Augmented Reality(AR) advertising is a strategy that uses AR technology to create innovative consumer experiences and provides more information about a brand. It uses your device’s camera to superimpose 3D models or other virtual elements onto your screen. AR enables advertisers to add a personal touch to mobile apps and other marketing content. For example, shoppers can scan elements at a supermarket to see the sale prices and discount coupons. By implementing AR filters into media and marketing strategies, companies can differentiate themselves and attract new customers.
1. IKEA: Place A Tree On It
IKEA Place App uses AR technology to engage with users. IKEA Place alleviates the stress of furniture shopping by giving users the confidence to purchase the best-suited items for their home items using AR. With the IKEA app, you need only to point, click, and choose. Then it shows you the item in your room and where you want it. IKEA launched the new Place a Tree on It filter just in time for the most exciting holiday weekend of every year. The augmented reality app added four true-to-scale tree styles. It lets you use your phone camera to choose the furniture that fits best by utilizing the features: Drag it, drop it, and #Placeatreeonit. IKEA released reels and interactive content highlighting how simple it is to pick your tree just in time for the holidays. The campaign reinforces IKEA Place’s desire to become an appropriate tool for all consumers.
2. Pepsi MAX: Unbelievable Bus Shelter
Pepsi Max created an interactive digital campaign using AR to share their brand’s message, “Live For Now.”. Using AR technology and creativity, Grand Visual brought Pepsi Max’s vision to life. The marketing team at Pepsi Max creatively integrated AR technology and turned a regular bus stop into a marvelous campaign for unsuspecting travelers. 2D and 3D elements were used to create realistic-looking tentacles and UFOs that are superimposed onto the live feed of the street ahead with depth mapping. A giant laser-shooting robot, a fiery incoming asteroid, a utility hole with tentacles, and more surprising scenes forced the commuters and passersby to stop and take in this moment. The campaign was a runaway success that garnered over 8 million views on YouTube.
3. Pizza Hut: AR Menu Experience
Pizza Hut has newly installed an AI-powered feature that detects the users’ mood at a few of its outlets. It studies the facial cues of customers and then recommends a pizza accordingly. For example, if it reads the customer’s features as angry, it will suggest Mazedaar Makhani Paneer for vegetarians and Nawabi Murg Makhani for non-vegetarians. Pizza Hut uses Artificial Intelligence and Augmented reality technologies to make this marketing campaign a reality.
4. The Walking Dead Scary Shelter: Zombies Attack
The Walking Dead used AR to scare the living daylights out of people in its promotion campaign in Austria. The augmented reality “Scary Shelter” superimposed the zombies over the actual street. The campaign went on for two days and horrified people by combining zombie footage shot for the campaign with a real-time feed of Vienna. The zombies made for a terrifyingly impressive stunt by The Walking Dead marketing team. Scaring your fans to death is an innovative approach to get them talking about your movie.
5. Burger King: Burn That Ad
Burger King launched an AR-integrated ad campaign that innovatively merged its bold personality and gave a funny experience to its customers. They created a new feature on their app that lets users burn the ads of their competitors’ food chains displayed on billboards. Anyone who uses the Burger King app in Brazil and points their smartphone at its main competitors’ ads could enjoy the sight of it burning. With augmented reality, they creatively turned their competitors’ ads into a BK ad. When the flames burn away, the customers receive a free Whopper coupon on their screens that could availed at the nearest restaurant.
6. Next For Nigeria
In Nigeria, the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, and Professor Yemi Osinbajo have opted for augmented reality to reach the country’s youth. They launched the app Next for Nigeria to communicate with this part of voters. In this app, we have many features and a message by Buhari and Osinbajo, who registered a talk, which is viewable by the young generation. For young people to feel engaged, they created an interactive feature where they could answer through the app with comments and ideas. The app uses augmented reality so users can take a selfie with the two candidates. This ad campaign revolutionized election campaigns by using AR.
7. Home Depot’s Virtual Paint Tester
Home Depot is the go-to place for home improvement that has harnessed the power of augmented reality (AR) to make an attractive ad campaign for its customers. Their app, Project Color, has created a new way for customers to envision how different paint shades will look in their homes. This app uses AR tech to provide a super realistic preview of paint colors on your walls. This app makes it easy to imagine things like lighting, shadows, and even the furniture in the room. It helps customers make more intelligent choices by using high-end AR technology.
8. Sephora, Try It On!
Sephora launched an Augmented Reality beauty app called Virtual Artist. Augmented reality and computer vision are involved in the app. It gives technical accuracy, timing, realism, and quality in a way that makes the app run smoothly. The app uses facial recognition software that detects your eyes, cheeks, and lips and immediately places products virtually on your face, anywhere you want, at any time. It allows you to compare and switch colors from different brands in seconds. This AR app also encourages you to try virtually full make-up. It also gives you step-by-step tutorials that personalize your face. So, it is easy for you to recreate these looks in real life.
9. Netflix AR Filter Promos
Netflix used an augmented reality strategy to promote the second season of the popular web series Stranger Things. Netflix unveiled a first-of-its-kind 3D Lens on Snapchat that works with AR to transport fans into the show. Fans can tap the lens to experience the various easter eggs from the show in their room. The floral wallpaper, striped couch, painted alphabets, and fairy lights are memorable elements from the series that get transported into fan’s rooms via the lens. They can walk around the room, find the various easter eggs, and tap on them to interact with them. For example, you can tap the fairy lights on your mobile screen and light them up. Or touch the bookshelf, and the books will fall off.
10. John Lewis: Man On The Moon
John Lewis has created a Man On The Moon app that uses AR to give interactive experiences to their customers. Smartphone users can point their devices at the Man On The Moon image on the posters, shopping bags, and boxes to unlock a 3D interactive moon that releases daily facts and animations. Customers could also unlock this content by pointing their phones at the moon in the sky. John Lewis collaborated with PrettyGreen to launch the pop-ups using AR. Their Christmas adverts are about going the extra mile to give someone the perfect gift. In 2015, we watched this creative ad, where we saw Lily, our heroine, going to great lengths to connect with the Man on the Moon.
