Although it’s still a fairly new concept for most print publishers,

some large companies are jumping at the chance to impress their current

and potential customers by promoting the cutting-edge technology–the

future of print–known as augmented reality into their ad campaigns.

Augmented Reality Summed Up

In short, augmented reality

is a concept using technology similar to that of Google Glasses, where a

user  simply looks through a third-party device (which, in this case,

is a launched  smartphone or tablet app) and watches in awe as the still

image in question comes to life, transforming into an animated video on

the screen of their device. Obviously, this technology changes the

print game completely, giving it more interactivity and an animated

quality its never had before. It also offers advertisers more bang for

their buck, as they’re paying for a simple print ad but get the benefits

of the video footage that’s packed in as well. And although it’s true

that users do have the opportunity to bypass the augmentation (by not

downloading or launching the app) data shows that odds are in AR’s favor

and that consumers will appreciate the innovation, as according to Cisco, a whole 2/3 of the world’s mobile data traffic will be video by 2017.

 

Companies Adding Life to Their Print Campaigns with Augmented Reality

Welcome to the Future reported in their blog

that they noticed at the AdFestival in Cannes that a large amount of

big-named, mainstream brands that are spicing up their print ads with

augmented reality, including the following:

• Kia
• Volvo
• Lacta
• Asos
• Voltswagon
• JC Penny
• Starbucks

Even brands like Kraft and TaylorMade Golf are integrating augmented

reality into their ads. When TaylorMade, one of the elite brands in the

golf community, wanted to showcase their new R1 driver (that wasn’t on

shelves yet), they decided to run an augmented print campaign

highlighting the new features of the club, using both stills and videos.

The AR app users got the first-hand digital view of the club and the

ability to spin the club-head, rotate the club itself (enabling them to

view it from multiple angles) and even digitally customize the club by

adjusting the loft and face angle.

 

The Meaning of the AR Technology

As technology continues to evolve in our society, becoming not just

more and more important, but absolutely necessary, it’s crucial that

businesses embrace it in its new forms. Smart business owners adapt and

adopt quickly, embracing the patterns that studies and data represent

(for example, smartphone usage growing 81% in 2012). Augmented reality

isn’t just a trend, but the future. It’s here to stay, and smart

business owners will understand its importance and benefits and start

utilizing it right now–or face getting left in the dust of more

innovative, tech-savvy competitors.