Introduction to Augmented Reality in Marketing
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that has been gaining popularity in recent times, and its application in marketing has shown loads of promise. At a recent Portada Live knowledge-sharing event, Rafael Belloso, Senior Brand Marketing Manager at Ocean Spray Cranberries, shared his insights on the implementation of a recent AR program.
The Challenge Faced by Ocean Spray
Ocean Spray Cranberries is a well known brand within the US, but it surely faced a challenge by way of brand awareness in international key markets, comparable to Chile. The company launched a brand new product, and the challenge was to attach with consumers and tell the story of their cooperative of producers and the way they harvest cranberries in Chile.
The Solution: Augmented Reality
To solve this challenge, Ocean Spray created an AR program that allowed consumers to learn more concerning the product, its advantages, and the story behind it. The AR program was integrated into the product’s packaging, and consumers could scan the juice bottles with their phones to find the story of Ocean Spray, play games, and share with friends.
Benefits of Augmented Reality in Marketing
The advantages of AR in marketing surpassed every other strategy in effectiveness. According to Rafael Belloso, the usage of AR brought several advantages, including:
- Interactive Storytelling: AR technology allowed Ocean Spray to inform its story in a more interactive way.
- Consumer Engagement: AR enabled consumers to interact with the product in a playful way, giving them a reason to share with others.
- Increased Word of Mouth: AR increased word of mouth, with people talking concerning the product and its packaging.
- Unique PR: AR delivered a distinct type of PR, helping to garner awareness for the product that might not have been obtained otherwise.
- Improved Brand Health: AR innovation helped improve brand health attributes, comparable to consumer perceptions about Ocean Spray’s innovation and technology.
Results of the Initiative
The results of the AR initiative were impressive, with 10% of people that bought the product engaging with the experience. This is a really high response rate, especially considering the variation curve that comes with recent technology. Additionally, the quantity of interaction and engagement that could be obtained from AR technology is large, providing marketers with priceless data.
Investment in Augmented Reality
In terms of investment, the quantity of expenditure depends directly on the scope of the AR tool. According to Rafael Belloso, it’s not an enormous investment in comparison with other marketing budgets. The key’s to find out how big you wish the AR experience to be and plan accordingly.
Conclusion
Augmented reality has shown loads of promise in marketing, and its application can bring significant advantages to brands. The example of Ocean Spray Cranberries demonstrates how AR could be used to inform a brand’s story, engage consumers, and improve brand health. With its relatively low investment requirements and high potential for engagement, AR is unquestionably a technology that marketers should consider when planning their marketing strategies.
