cosmetic brand Sephora started a trend that lets customers try on lipstick colors and other products with smartphone filters.
- Warby Parker Eyeglasses pioneered trying on different eyeglass frames through smartphone technology.
Product information
Industrial product information can be hard to get across to customers without in-person demos. B2B machinery manufacturers can show buyers how their products work with step-by-step how-to AR-enhanced videos, reachable from direct mail pieces and brochures. Some manufacturers want to give customers more information about their products, how to use them, servicing and so on. Automotive companies, which have to explain their products, can use AR to show the inner workings of their vehicles.
- BMW iVisualizer used AR technology on smartphones to let customers view real-size BMW models in their driveways or favorite parking spots at work, customize exterior colors and rim types and tailor the vehicle interior to their tastes.
- Toyota, working with Brandwidth, let customers ‘see inside’ their C-HR model through a new hybrid AR experience, using AR technology with object recognition software to overlay graphics of the C-HR drivetrain onto physical vehicles so customers could better understand how the hybrid system works.
Supercharge your product marketing
Engage your customers through the power of AR to enhance your print marketing, from magazines and catalogs to postcards and direct mail campaigns. AR technology platforms such as Orpington Omni Media make it possible to run enhanced AR marketing campaigns that engage your customers and increase ROI. Breathe new life into printed product postcards, brochures and other printed ads with interactive AR video content.
Orpington Omni Media is a world-leading provider of Interactive Print & Direct Mail solutions for Advertising Agencies, Printers and Direct Mailer businesses.
Our solutions are designed to help businesses evolve their marketing offering to meet growing market demand, while reinforcing their position as a market leader.
Don’t miss the chance to win business by making the most of the growing popularity of AR and Interactive Print.
Contact Us if you’d like to learn more about AR & Interactive Print for product marketing and how your business can benefit from Interactive Print marketing, powered by Augmented Reality.