Introduction to Augmented Reality in Music Promotion
When Canadian country singer Drew Gregory released his latest single "Stuck" in January, his team opted for a novel promotional strategy. They created a custom augmented-reality effect for TikTok, which generated a truck-themed personality type for every user. This modern approach significantly boosted exposure for "Stuck," with the song being set because the default sound for over 42,000 videos.
The Power of AR Filters in Music Promotion
The "What Farm Truck Are You" filter, which hovered above users’ heads, randomly generated a truck-themed personality type. For instance, if the effect landed on Yellowstone Ram 3500 Super Cab, it meant the user "likes to be the boss" and was "to not be crossed." This filter not only promoted Gregory’s song but additionally provided an attractive experience for users. With a small audience of around 3,000 followers on TikTok, Gregory’s effect has been utilized in roughly 42,000 videos to-date, and "Stuck" has been added as a background track across nearly 16,000 TikTok posts.
The Rise of AR in Social Media
The use of AR filters has surged within the last yr on social media. On Snapchat, greater than 250 million users engage with augmented reality every day, driving over 6 billion day by day plays. In April, when TikTok moved its AR-creation tool Effect House out of closed beta, it announced that augmented-reality effects had accrued over 600 billion views across 1.5 billion videos on its app globally. A viral effect can have tremendous reach, as seen with the "AI Manga" filter, which has appeared in 132 million videos and boosted the associated track "たぶん" by Yoasobi to 12 million video uses.
The Benefits of AR Filters for Artists and Marketers
Unlike influencer campaigns built around a dance challenge or meme, including AR effects in videos is a low lift for users. "What’s cool about AR filters is that they are globally understood," said Laurel Cass, head of music operations at Creed Media. "You can create a filter that transcends language and cultural barriers. They’re also easily accessible." Augmented-reality filters are generally deployed as one tactic inside a bigger marketing strategy for a song release. For its promotion of "Stuck," Songfluencer also hired influencers and created a challenge across the track via its video-contest platform Preffy.
Music and Tech Companies Building AR Experiences
As the music industry has embraced augmented reality, tech platforms are constructing tools to assist merge AR into live performances like concert events and festivals. Snap announced a multi-year partnership with Live Nation to construct custom augmented-reality experiences for festivals like Electric Daisy Carnival and Lollapalooza. Meta Platforms can also be searching for brand spanking new ways to mix music with AR, having partnered with Coachella to construct custom AR experiences for Instagram across the festival.
The Future of AR Music Campaigns
For well-known artists, creating AR effects around a particular song, album, or their public persona could be an efficient strategy to drum up fan engagement. However, as with all trend on social media, originality is very important for helping an AR effect spread. "Just like anything, it would eventually be oversaturated," said Suzy Yoder, CEO of YO SUZY. "If it’s too much like something else or if there’s something about it that is just a little bit boring, just cookie cutter, you are not going to get the outcomes." As using AR filters in music promotion continues to grow, it’s essential for artists and marketers to remain creative and modern of their approach.
Conclusion
The use of augmented reality in music promotion has turn into a game-changer for artists and marketers. With its ability to transcend language and cultural barriers, AR filters have the potential to achieve a large audience and boost engagement. As the music industry continues to evolve, it’s likely that we’ll see much more modern uses of AR in music promotion. By staying ahead of the curve and embracing this technology, artists and marketers can create unique and fascinating experiences that drive results and leave an enduring impact on their audience.
