Introduction to Augmented Reality Experience
National Geographic has created an progressive augmented reality (AR) experience for Earth Day, allowing Instagram users to explore the potential effects of climate change on our planet. This interactive experience is a cautionary take a look at what the world is likely to be like in 2070, and it’s available for anyone to try on their smartphones.
How the AR Experience Works
The AR experience encompasses a 3D computer-generated globe that users can walk around because it rotates. The globe is marked with yellow dots on 12 major cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, London, Istanbul, and Chennai, India. By tapping on these dots, users can access current climate data for every city, in addition to predictions for the way the climate may change over the subsequent 50 years. Some cities actually have a line connecting them to a different city that is expected to have the identical climate in the longer term.
Creating the AR Experience
National Geographic created this experience using Facebook’s Spark AR Studio software. The AR content is on the market to all Instagram users, not only followers of the @natgeo account. Users are encouraged to record videos of the experience and share them of their Stories, helping to spread awareness about climate change and its potential effects on our planet.
Engaging Younger Audiences
National Geographic’s AR experience is an element of a bigger effort to have interaction younger audiences with interactive and immersive content. By using social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, publishers can reach tech-savvy younger audiences who usually tend to share and interact with digital content. This approach will help cultivate stronger bonds with readers and create a more engaging experience than traditional media channels like print and TV.
The Future of AR Content
The rollout of National Geographic’s Earth Day experience is an indication that Facebook is permitting publishers to proceed with their AR content development. After a brief suspension of AR content reviews as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook has resumed approvals of AR content made with its Spark AR Studio. Meanwhile, rival Snapchat has released its Lens Web Builder software to assist marketers create AR ads for the photo-messaging app. As younger consumers proceed to hunt down experiences they will share on social media, AR content is more likely to play an increasingly essential role in the way in which we interact with digital media.
Conclusion
National Geographic’s AR experience for Earth Day is a strong example of how interactive and immersive content will be used to lift awareness about essential issues like climate change. By leveraging social media platforms and AR technology, publishers can create engaging experiences that resonate with younger audiences and encourage social media conversations. As the usage of AR content continues to grow, it’s likely that we’ll see much more progressive and interactive experiences like this one in the longer term.
