Sherpa Marketing is one of Canada’s leading
full service digital marketing agencies. We are continually evaluating
technologies that can help expand our service offering and ultimately help our
clients create more engaging and measurably effective marketing campaigns.
For the last 8 months, we’ve been building
our capabilities out in Augmented Reality application development. You could
say we are augmenting our services!
With a stable of incredibly talented software
developers, graphic designers and 3D modellers, this was a logical next step
for Sherpa. The “know how” was already here, it was a matter of extending the
opportunity to our team.
So, what is Augmented Reality?
It’s an
adaptation of technology that allows a device with a screen (smartphone,
tablet, eyewear) to have a computer-generated image superimposed on a user’s
view of the real world – ultimately providing a composite view that “augments”
(or improves) the experience for the user.
Think of it as another way to make your
iPhone 10 or your Galaxy S9 even more useful. Augmented Reality will be a “big
deal” because software, hardware and bandwidth have finally converged to a
point where AR makes sense. It runs smoothly and reliably on the latest generation
of iOS and Android devices.
It will also be successful because the
biggest companies in phone hardware and software, Google and Apple will make it
so. They have invested staggering sums of money into their development
platforms; AR Core and AR Kit.
Moreover, when Tim Cook says on CNBC that “Augmented Reality will make the
iPhone even more essential” you know that he’s putting his personal credibility on the line.
Many of you will already be familiar with
the most successful AR application, Pokémon Go. The viral application that
succeeded in getting millions of gamers out of their Mom’s basement out into
the real world.
Another viral success is the 19 Crimes Winelabel bringing a depth of intrigue and fun to a series of wine labels.
We are certainly at the fine point of the
Augmented Reality adoption wedge, but this means that the playing field is wide
open and there’s a real opportunity to gain first mover advantage for those
with the foresight and appetite.
Augmented reality is no longer a novelty.
It has real applications for marketing today. But is it worth pursuing?
Some questions to ask yourself are:
- Will AR give viewers an experience that they otherwise couldn't have?
- Will it augment their world and compel them to explore?
- Could augmented reality ads give shoppers a better feel for your product?
- Will your recording environment be rich with things to see?
- Will viewers want to continue watching beyond the initial "That's cool" moment?
- Can you transport someone somewhere in an immersive way that overcomes the hassle and expense of travelling there? (think of having your best salespeople available anywhere to do product demos.
Shopping is the top reason smartphone users
are interested in AR/VR. Consumers want to see items in real size and form.
Here’s what some of the experts have to say
about the opportunities for Augmented Reality in a marketing context:
Three-Dimensional Thinking
"On the display network, ads are generally shown in a two-dimensional interface. However, AR opens up a wide new range of possibilities in the third dimension. Where viewers could once only see ads directly ahead of them, they will now be able to see display ads in their peripheral vision. AR also allows for more detailed ads. This is due to the higher pixel/display size ratio seen in AR versus 2-D monitors."
Larry Gurreri, Sosemo
AR as Primary Storytelling Medium
"As marketers and advertisers, we are all telling stories. AR gives you a more immersive platform to tell a story directing people to deeper content, game-like features, and bringing the consumers into the experience. We are all trying to determine the ROI of AR. If we connect it with the brand story and our owned properties, then we can start to show value through engagement and brand affinity."
Gina Michnowicz, Union+Webster
At Sherpa, we view AR development in three
significant ways, all of which can be used individually or in concert with each
other.
First, there’s the use of a visual, printed
marker that can be used to trigger an AR application to reveal content. That
content can take several forms. So far, Sherpa has:
- Created animated or floating infographics that can be superimposed or float above anything from an ad to an annual report. Think about how the best ads catch and hold your attention and now imagine being able to hold your iPad over an ad to receive 5 minutes of detailed information that is a combination of interactive elements like buttons, video and infographics on the product or service being promoted.
The second opportunity is to use the built-in
GPS features of your device to recognize where you are and provide wayfinding
information or content generated that is geographically relevant to precisely
where you are. Think about walking past a new
restaurant with your phone out and a virtual menu appearing in your phone that
has photos and video of the different dishes and links to user reviews.
- Sherpa is developing an AR application right now that will allow users to find each other more easily at large outdoor events like amusement parks or concerts. Imagine, the two of you open your app and you pan your surroundings and see a floating arrow that increases in size as you walk in the direction of your missing friend.
Lastly, there’s the ability to choose from
a set of 3D rendered objects that can be kept at scale or scalable that you can
drop into your current environment. This is an incredibly useful way to see
what something will look like in a space you’re are occupying at that moment.
- Sherpa has developed a couple of applications that take advantage of this capability. We created an application where the user could drop a Bunkie cabin onto a user’s lawn at scale and the user could walk on the outside (and the inside) of the cabin to see how it would look. The user could even see the view out the cabin windows! The other application that we built is the ability for a user to drop a pre-fabricated concrete leisurescape element like a firepit into the user’s backyard at scale while choosing between brick colours.
Yes, widespread Augmented Reality
development is in its early stages, but it’s clear that the most immersive,
rewarding and effective applications will fuse great programming with first
class content, two things that Sherpa is extremely proficient at. Sherpa is one
of the only Western Canadian marketing services companies with the capability
to develop AR apps on Apple and Android platforms today.
We are limited only by our imaginations and
budget. There’s an incredible opportunity right now for companies with the
desire to have first mover advantage to establish themselves as leaders.
To learn more about how Sherpa Marketing
can augment your marketing, contact Marty Fisher today at either marty@sherpamarketing.ca or call
204-818-0586.
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