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Why Now?

While AR has gained plenty of traction elsewhere, in Sri Lanka, the revolution is only just beginning, which means the space is ripe with opportunity and brands who capitalize on this early will have a long-term advantage.

The Advantages

AR allows brands to personalize and tailor user experiences like never before and engage with users on a whole new level. Since the technology is also relatively new, early adopters can gain a competitive edge over their peers.

Creating an Impulsive Buying Environment – Data shows that in-store and in-person customers are more likely to make an impulsive buying decision than someone coming in online; the reason behind this is simple, more immersive experiences result in more impulsive buying decisions. AR has the potential to create almost life-like immersive experiences which in turn create a much more impulsive buying environment.

Opportunities for Experiential Marketing – Experiences that elicit an emotional response are the ones most likely to result in a sale. AR can be used to create immersive experiential marketing campaigns like never before. Brands that sell experiences, such as the leisure sector, can benefit greatly. Leading brands like Marriot already have AR campaigns that allow users to experience what a stay at a Marriot might be like before even coming.

Notable Examples

Ben & Jerry’s Facebook AR Filter – World famous ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s has used Facebook’s AR platform to create a selfie filter that is also a game. The filter puts a pair of glasses on the user’s face and 5 ice cream cones at the bottom of the frame. The game involves the user catching marsh mellows in their mouths. After 5 failed attempts the game is over. The idea is genius in that it markets the product while also capitalizing on users’ competitive streaks to create engagement.

IKEA Place by IKEA – This is a great example of how a retailer has used AR to allow customers to point their phones at an empty space and then see how any piece of IKEA furniture might look in that space. Of course, this is an example of a standalone AR app as opposed to an implementation on a popular platform; nonetheless, it showcases how powerful the technology is.

The End Result

AR is the next step in digital marketing, catering to ever-increasingly mobile-savvy audiences demanding more immersion and interactivity. AR has triggered a revolution in social media and digital marketing that is sure to make consumers simply itch to press ‘buy’ and you should be a part of it!