Lots of people have access to the internet but not everyone has access to a webcam. This is – and probably always will be – a major stumbling block to AR applications. However, the future of AR doesn’t just lie with webcams.
Mobile phones and AR
As the market penetration of smart phones continues to grow most people will soon have the camera parts necessary to run AR apps or have factory standard AR software present in their pockets. This makes AR apps accessible to anyone with a mobile phone.
When it comes to direct mail or other printed materials this will lead to a fast shift in consumer behaviour. Instead of asking our customers to memorise or carry printed digital calls to action (CTAs) with them to take part in an AR experience later, they will receive digital triggers. This will give them ‘there and then’ access to AR through their phone.
As the time between seeing and doing is diminished, there will be far greater use of these CTAs. Using a phone route will make access to AR instant.
Direct mail and AR
Let’s say, for example, that a customer’s received an enticing piece of direct mail they want to know more about. Using the relevant AR app they could simply hold their phone over the mailer and see all the information they need delivered – and personalised – to their mobile.
And if the direct mail has been personalised to that customer there’s no reason why the AR app shouldn’t speak to them in the same way. It can provide offers and visuals that reflect any known data that has been captured about that person. Plus, the AR information is received in real time so information can be evolved on input – much like a website.
How AR drives customer response and action
If the AR message persuades the user to go that little step further and call the relevant contact it’s as simple as the push of a button. The same applies if they want to send an email or a text message for more information.
With location-based services customers could even find out where the nearest outlet is to buy the product: a mobile phone’s GPS signal could be used to push information about local outlets and offers. Users can also buy or subscribe to whatever the direct mail is advertising by charging it directly to their mobile phone account – paying for it when they get their phone bill.
This would have a brilliant impact on results too. All results – from user experience to end purchase – are available with negligible (and often zero) lag time.
The available variants depend on the product. Based on my personal postbox here are some thoughts on how it could work.
AR in action as a marketing tool
A company that builds conservatories could send customers a piece of mail with an outline of where they could add a conservatory (for example, at the back of their house) using images captured from Google Maps. They could then use the camera on their phone to let the AR app create a 3D rendering of the house together with the proposed new conservatory.
Customers could look at the direct mail piece from various angles to get a good idea of how the conservatory would look in situ – or even swap styles and investigate different costs.
Or how about one of the regular mailers customers get from pizza delivery companies? Look at the mailer through your phone camera and see a plain dough base appear. You could then drag and drop toppings on to the base until you’ve got the perfect pizza. Click to pay and have it delivered via your local outlet. On the down side, seeing the pizza virtually on your plate may mean delivery times need to come down as the 20 minute wait for the pizza ‘trapped’ on the other side of your phone may lead to short tempers from hungry punters.
The possibilities of the technology are endless but remember to make sure the AR part of any campaign adds to the customer’s experience and justifies the time they spend using it. That’s the real challenge.