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1. Where to start with the Apple Vision Pro and how it may benefit your brand

   Tue 26 November 2024 3:48 pm Leave a Comment

   The market for AR & VR is expected to generate over $40 billion in 2024, and with Apple entering the space earlier in the year with the Apple Vision Pro headset, it seems that the mixed reality industry is only going to grow from here.

   The Apple Vision Pro has huge potential to revolutionize spatial computing, and not only in entertainment. The device can be used by businesses across many different industries. For those who’d like to explore how to harness this product for your brand, this guide covers all the important points, including how the Apple Vision Pro works, the technology behind it, and how companies can use the Apple Vision Pro to grow their brand.

   

   Key Takeaways:

   • Immersive Engagement: The Apple Vision Pro can be used to improve customer interaction through the virtual experience and more immersive storytelling and customer engagement.
   • Early Days: This is a first generation device so it will take time to gain adoption and build a developer ecosystem but the resolution, form factor, and intuitive gestures is already setting a new industry standard for spatial computing hardware.
   • Multi-Industry Applications: Its versatility allows for its use in retail, healthcare, education, gaming, sports, and events and makes it a valuable tool for engaging customers across industries.
   • Enhanced Accessibility: The design prioritizes user comfort and the virtual UI and UX are familiar to anyone who has used Apple products before.
   • AI and the Vision Pro’s Future: The integration of AI with the Vision Pro is set to massively boost the user experience, creating a much more personalized experience for the user within the virtual world.

   Understanding the Apple Vision Pro

   The Apple Vision Pro is a mixed-reality headset designed to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds by adding digital components to our physical world. Apple has positioned it primarily as a work/business device rather than to be used for entertainment like Meta’s Quest Pro.

   The device is Apple’s attempt to take the spatial computing experience to the next level. This is the first generation device and it only came out in February 2024, so it will take time for the developer ecosystem to grow and there are of course limitations with this device, but the potential is huge, and it’s already being used for everything from working to watching movies and reliving memories.

   Accessibility Features of the Apple Vision Pro

   Apple has always made accessibility one of its priorities, and the Apple Vision Pro is no different. The adjustable band helps ensure that the headset is both secure and comfortable. 

   Another consideration is the product’s weight. The Vision Pro uses an external battery attached via a cable which means it’s much lighter and makes it easier to pick up and less tiring on the wearer’s neck. The VisionOS UI and UX also resemble other Apple operating systems, which can help anyone who’s familiar with other Apple products like the iPhone or Apple Watch.

   Apple Vision Pro Development

   Apple designed visionOS for their Vision Pro devices. It’s an operating system built from scratch but on the foundations of iOS and macOS. Those who’ve used Apple’s other devices will feel familiar with how everything works. There’s also an App Store with software specifically developed for visionOS.

   The Apple Vision Pro Software Development Kit (SDK)

   The Apple Vision Pro SDK, built on SwiftUI, allows creators to build software and make their own apps available on the device. Creating spatial experiences is also possible with the well-known Unity game engine, through the Polyspatial SDK. It offers comprehensive documentation, samples, and templates, along with toolkits and an editor that presents familiar workflows and features. The partnership between Apple and Unity helps developers deliver fantastic spatial computing solutions.

   At Rock Paper Reality, we have years of experience building mixed reality apps in both Unity and Swift. We’ve leveraged both these technologies to build native iOS applications that use Apple’s MR frameworks to create a great user experience and customize our approach to meet the needs of each client we work with. We make sure that every app we build delivers exceptional performance and client satisfaction.

   

   The Technology Behind the Apple Vision Pro

   The headset has integrated infrared cameras that follow the users’ eyes as they move, and cameras pointing down on the outside of the device are used to track hand movements. Apple also added Lidar sensors, which work together with the cameras to render a 3D mesh of the users’ surroundings. 

   Here are a few of the key features of the Apple Vision Pro:

   • Separate displays for each eye: Each display has a 3D lens meaning the UI is always visible to the user, and each display also has an impressive 11.5 million pixels (for reference, the Meta Quest Pro has about 3.7 million). Special magnetic lenses are available for anyone who wears prescription lenses.

   • Integrated audio: The Apple Vision Pro has audio pods built in next to each ear to let the user hear both what’s around them in the real world and any sound coming from the device itself. Users can also connect the device to Apple’s AirPods or Beats headphones if they want the noise-canceling that comes with the AirPods Pro.

   • Battery: The battery connects to the headset via an aluminum capable and can support about 2 hours of general use or 2.5 hours of video playback and the headset comes with a USB-C cable for charging. Unlike the Apple Watch or iPhone, the Apple Vision Pro and its battery aren’t water resistant and should be protected from dampness and humidity.

   • Physical Buttons: Much like the Apple Watch, the Apple Vision Pro has a single button on its top left (called the “top button”) and a button on the top right (called the “digital crown button”). Using these two buttons, the wearer can navigate to the home page, recenter their current view, take photos, and more.

   The product also comes with multiple bands and internal cameras that record the user’s eyes and face and display it on an external OLED panel. Instead of handheld controllers, voice controls or hand gestures are used to control the device. 

   

   What Is Spatial Computing?

   Apple has tossed a new term into the immersive vocabulary: Spatial Computing. So what does it mean and why is it important? Spatial computing can be thought of simply as computers that have spatial awareness. It’s important because it means your device understands where it is (and therefore where you are) in a virtual or physical environment. This ensures you have the right POV so that any digital content is rendered accurately for your perspective.  

   You might be thinking, “Well that sounds a lot like virtual reality or augmented reality…” and you’re right. Spatial computing is just  a broader bucket term that encompasses any technology that can compute digital information with the physical world in real-time. 

   Apple’s spatial computing, for example, uses cameras and sensors to track the users’ movements and understand the environment. After calculating all the details, the device adds digital objects to the users’ physical world and lets them manipulate it.

   Spatial Computing vs. AR, VR, and XR

   To sum it up, here’s a quick overview of how spatial computing compares with related technologies:

   • Augmented Reality (AR): AR takes the users’ current physical surroundings and adds digital elements to it. The spatial computing vs AR comparison is pointless because augmented reality is often a part of spatial computing. The AR market is estimated to be worth $88 billion by 2026, up from $32 billion in 2022. AR has applications across healthcare, entertainment, and consumer goods.

   • Virtual Reality (VR): VR generates a virtual world and fully immerses the user in it, without them being able to see anything from their immediate real-world surroundings. VR sets have become popular in gaming and entertainment. It’s estimated that the VR market will be worth $38 billion by 2029, up from $16 billion in 2024.

   • Mixed Reality (MR): In mixed reality experiences, users can engage with both digital and physical elements simultaneously. Unlike AR, where digital and physical elements remain separate, and VR, which fully immerses users in a simulated environment, MR allows for interaction between the two.

   • Extended Reality (XR): XR is an umbrella term that covers AR, VR and MR technologies.

   • Spatial Computing: Spatial computing, just like XR, is an umbrella term for AR, VR, and MR because all of these technologies require hardware and software that has spatial awareness of the physical or virtual environment that the user is in.

   

   What are the Benefits of Using the Apple Vision Pro for Brand Growth?

   The Apple Vision Pro provides many benefits to companies looking to boost engagement and brand interactions with consumers. We’ll explore some of them below.

   Improved Customer Engagement

   Apps built on the Apple Vision Pro can be used to engage customers in ways that previously seemed impossible. For example, customer support could be provided by a virtual agent that the user could see and talk to directly rather than via text or on the phone, as is (often frustratingly) the case today. 

   Brands could advertise their products and services via the headset too. The Vision Pro can take this to another level with virtual try-on technology, allowing the wearer to see how a particular item fits them before they buy it. Apple has already filed a patent to create a virtual store to let users run product demos, check out new product features, and more.

   Immersive Storytelling

   Storytelling is a crucial part of video games, especially in genres like science fiction or role-playing. But telling a good story goes beyond that, and it can be an innovative way to create a narrative around a brand that engages users and brand interaction.

   The Apple Vision Pro SDK has various options to tailor everything to a brand’s specific needs and combine visual and auditory elements to create compelling stories. Instead of a standard “About Us” page, a business can immerse the wearer into a virtual world and show them exactly how it progressed from day one to where it is today.

   Better Service/Product Visualization

   The Apple Vision Pro allows brands to offer customers a unique opportunity to visualize products in their own environment before making a purchase. By using augmented reality, consumers can see how items like furniture, décor, or clothing fit within their personal spaces, reducing uncertainty and boosting confidence in their buying decisions.

   This capability not only enhances the shopping experience but also helps minimize return rates, ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. Brands that leverage this technology can create a more interactive and engaging shopping journey that sets them apart from competitors.

   

   Applications of the Apple Vision Pro Across Industries

   Despite being Apple’s first foray into the world of XR, the device already has vast potential across a range of industries. Here are just a few examples.

   Retail and E-Commerce

   There’s massive potential for the Apple Vision Pro to improve the shopping experience in the retail and e-commerce industry. Imagine allowing customers to see products in their own homes—will that stylish lamp enhance their nightstand? Is that spacious closet the perfect fit for their needs? Can that elegant table complement their dining area?

   Providing a virtual try option like this reduces returns and the costs associated with them for the company. The engaging environment created by VR has also been proven to boost conversions by 150% for brands using the technology.

   

   Healthcare

   Some healthcare apps have already been for the Apple Vision Pro and its potential to improve the healthcare industry is massive. Realistic simulations can help educate nurses and doctors to handle different situations better, especially in critical scenarios.

   Siemens Healthineers’ launched a healthcare app tailored for Apple Vision Pro that allows users to explore immersive, interactive holograms of the human body derived from medical scans within their real-world surroundings. The app allows for surgical planning, improves medical education, and helps patients better understand procedures by visualizing them digitally. 

   Xaia is a virtual assistant powered by AI and spatial computing. It uses these technologies to help support people’s mental health needs. Users can interact with Xaia and ask them to create different Apple Vision Pro environments to calm them. It’s already available on the App Store for the Vision Pro. The Apple Vision Pro is the most common device used to operate medical spatial computing apps.

   Education

   Immersive environments are more interactive and enhance student comprehension. Students can perform virtual dissections or visit different historical sights. Rather than watching a video of the Roman Colosseum, spatial computers can place them inside this structure and make the whole experience more nagging and fun.

   Mixed reality technologies have already been shown to make people almost 3x more confident to apply what they’ve learned and make them feel nearly 4x more emotionally connected to the content than in a traditional classroom. Apple clearly sees the Vision Pro as having huge potential to improve the current forms of education, and there are many stories online of people using it to get students more engaged, improve collaboration and help them learn more.

   

   Gaming and Entertainment

   At the moment, MR technology is probably best known for its applications in gaming and entertainment. AR has been used for everything from increasing engagement on social media to creating a more immersive experience in theme parks and stadiums. Apple has made its most popular movies and TV shows from Apple TV available on the Vision Pro and claims that “visionOS games in Apple Arcade offer completely new ways to play by using the space around you.”

   Apple intentionally chose to create a device designed for a hand-free and intuitive user interface, which is optimal for everyday lifestyle use cases. Developers are starting to build games with hand tracking and gaze in mind (check out Pop Goes the Weasel as an example built by our team at Rock Paper Reality!), but no controllers can be a limitation for gaming. Most games designed for the Meta Quest utilize the controllers and therefore do not port over to the Apple Vision Pro very well. That being said, there are many startups building third party controllers to use with the Vision Pro to unlock gaming use cases. 

   

   Sports

   In sports, mixed reality makes fans feel much closer to the action. Enjoying games from a 3D environment while receiving unique statistics regarding the event makes for a far more immersive experience than just watching it on TV at home. Gen Z especially, craves a more social and engaging sports experience.

   Currently, only about 5% of sports fans say they have used VR to watch sports in the last year but 70% of Gen Z and Millennials say they’d be interested in doing so; clearly there’s a large market there for someone to enter. The potential applications of AR in sport are immense, and in a few years, perhaps we’ll all be watching our favorite sports as if we were in the stadium, all thanks to mixed reality and the Apple Vision Pro.

   Events

   AR is already being used at events and having a huge impact, adding the capabilities of the Apple Vision Pro opens up a new set of possibilities. With its advanced features, such as spatial audio and high-resolution displays, the Apple Vision Pro can boost event engagement and create a level of immersion that was previously unattainable. The headset allows for interactive storytelling, real-time data visualization, and seamless integration with digital content, any event can be more personalized and more memorable for those attending.

   AI and the Apple Vision Pro

   AI, when combined with the Apple Vision Pro, promises to revolutionize how we interact with our environments. Blending AR with an intelligent and dynamic will lead to a far more immersive and personalized experience. Progress in AI and MR over the last decade has been astonishing, and if it continues at its current rate, headsets like the Apple Vision Pro might become a much bigger part of our daily lives than we ever imagined.

   

   How Can AI Improve the Apple Vision Pro’s UX?

   According to Bloomberg, Apple Intelligence (Apple’s AI system to improve the UX on their other devices) will be coming to the Vision Pro eventually, although not in 2024. Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, says that Apple’s eye tracking and gesture control software, combined with  Apple Intelligence, will provide a better UX for the spatial computing features of the Vision Pro. Improved AI on the device also paves the way for a much more personalized experience for the wearer of the device. Generative AI can also create a more personalized environment for users, massively boosting engagement and advertising opportunities for brands.

   Future Trends in AI and Immersive Technology

   AI’s impact on so many areas of our society is already being felt. It’s no different in the immersive technologies space.

   AI will bring the cost of 3D development and XR development down. Our team is already using it today to help with the code for our scripts or game logic as well as for generating quick visual concepts. The technology isn’t mature enough to develop 3D assets entirely though. Right now AI is great for text, images, and it’s getting better for video, but we’re still not there yet for 3D assets or environments. There’s simply not enough organized 3D data to train these models on yet, but 3D data is being created faster than ever before and we’re getting closer by the day.

   Late in 2024, Apple released Depth Pro, an AI model that significantly improves on the current depth perception technology and can create 3D depth maps from 2D images in less than a second, using less data than traditional models. A live demo of the model is available on Hugging Face for anyone to try out.

   Hardware costs will come down. Batteries continue to get smaller and chips continue to get more powerful. Apple launched with a very expensive device, but will continue to bring costs down just like Meta has done to make these devices more accessible. We’re still in the early stages of laying the foundation for spatial computing devices. As the device reaches a price that is more accessible to a wider audience, more investment will go into the content as well.

   AI and MR technology are perhaps the two fastest-growing and most important technologies of our lifetimes so far, and their full impact on the world will only grow from here. With all these improvements coming to the Vision Pro, and likely a lot that aren’t known about yet, there’s perhaps never been a better time to start building applications for brands that want to get ahead of the competition.

   Transforming Business Interaction through Mixed Reality

   Although there’s plenty of potential and room for wider adoption yet, the Apple VIsion Pro already has incredible benefits for businesses looking to grow their brand. As MR technology evolves, its applications across diverse industries—from retail and healthcare to education and entertainment—are set to reshape how we interact with products and services.

   By harnessing the immersive capabilities of the Vision Pro, businesses can create compelling narratives and experiences that resonate deeply with their audiences. As the market for AR and VR continues to grow, early adopters of this cutting-edge technology will not only enhance customer engagement but also secure a competitive edge in an increasingly digital landscape. Embracing the Apple Vision Pro today may very well define the future of brand interaction tomorrow.

   

   FAQs about the Apple Vision Pro

   How does spatial computing work?

   Spatial computing combines physical and digital environments, allowing users to interact with virtual objects as if they were part of their real-world surroundings. It uses sensors, cameras, and AI algorithms to track the wearer’s movements and understand their physical environment, to integrate digital elements into it. By interpreting user gestures and voice commands, spatial computing creates intuitive interactions, making it feel as if digital objects exist in the physical space around the wearer.

   Is spatial computing the future?

   Spatial computing will play a huge role in the future of technology. As mixed reality technologies advance, they’ll impact and improve industries such as education, healthcare, retail, and entertainment. The potential for immersive experiences is vast. Companies that invest in spatial computing now will likely benefit from a competitive advantage as adoption grows and new applications emerge.

   What does the Apple Vision Pro do?

   The Apple Vision Pro puts the wearer in immersive environments and allows them to visualize aspects of or an entire digital world in the virtual space. It allows for virtual meetings and offers educational opportunities through simulations and virtual experiences. It’s a versatile tool for entertainment, collaboration, and learning.

   Does the Apple Vision Pro have accessibility features?

   Its design makes it easy to put on or take off, and the external battery keeps the headset weight at a reasonable level of just 23 ounces. The UI and UX of VisionOS are also familiar to those who have used Apple devices before.

   Sources and References

   • https://www.apple.com/apple-vision-pro
   • https://www.ocavu.com/blog/immersive-technologies-explaining-ar-vr-xr-mr-and-spatial-computing 
   • https://healthtechmagazine.net/article/2024/04/spatial-computing-healthcare-perfcon
   • https://www.mhp.com/en/insights/blog/post/spatial-computing
   • https://arborxr.com/blog/understanding-spatial-computing-how-its-changing-technology-for-the-better
   • https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenaquino/2024/04/15/apple-vision-pro-review-the-first-pass-at-spatial-computing-is-an-accessible-one-for-all
   • https://www.flexos.work/learn/ways-apple-vision-pro-will-change-how-we-work
   • https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/04/tech/vision-pro-ai-apple/index.html
   • https://www.journee.ai/en/insights/blog/solution-by-industry/the-impact-of-apple-vision-pro-in-automotive-practical-use-cases-of-mr-throughout-the-value-chain
   • https://huggingface.co/spaces/akhaliq/depth-pro

2. Augmented Reality for Events

   Mon 15 April 2024 3:17 pm Leave a Comment

   

   Credit: Rock Paper Reality

   Around 80% of marketers use event marketing to generate sales leads, yet 40% say their biggest challenge is attracting new attendees and about 20% desire greater technology to support their efforts. Clearly, alternative approaches to traditional event formats are necessary and Augmented Reality can open up an entirely new world of possibilities.

   By using Augmented Reality for events, brand and marketing managers, event planners and experiential agencies can make experiences more engaging, reduce costs and collect invaluable. first-party insights about their audiences. In particular, it is a magnet for younger demographics, with 60% of Millennials and 53% Gen Z members say they prefer events that contain an experiential element.

   Just under half of marketers believe that in-person events already offer the largest ROI. However, AR has the potential to push this even higher and redefine what brand storytelling means to the customer.

   Key Takeaways

   • Younger demographics are extremely challenging to reach and captivate. AR is a way for marketers to offer a far more engaging and personalized experience.
   • AR experiences can lead to higher ROI and more excitement around a brand. They also generate great content that can be shared on social media or within a community.
   • AR creates opportunities for collecting data on user behavior and preferences. This is more important than ever given Google’s phasing out of third-party cookies in the second half of 2024.
   • Once created, marketers can use the AR experience across multiple events or marketing opportunities. There’s less or no need for the transport of physical materials.

   What is Augmented Reality for Events?

   Augmented Reality is the overlaying of the physical event itself with digital content, viewed through a smartphone or headworn device such as AR glasses. It can also take the form of interactive displays and digital kiosks on-site and offers a more immersive way to attract, engage and educate potential leads.

   Here are just a few types of events that could benefit from incorporating AR:

   • Trade shows
   • Promotional events
   • Product launches and demonstrations 
   • Live events
   • Concerts and festivals
   • Presentations
   • Corporate and networking events

   With 67% of consumers saying they’d be interested in using it at an event but just 48% of brands interested in delivering the experience, there’s clearly a huge opportunity ready to be seized. When used effectively, AR can create an immersive experience to enhance almost any sort of event. This can massively boost engagement and prospect understanding.

   How Can AR be Used at Events?

   Augmented Reality is a great and versatile technology, but it’s vital to use it in the right way. Here are some of the most effective ways to deploy immersive experiences at events.

   Using Interactive Maps and AR Navigation Tools at Events

   Navigating a large convention can be difficult and time consuming. Often attendees spend less time in-front of a product and more time walking around or lost. Offering innovative navigation tools not only makes things easier for them, but also enables companies to direct visitors’ attention.

   AR Product Demonstrations at Events

   AR is ideal for showing products in action and for demoing proof of concept prototypes in an accessible way. It gives brands the opportunity to demonstrate the value proposition of their product or service directly.

   According to a Global Report by Snap x Ipsos, interacting with a product in AR leads to a 94% higher conversion rate compared to traditional interactions. Additionally, 77% of users would like to use AR to interact and learn about a product before buying it. With only 56% of brands currently offering these experiences, commercial directors have an opportunity to differentiate their brands competitively.

   Just one example is Rock Paper Reality’s collaboration with Rondo. The two companies worked together to create an AR visualization tool which allowed people to see inside Rondo’s heat battery. Prior to the tool’s creation, all visitors could see was a large metal box— not exactly an engaging or educational experience. The solution brought to life a space that had previously been impossible to view. It also enabled Rondo to explain how the battery works to people at press events, training sessions and more.

   AR Showrooms at Events

   Using an AR showroom, companies can create a branded experience and enable the customer to visualize a product before purchase. Data from Shopify suggests that including AR in a customer’s path to purchase increases sales conversions by 94%.  Another study also found that shoppers who used AR in their browsing experience spent 21% more time browsing and had a 20% higher purchase rate. AR showrooms can be updated easily and virtual product demos make for great content to use in marketing.

   Using AR to Enhance Inclusivity and Accessibility at Events

   Using AR at an event allows for real time language translation, more personalized experiences and improved opportunities to build a community around a brand or product. It can also bring people into an event who would otherwise not have been able to attend. For example, the Alzheimer’s Association wanted to improve the inclusivity of its USA-based Walk to End Alzheimer’s fundraiser. To do this, it created an AR Promise Garden Experience that allowed users from any location to participate and donate money.

   

   What are the benefits of using AR at an Event?

   Using AR at an event, whether it be an AR trade show or an AR product launch, can increase engagement, elevate connections with the customer and improve ROI for the brand. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the greatest advantages.

   Use AR to Improve Audience Engagement

   Perhaps one of the best ways to improve audience engagement is through gamified experiences. Gamification has been shown to boost audience engagement and loyalty by an average of 30%, and given AR’s incredibly immersive capabilities, adding gamification to an AR experience would likely boost engagement even more.

   The Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre created an AR scavenger hunt to celebrate the world-famous Russian entertainer. The AR-powered event offered adventurers a guided tour through ten sites related to Chekhov’s time in Latvia. Users could QR codes near special objects, launching AR displays and information.

   “We realized that augmented reality would be the best way to safely and interactively unravel [Chekhov’s] story. People do not need an excursion guide. They can explore the track independently” – Anna Babre, PR Account Director at Ogilvy PR Latvia.

   Streamline Information Delivery

   AR offers a plethora of options for highly personalized experiences and options for educating the customer. 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions today and 76% are frustrated when they’re not offered. This gap between consumer expectations and brand offerings is an opportunity for businesses to leverage AR for deeper engagement and better consumer education.

   AR also creates an excellent opportunity for paperless information dissemination at any kind of event. Attendees can simply access the activation using a personal device and custom-made app or QR code and receive all relevant details from directions and wayfinding to time schedules.

   Audience Insights and Analytics

   88% of marketers say that first-party data is becoming increasingly important to them. Its significance will continue to rise as cookies are phased out in 2024. Using AR at an event, marketers can obtain a whole host of first-party data about the consumer. Everything from user preferences to the time spent looking at an ad can be collected and used to fine-tune the virtual content for future brand touchpoints.

   Cost Efficiency and ROI

   Incorporating AR into the event experience can reduce or even eliminate the need to show a physical product at all. There’s no need to print posters or infographics as displays can be virtual. Digital content can be repurposed across multiple events and channels across the world.

   AR-based experiences also eliminate the need for transporting, storing and building physical displays. The time and money that was previously spent on this can instead be invested into new initiatives or the business itself.

   How to Measure the Impact of AR Activations at Events

   

   Measuring the impact of an AR activation at an event is critical. It enables commercial directors to review its efficiency and to better understand how to use it in the future. Here are some key metrics to consider:

   • Interaction duration
   • Content consumption rates
   • CTA completions
   • Attendee engagement metrics (scans, clicks, views)
   • Impact on brand awareness (recall, sentiment, mentions, social media engagement post-event)
   • Heat-maps of interactions at different locations
   • Leads and sales generated
   • Customer satisfaction and surveys of the experience

   The data collected should show how well the objectives of the event were met and the impact of utilizing Augmented Reality specifically. 

   How to Implement AR at an Event

   AR can open up extremely high levels of immersion, so care must be taken to delight rather than overwhelm users. An experience should feel like a natural extension of a user’s physical environment and keep them engaged. It should not be so intense that users feel bombarded and confused.

   How to Design an AR Experience for an Event

   It’s important to design the AR experience to be as accessible as possible. Making it easy to use and understand enables more people to take part and more leads to be generated. Ideally, it should require no prior AR experience and be as intuitive as possible.

   Sound can also play a big role in the experience and influence user interactions. Brands could consider incorporating features that facilitate easy sharing of screenshots or video captures too. This makes for great content that both users and marketing teams can distribute on social media.

   Educating attendees about accessing the AR content

   Accessing AR content at an event can be simple. Users will typically scan an AR code (a QR code to start an AR experience), directing them to a browser (WebAR) or native AR app. Communication prior to the event, whether it be through newsletters or social media, can also provide attendees with instructions on how they can access the experience once they arrive.

   What are Examples of AR for Events?

   Countless brands have successfully used AR experiences to boost engagement and educate or entertain prospects at events. Here are just three examples.

   AR Gamification with Rock Paper Reality and Amazon

   In 2023, Amazon Prime Video partnered with Rock Paper Reality to create an immersive gamified AR experience and generate excitement about the Emmy Awards. After digesting the brief, RPR conducted market research on the end users and then ensured the branding and copy matched the requirements of Amazon Studios.

   RPR then designed the experience to incorporate elements of gamification and align with Amazon’s goals for the event. In the experience itself, users could find and scan QR codes around the exhibit to unlock details about physical sets on display, encouraging them to engage and move around the space.

   The experience was used by 70% of guests and generated conversation and connection between them. It also helped control the flow of traffic around the venue and improved upon previous event experiences which had relied on placards.

   London Fashion Week’s AR Makeover

   The Institute of Digital Fashion and Machine A partnered in 2021 to create digital spaces for brands to tell their stories and deploy AR activations in. The creation of custom AR filters allowed users who couldn’t attend the event to be part of the experience, which gave some of the world’s most creative designers a space to showcase their work in an innovative and engaging way.

   “Digital fashion is not about trying to imitate the feeling of the IRL fashion world. It is about exploring a vast number of creative possibilities that are unique; encouraging new ways of engaging with the industry and how we can create a community that is much more inclusive.”  – Stavros Karelis, founder of Machine-A.

   Navigation with AR and Google

   Google’s AR experience at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show in 2024 utilized location-based content to help users navigate its booth at the convention. Many people found the addition of AR to the experience useful and engaging. Interactive panels were overlaid around the booth in the experience so attendees could easily orientate themselves and decide which parts they wanted to visit. They also used the famous Android robot to act as a friendly guide throughout the experience.

   “Location-based AR experiences can transform event experiences for attendees who desire more ways to discover and engage with exhibitors at events…. AR content can offer a more immersive and personalized experience that not only entertains but also educates and connects attendees in meaningful ways.” – Google

   Challenges and Considerations for deploying AR Experiences at Events

   Although AR technology can be extremely engaging, there are important considerations to have in mind when integrating it at an event.

   Optimizing AR performance in crowded event environments

   The area the experience takes places in should have excellent Wi-Fi or 5G connectivity to support seamless performance. The space itself must also be free of any obstacles that could potentially harm attendees while they are focusing on the digital experience. Supplying clear user guidelines is paramount.

   Safeguarding attendee data and privacy during AR interactions

   Safeguarding any user data collected via an AR experience comes with its own challenges and best practices. Make it clear to the user what data is being collected and ensure the data collection process complies with any regulations for the region.

   Future Trends and Opportunities for AR at Events

   As the improvement in AR technology continues, so will the opportunities for using it as an event marketing and brand storytelling tool. The number of AR compatible devices is set to grow from 1 billion in 2023 to 1.5 billion by 2027 — 50% growth in just four years. The customer base is growing staggeringly fast and this will of course help AR to drive improved lead generation and consumer spending at events over the next decade.

   Improvements in AI will likely have a huge impact on the AR space too. Using AI to generate a personalized AR avatar and then having it interact with the customer face to face at an event could create a massively more engaging and improved experience. As big tech companies continue to invest into immersive technology and the metaverse, growth in AR capabilities is a certainty.

   At Rock Paper Reality, we specialize in creating customized AR experiences designed not only to be incredibly engaging, but to deliver real business results. Our approach goes beyond the surface level and sets a new benchmark for engaging audiences. We’re excited to work with you to craft your unique AR story and lead the way in transforming the event experience. Connect with us today to begin your journey.

   FAQs on AR for Events

   How can AR promote audience engagement for an exhibition?

   AR creates more opportunities for personalization, gamification, virtual guided tours and more. All of these can help improve audience engagement and the exhibition experience itself.

   What types of AR content are most effective for engaging event attendees?

   Interactive and personalized content is highly effective at engaging event attendees, especially those which encourage exploration and participation. AR features that allow for social interaction such as filters or virtual meetups within an event space also create a sense of community and boost engagement even more.

   What are some best practices for promoting AR experiences to attendees before, during, and after an event?

   Leveraging social media and email campaigns before the event to entice prospects to attend and create a sense of anticipation can help boost attendance. During and after the event, brands should encourage attendees to share AR content on social media and gather feedback to refine and optimize future activations.

   What is Augmented Reality for events?

   AR is a technology that enhances events by overlaying digital information onto the physical space, creating interactive and immersive experiences for attendees. It can transform ordinary event spaces into dynamic and immersive environments and offers unique ways for participants to connect with content, brands and each other.

3. Using Augmented Reality in Social Media to Improve Customer Engagement

   Mon 11 March 2024 5:17 pm Leave a Comment

   

   As three in four social media users experience ad fatigue—and social ads are perceived as less trustworthy than television ads—creative directors need a strategic shift to keep consumers engaged. By melding the virtual with the real, Augmented Reality (AR) implementations in social media offer an innovative canvas for user interaction. This fusion can revolutionize the way brands connect with their audiences, turning passive observers into active participants. 

   As social platforms integrate Augmented Reality features such as filters and virtual try-ons, users can enjoy immersive experiences that transcend traditional marketing boundaries—transforming the mundane into the remarkable. Research from Snap Inc. and Ipsos shows that 80% of brands implementing AR say it helps to drive sales, boost performance metrics, and acquire new customers.

   The strategic use of AR in social media is not just enhancing the customer journey—it’s setting a new standard for how brand narratives unfold in the palms of our hands.

   Key Takeaways

   • AR technology opens opportunities for creators and advertisers to produce immersive and interactive experiences that appeal to new audiences and younger demographics.
   • AR offers insights into user behavior and preferences by tracking interactions, engagement, and conversions. Brands can use this data to refine marketing tactics and create more customized content for users.
   • Incorporating Augmented Reality in social media marketing can offer a competitive advantage by positioning brands as being forward-thinking, innovative, and customer centric.
   • AR contributes to highly shareable content. Users are more likely to share unique and immersive experiences, thus increasing brand reach and exposure.

   How Has the Use of Augmented Reality in Social Media Evolved?

   Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram gained popularity in the mid-2000s, and rapidly became a fertile ground for self expression and experimentation with new technologies.

   What is the History of AR in Social Media?

   The introduction of AR filters and lenses to social media is largely attributed to Snapchat with the launch of Lenses in 2015. This feature allowed users to apply real-time effects to their faces using facial recognition technology. The popularity of these interactive, fun filters set a new trend in social media, encouraging users to share photos and videos with augmented overlays.

   Snapchat’s success with Lenses sparked interest across the industry, leading other social media platforms to follow suit. Facebook and Instagram introduced similar AR filters in 2017; TikTok also joined the AR trend, incorporating filters and effects that allowed for creative and engaging user-generated content. These platforms have continued to evolve, offering brands and creators the opportunity to design custom AR experiences that align with marketing objectives and enhance user engagement. According to Statista, around 29.9 million people in the US used Augmented Reality on social media at least once per month in 2018. By 2022, that figure had risen to 48.3 million.

   

   How is Augmented Reality Used by Social Media Influencers?

   AR has become a handy tool for brand-influencer partnerships, providing novel ways to engage audiences. By leveraging AR, influencers can create unique and interactive content that can stand out in a crowded social media landscape.

   Influencers may encourage their followers to use specific AR filters and share their own content with the intent of spurring viral engagement. AR filters allow influencers to offer something exclusive to their followers, cultivating a sense of community and creating hype around the brand or associated campaign.

   Maybelline Thailand, for example, initiated the #SpreadGoodVibes campaign to promote digital positivity during the Covid-19 pandemic. As lockdowns moved consumers online, Maybelline employed AR technology to retain brand engagement. The company enlisted the help of five influencers to showcase the campaign, introducing three makeup styles symbolic of the brand’s core values: strength, passion, and optimism. The campaign featured makeup tutorials and product information, complemented by an interactive AR filter available on Maybelline’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

   Augmented Reality in Social Media Marketing and Advertising

   

   As highlighted, AR offers the potential to enhance user engagement through personalization, interactivity, and unique brand experiences. These elements not only make marketing campaigns more effective, but also help in building stronger customer-brand relationships. 

   How Can AR Enhance Marketing Campaigns on Social Media?

   AR offers immersive and interactive experiences that can create higher levels of engagement than many traditional advertising initiatives. It turns static ads into dynamic experiences, making marketing messages more memorable. With the ability to see products in 3D and in real time, customers can gain a better understanding of products—potentially reducing uncertainty and increasing sales. 

   More than 40% of users say they are more likely to share a social media AR experience than other types of brand posts. Users are also more deeply immersed and spend more time engaging with content. Increased dwell time, along with higher click-through rates and social sharing, positively impacts engagement metrics.

   By leveraging AR, brands can differentiate themselves as innovative and tech-savvy. As Gen Z and millennials are 71% more likely to use AR compared to older generations, this positioning can prove particularly appealing to younger demographics, who value cutting-edge technology and creativity.

   Another key advantage is user behavior data obtained through AR interactions. Brands can analyze this data to gain insights into customer preferences, refine marketing strategies, and optimize future campaigns.

   What are Some Augmented Reality Social Media Examples?

   Mini introduced an AR feature that allowed users to view a true-scale detailed model of the car in any desired location, from their driveway to their living room. This feature was integrated with Mini’s standard Facebook advertising campaign.

   The campaign successfully reached 890,000 individuals, who engaged with the feature upward of 28 seconds on average. It resulted in nearly triple the increase in ad recall and over elevenfold improvement in brand favorability. Additionally, the campaign saw a sixfold increase in brand recommendations compared to the standard campaign.

   Similarly, Gucci Beauty successfully engaged consumers in its own virtual adventure, launching an AR experience on Snapchat to promote its Bloom fragrance line in the US. The Snapchat portal AR lens transports users into the Gucci Bloom Garden of Dreams, adorned with dynamic fountains and vivid red roses. In this virtual garden, users explore a vibrant maze to look for hidden Bloom fragrance bottles. The experience also offered hidden surprises and directed users to the Gucci Bloom webpage.

   

   Credit: ar.rocks

   How to Measure the Success of AR in Social Media Campaigns

   To effectively measure the success of AR social media ad campaigns, it’s important to monitor both standard and AR-specific metrics that align with your campaign goals. Adopting a strategic approach in selecting the most meaningful metrics will help refine marketing tactics and enhance ROI.

   Consider the following metrics to gauge campaign success and determine strategic adjustments:

   • Audience reach—how many users who view or interact with the content
   • Click-through rates (CTR)
   • User engagement—this could be measured by average user interaction duration or repeat usage rate
   • Conversion rates
   • Social shares and virality
   • Customer acquisition cost
   • Return on investment, totaled by comparing the campaign’s revenue to its costs
   • Brand awareness and perception through surveys and sentiment analysis

   

   When Rock Paper Reality created a WebAR activation to promote a Red Bull diving event, it also adapted the experience for deployment on Snap and TikTok. When compared to Red Bull’s commercial marketing video, the AR promo video performed 25% better. Similarly, RPR’s Augmented Reality game for Ladbrokes saw a 20% return rate from users activated via social campaign. Selecting appropriate metrics enabled both clients to understand the impact of utilizing AR as an engagement tool, and more accurately compare the benefit of distributing via social media, comparative to other channels.

   AR Filters and Lenses on Social Media

   In a digital world where user experience is fundamental, social AR filters offer brands a prime opportunity to enhance customer engagement, boost sales, and define brand identity. The previously-referenced Snap/Ipsos research indicates that marketing featuring AR integration sees a 94% increase in sales conversions. In addition, the survey reports that two-thirds of customers say Augmented Reality features help them shop in a new and exciting way—and 80% of brands that integrate AR lenses and filters improve brand awareness.

   How are Brands Using AR Face Filters and Lenses on Social Media?

   Social media face filters and lenses overlay digital graphics onto a user’s face in real time using smartphone cameras. These filters and lenses can transform a user’s appearance or environment by adding virtual elements such as hats, glasses, animal ears, makeup, or full character transformations. They can also include interactive elements, animations, and games that respond to users’ facial movements and expressions.

   For marketers, social media face filters and lenses offer an effective way to drive engagement, brand awareness, and loyalty.

   

   As an example, Estee Lauder offered Snapchat users the opportunity to try on two featured foundations. Users could try out 60 different shades on the social media platform. With a simple swipe, they could then proceed to make a purchase.

   “Snap […] truly understands how best to communicate through this innovative medium in a creative and interactive way that resonates with our audience,” said UK & Ireland Marketing Director Nicola Casey, emphasizing how the campaign built on previous AR engagement wins. “The [AR filter] campaigns we have run so far have been really successful so we are excited to bring this latest experience to our community to enjoy.”

   Italian luxury fashion brand Off-White released an Instagram AR filter for its SS19 collection during Paris Fashion Week. This filter let users virtually try on sunglasses from the collection and featured Off-White’s signature quotation marks. Besides keeping show attendees engaged with the brand while waiting for entry, the AR feature let fans around the globe participate in the launch and the fashion experience.

   During the pandemic, Rock Paper Reality created AR face filters for the San Fransisco Ballet. The activation used facial gestures to trigger animations and was deployed as a way to keep audiences and donors engaged over the holidays.

   What Are Location-Based AR Filters and How Can Brands Use Them?

   Location-based AR filters activate when a user is at a specific geographic location. These filters overlay digital content onto the real-world environment, visible through the user’s smartphone camera. By integrating location-based AR filters into social media marketing, brands can bridge the gap between online engagement and real-world interaction.

   Some strategic ways brands can implement location-based AR filters include:

   • Designing games or scavenger hunts that encourage users to visit multiple locations. Users can unlock rewards, discounts, or special content by participating, which can drive foot traffic and create a buzz on social media.
   • Offering exclusive filters that activate at events such as product launches, festivals, or conferences.
   • Tailoring filters to reflect local landmarks, cultural events, or city-specific themes. By aligning with social initiatives, brands can use location-based AR filters to raise awareness and educate users.

   As an example, Snapchat partnered with Verizon to launch a series of Lenses across the US transforming landmarks into Augmented Reality experiences. One location was the New York Public Library. When pointing their camera at the building, it transforms into a “next generation stage.” Viewers experience the library’s transformation into a scene of florals, animals, and a dancing man.

   

   Credit: Fishermen Labs

   AR Shopping on Social Media Platforms

   AR has become a transformative tool in enhancing the online shopping experience. A Global Report from Snap and Ipsos shows that 65% of consumers feel that AR makes the shopping experience easier, and 79% are interested in AR product interactions before making a purchase. In addition, 90% of fashion brands agree that AR broadens the range of apparel that customers can easily try on.

   Shopping with AR on Social Media

   AR can help consumers feel more confident about their purchases, letting them visualize, share, and gather feedback before making decisions. Thanks to brand integration with platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, users can try products like jewelry, makeup, or clothing using their smartphone cameras—and then seamlessly buy them without leaving the app. This not only simplifies the path to purchase, but offers a highly personalized experience that maximizes the likelihood of conversion. 

   AR enables a seamless connection between online and offline channels, offering cross-channel marketing opportunities. In-store marketing may encourage the shopper to engage with AR content on social media, or AR social media content may encourage users to visit a store, driving interaction and engagement wherever audiences are.

   Kohl’s, for instance, partnered with Snapchat to launch an AR Virtual Closet feature. It allows users to browse, fit, and purchase Kohl’s fashion selections directly within the Snapchat app.

   AR Event and Brand Activations Using Social Media

   Introducing a new product or promoting an event can be challenging without a strong base of social proof to drive demand. AR is a handy tool to overcome this challenge, as it can bring a product to life before it even hits the market. 

   The true value of AR for brand activations lies in its interactive nature and its scalability. It’s easy to adapt AR experiences for different markets, customizing details as needed. Plus, AR can be seamlessly incorporated into both physical in-store promotions and digital marketing campaigns, potentially boosting the impact and success of the product launch throughout its lifecycle.

   Using AR to Share Exclusive Content

   Exclusive content makes people feel special, like they’re part of a select group with access to something unique. This can increase their interest, engagement, and loyalty to a brand. Exclusive offerings are intended to seem more valuable because they are not available to everyone; this perceived value can make people more willing to engage or purchase.

   Integrating AR into a pre-launch strategy lets potential customers experience a product in advance as an exclusive sneak peak. It can also play a role in gathering valuable data through social media and building confidence in targeting the right audience.

   

   During live events or product launches, exclusive and immersive experiences can include behind-the-scenes content that adds an extra layer of engagement, like with the Off-White example mentioned earlier. For example, users might gain access to a virtual tour of a facility or see the making of a product with interactive AR elements. Companies can also provide special AR codes on their social media that users can scan to access exclusive promotions or discounts.

   What Is the Future of AR in Social Media?

   The future of social media is inextricably linked with AR’s transformative influence. AR’s capacity to blend the digital with the physical realm is not merely an enhancement—it’s redefining engagement paradigms. In an era where the digital landscape is incessantly noisy, AR can offer a refreshing opportunity to captivate attention in interactive and shareable ways. The numbers speak for themselves: 57% of users are more likely to buy from a brand offering AR experiences, and 64% of consumers express that AR use increases their sense of loyalty towards a brand. 

   Rock Paper Reality is committed to crafting bespoke AR experiences that not only capture imagination, but also deliver tangible business outcomes. In leveraging AR, we’re not chasing trends—we’re shaping a new standard for audience engagement.

   Let’s sculpt your AR narrative and pioneer an immersive social media landscape together. Connect with us to begin your journey.

   

   FAQs for AR in Social Media

   What Are the Best AR Advertising Strategies for Social Media?

   When integrating AR into your social media strategy, some best practices might include:

   • Creating interactive filters and lenses that promote brand engagement
   • Leveraging influencers to showcase AR features that resonate with followers
   • Gamifying experiences to incentivize user participation
   • Using data to personalize AR content, thereby increasing relevance and impact

   How Is AR Being Used in Live Streaming on Social Media Platforms?

   By overlaying digital graphics onto real-world broadcasts, AR allows streamers to add creative visual effects, face filters, and backgrounds in real time. Brands also use AR to showcase products, host virtual try-ons, and create immersive brand stories during live events.

   What Are the Future Trends of AR in Social Media?

   Some future trends might include:

   • More realistic and sophisticated filters 
   • Integration of virtual and physical retail experiences
   • Social shopping with instant purchases 
   • Personalized content based on user behavior
   • Interactive live events

4. Augmented Reality for Attractions

   Thu 30 November 2023 12:55 pm Leave a Comment

   AR is revolutionizing how people explore attractions like museums, art galleries, amusement parks, and cultural sites. From bringing the past to life with interactive exhibits to exciting audiences with immersive experiences at theme parks and stadiums, augmented reality is a powerful tool for both educating and entertaining visitors.

   AR is rapidly attaching itself to every aspect of our lives. Statista estimates that there will be 1.7 billion active mobile AR devices globally in 2024, up from 0.44 billion in 2019, while the AR hardware (headsets and glasses) market is projected to rise by 6.9 billion USD between 2023 and 2027. For brands, directors, and visitor experience managers, this presents a whole host of commercial opportunities. In addition to enhancing visitor engagement and making sites more inclusive and accessible, AR installations can open up new revenue streams and boost profitability. It can also be used to revive and refresh attractions that have lost popularity or become irrelevant. In this guide, we’ll explore how AR deployments at popular attractions can improve visitor experiences, educate and entertain guests, and ultimately drive business growth.

   Key Takeaways

   • Augmented reality has become invaluable in elevating visitor experiences at amusement parks and offsetting the pressures of inflation.
   • AR integrations open doors to new target audiences and revenue streams.
   • Augmented Reality art exhibitions rejuvenate the appeal of art and draw new crowds with interactive viewings.
   • Augmented reality promotes educational activities, making them fun and memorable. Museums and historical sites can gain new interest by combining ancient real-world components with groundbreaking virtual experiences.

   How is Augmented Reality Used in Museums and Art Galleries?

   Augmented reality can bring an entirely new dimension to a visitor’s trip to a museum or art gallery. It has the potential to draw new crowds from the local area or abroad, expand interest, and boost revenue. The demand for museums and other such cultural attractions is there—in 2018, a survey from the American Alliance of Museums found that an overwhelming 97% of Americans believed museums were educational assets for their communities, and 89% believed these spaces contributed important economic benefits. By making museum tours and art exhibitions interactive and immersive, AR can make visits more accessible, inclusive, and personalized.

   

   Augmented Reality in Museums

   AR museum experiences are a phenomenal tool to increase the educational value of displays. Rather than just reading signs or passively listening to audio guides, visitors can use AR to interact with their surroundings. The Sanxingdui Museum in China, for instance, is a thematic museum that collects and exhibits thousands of bronze, jade, and gold artefacts from the ancient Shu period three thousand years ago. And thanks to AR, it’s bringing the art of ancient China’s heritage and lost civilization to life.

   As well as offering AR museum tours on mobile phones, immersive integrations at the museum allow users to view information about the relics, and see details about their excavations and repair lifecycles. Visitors can also experience how relics were used in the past and observe ancient scenes by wearing mixed reality goggles. These immersive experiences facilitate a new way of learning about the cultural significance of the relics.

   Similarly, The Story of the Forest is an immersive digital display installed in the National Museum of Singapore’s Glass Rotunda. As visitors walk down a 170m spiral pathway, 3D animals, forest-inspired sounds, plants, and scents unfold alongside them. The scenery changes between night and day and showcases the changes in the seasons. In addition to the immersive visual experience, visitors can also access information through an AR mobile app. After snapping a picture of an animal or plant, the app generates 3D images and interesting facts.

   Augmented Reality in Art Galleries and Exhibits

   AR can transform traditional static exhibits into interactive and immersive encounters. Visitors can use AR-enabled devices such as smartphones or tablets to explore paintings and sculptures in greater detail. An AR app might display the artist discussing the piece or the artwork’s creation process for enhanced storytelling, for instance. Yunuene’s augmented reality art app is a prime example of how AR cultivates deeper connections with artwork. By viewing the sculpture or artwork through the augmented reality app, viewers can watch images come to life—witness triangles radiating out of a painting, and even see a meerkat sculpture playing a guitar.

   Similarly, MAUA is a groundbreaking augmented street art museum with locations in Milan, Palermo, and Turin. Visitors can explore these open-air galleries by simply downloading the app and following the chosen itinerary map. With the sites open 24/7, they can visit murals on walls, buildings, and metro interchanges whenever they choose. Upon reaching the augmented reality wall art, visitors can then frame the images with their smartphones and watch them transform. Painted characters start to wave, reptiles jump off the wall, and fish swim across the building. These augmented reality paintings animate the neighborhood and draw guests to suburbs that they may not normally have visited.

   AR is also transforming the way consumers shop for art. While many love what they see in a gallery or online, they may be hesitant to make a purchase if they can’t visualize it in their home or office. Saatchi Art’s mobile app lets shoppers browse over 1.4 million original artworks from its website. Users can virtually view the artwork in their environment, exactly where they want it, significantly boosting buyer confidence and satisfaction. In fact, by Q2 of 2020, the site’s mobile transactions had grown by 100% year-over-year.

   

   How is Augmented Reality Used in Theme Parks and Related Attractions?

   Although theme park attendance has largely recovered since the pandemic, increasing costs due to inflation and an uncertain economy have impacted profits. AR is gaining ground as an effective strategy to help theme parks tide over quiet seasons, allowing them to offer more value, tell better stories, and enhance visitor experiences. Theme park giants like Disney have already invested significantly in the technology. Immersive experiences through smartphones, digital access points, and wearables are driving the future of theme park entertainment. These experiences are unique to individuals, have a social aspect, and frequently evolve, offering visitors a fresh and exciting experience regardless of how many times they visit. They also allow directors to innovate and elevate visitors’ adventures without having to physically remodel building structures. This ultimately means faster deployment of new experiences and at a lower cost. Let’s look at how some brands are achieving successful AR theme park experiences.

   Augmented Reality in Amusement & Theme Parks

   Excellent customer experiences are key to driving satisfaction, loyalty, and repeat business. But amusement park visitors don’t only expect great service—they also want exhilarating, one-of-a-kind experiences. Using AR headsets or mobile devices, theme park visitors can engage with virtual objects, characters, and effects that blend seamlessly with the physical world. Universal Studios Japan set the stage for AR experience success with the Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge ride. Participants enter a replica of Bowser’s Castle, where they are outfitted with a red Mario cap and AR headset. They then embark on a physical ride enhanced with digital elements, shooting targets viewed through the head-worn device. A number of characters also pop up during the adventure, and they can compete with other players on the ride.

   LEGOLAND Windsor Resort is another prime example of how AR can drive theme park adventures and elevate each visit. LEGOLAND created an AR experience for the launch of LEGO Mythica: World of Mythical Creatures. After watching the 4D film, LEGO Mythica: Journey to Mythica, guests go on an augmented scavenger hunt, exploring the surroundings using the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort app. Visitors can find AR-activated LEGO models and bring their favorite characters to life. By scanning QR codes, users can open virtual vortexes to see baby Lava Dragons, collect rocks for the Crystal Claw Crabs, and help Bitsandbobs find his wing. They can also take selfies with the characters and collect digital trading cards.

   AR for Events Marketing

   AR is just as powerful for marketing activities and events. Consider, for example, how Red Bull implemented an AR campaign to build awareness for its Cliff Diving World Series event. The campaign involved deploying QR codes on promotional signage across the city. After scanning a code, users would see a real-scale diving platform grow in front of them. When the structure was complete, they’d then see a 3D animated diver somersault from the top. The virtual experience brought great energy to the event while also effectively conveying the brand personality.

   AR for Interactive Sightseeing

   AR superimposes digital visual information and elements in real time onto a smartphone or tablet display. This mixed reality makes for a handy destination guide—in fact, nearly 80% of consumers surveyed showed interest in using AR maps for navigation purposes, according to a 2022 study commissioned by Snap Inc. As users aim their camera toward an object or pathway, AR applications can overlay directions and landmarks. With this type of virtual map, users can easily navigate unfamiliar areas and find points of interest. Besides easily finding attraction sites, restaurants, shops, and transport hubs, users can also access more information about their points of interest in multiple languages.

   

   The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, for instance, offers visitors a SmartGuide mobile app. Visitors can find different sites, the closest restrooms, and dining facilities using the multimedia guide. They can also customize their own tour with 360º views. GPS technology enables relevant content to pop up while exploring the center, providing interesting facts, audio, photos, and videos in nine different languages. Visitors can also pair the Space Visor virtual reality headset with their mobile phone to watch rocket launches, take a ride in the lunar rover, and embark on a virtual cockpit experience.

   How Can Augmented Reality Help Historical and Cultural Sites?

   In a fast-paced digital age where attention spans are fleeting, it’s crucial to find innovative ways to revive and sustain interest in historical and cultural subjects. Augmented reality presents a powerful tool that can breathe new life into the past, captivate imaginations, and foster a deeper connection to rich heritage. By merging the physical and digital, AR offers a multitude of possibilities to rejuvenate historical and cultural value. AR also enhances learning, storytelling, and preservation efforts that reignite a collective curiosity for treasures from the past. Survey data from AddictiveTips finds that 95% of Americans either have tried or are eager to try AR and VR technologies. Tapping into this burgeoning excitement might be just the ticket to revitalizing a historical site.

   

   Augmented Reality for Historical Sites

   AR tools can help users step into the shoes of historical figures, witness significant events, or explore cultural sites in a way that connects them emotionally with the past. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum achieves this with an app that personalizes the stories and lives of the victims showcased in the Tower of Faces exhibit. When visitors point their smartphone at an image, information appears about the lives of the villagers. By making the experience interactive, visitors gain a deeper and more personal understanding of the individuals involved and their powerful stories.

   Augmented Reality for Archaeological Sites

   AR can provide interactive learning experiences that make history and culture more accessible and engaging. AR-enhanced exhibits can offer users additional information, multimedia content, interactive animations and more. This interactive approach makes learning fun and can also enhance understanding and retention—according to research, humans typically process visuals 6,000 times faster than text. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History has a mobile app called Skin and Bones, bringing 13 skeletons on display to life. Through 3D augmented reality and tracking, the app adds details to the specimens to portray how they look and move, and how their skeletons work. Users direct their smartphone camera at the specimen to trigger 3D graphics. The app offers a menu of immersive AR experiences for each animal on display, including videos, animations, and activities. For example, visitors can observe an eastern diamondback rattlesnake using its fangs to grasp a virtual rodent or test their knowledge of bat species by identifying their calls.

   AR can also transport users back in time, overlaying historical scenes or reconstructions onto a present-day environment. Users can see how a particular location looked in the past, allowing them to experience historical events or settings in a more engaging way. In one 2022 ARRIS Composites survey, 77% of respondents said that they would be interested in using AR to ‘travel’ to locations they couldn’t otherwise access. Imagine if you could take them back in time instead! For example, Uist Unearthed’s app gives visitors the chance to explore the history and prehistory of the Uist Islands using augmented reality, animations, audio, graphics, and stories. Visitors scan QR codes at each site to access augmented historical sites and 3D excavated objects. You can see the original settlement as it stood 3500 years ago, including grand Viking halls, and monumental Iron Age brochs. The app also helps users stay on track with a GPS-enabled map and lets them share their experiences with photos and videos.

   Create AR Experiences for Attractions

   From museums and shopping to amusement parks and education, augmented reality is changing the way consumers communicate, navigate, and learn. AR technology only continues to advance, providing better quality experiences and more immersive ways to explore real and virtual worlds. Rock Paper Reality can help you leverage cutting-edge technology to advance projects and increase business growth. We’ve assisted Fortune 500s and startups alike to successfully develop and deploy AR technology for over a decade. Now we’re ready to tackle your project! Let’s connect.

5. Augmented Reality in Tourism and Travel

   Wed 18 October 2023 2:22 pm Leave a Comment

   

   Augmented reality (AR) is revolutionizing the way we travel and interact with the world. From interactive maps and personalised recommendations to remote assistants and translation apps, the potential for AR usage in tourism is boundless. The virtual tourism market alone is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.2% between 2023 and 2028, to reach a valuation of $23.5 billion. There is no doubt that augmented reality is reshaping the tourism industry, empowering brands to remain relevant in a competitive and changing market space.

   With informative overlays and augmented attractions, this transformative technology seamlessly blends the physical and digital to offer new immersive experiences. Augmented reality in tourism doesn’t only enhance customer satisfaction but enables next-level marketing and opens up new revenue streams for travel businesses.

   Let’s explore the many ways that the use of augmented reality in travel and tourism can shake up your business with remarkable competitive advantages.

   Key Takeaways

   • AR enables travel operators to enhance their services by offering simplified navigation, on-demand destination information, and eliminating language barriers.
   • AR helps agents and operators improve travel personalization—a key component to fostering engagement and customer satisfaction.
   • AR in travel opens avenues for new revenue streams and improves consumer confidence by allowing customers to gain detailed insights before committing to a booking.
   • AR tourism tools in hospitality establishments can significantly reduce operational and administrative costs. They can also help drive bookings to on-site services and improve guest experiences.

   How Can AR Enhance Travel Experiences?

   As the quality of augmented reality improves and increased accessibility leads to lower implementation costs, AR is becoming increasingly popular as a travel tool. Whether it’s a museum visit or a trip to a foreign country, AR promises to change, improve, and expand the very nature of travel and tourism.

   Enabling the Use of AR Travel Guides to Explore Destinations Virtually

   Although the experience of travel is proverbially priceless, the truth is that it can put quite a dent in your client’s pocket. An augmented reality travel guide can help ensure that the destination your clients spend their money on is just as beautiful as the brochure promises.

   Using AR, tourists can explore famous landmarks, interactive museums, and natural wonders from the comfort of their own homes. They can view 3D models of iconic buildings like the Eiffel Tower or the Taj Mahal and even take virtual walking tours through bustling city streets or far-flung wilderness. An example of this is the travel app Antarctic Heritage Trust AR, which takes users on an expedition to Antarctica. Here a user can explore the icy landscape with 360º images and videos and access artefacts from the buildings.

   AR also allows tourists to learn about the history and culture of a destination through interactive exhibits, historical reenactments, and educational games. Augmented reality travel apps can depict how an area looked in the past and restore historical scenes and events. It can also invite users to preview exciting new sites currently under construction.

   Historik is a tourism app that recreates historic buildings and objects at specific points of interest. By pointing their mobile camera at a landmark, travelers can access a visual representation of the history and significance of the site. They can swipe through artefacts and even set up self-guided tours.

   The Benefits of an AR Travel Guide

   By allowing your clients to explore destinations virtually with integrated AR, you’ll offer the following unique benefits:

   • Increased accessibility – AR technology allows people with limited mobility or disabilities to experience and explore destinations that might otherwise be inaccessible to them.
   • Improved buyer confidence – By first experiencing a destination virtually, travelers can make more informed decisions. When they book the real adventure, they’ll be sure to pick the right option for them, reducing the risk of refunds and complaints.
   • Enhanced educational opportunities – AR can provide interactive and informative experiences that truly add value. It can be used to efficiently inform travelers about the history, culture, and natural wonders of a destination.

   Leveraging AR to Navigate Unfamiliar Places

   With its ability to blend the virtual and physical, tourists can use AR for navigation. When exploring an new area, a traveler can point their mobile phone camera into the street and sit back while an AR tourist guide superimposes directions on the view. With real-time directions and a visual orientation of where they are, they can navigate unknown places with ease.

   For example, the AR tourism app World Around Me highlights nearby ATMs, restaurants, hotels, attractions, hospitals, shops, and transportation stops. Similarly, PeakVisor enhances outdoor activities by providing interactive guides for hiking trails, mountaineering, and adventure sports.

   Using AR to Entertain Guests

   AR can add a new dimension to your guest experiences at museums, art galleries, historical sites, and other attractions. Besides offering augmented reality tour guides on the traveler’s mobile phone, AR apps can also offer real-time information about paintings, artefacts, animals, and more.

   For example, Museum Buddy offers self-guided tours, object narrations, museum maps, and a wealth of information for some of the world’s most popular museums. What would traditionally be a one-way viewing encounter can now become an immersive cultural experience, enabling visitors to truly submerge themselves in an era or environment.

   Additionally, AR travel gaming apps such as Geocaching engage visitors in virtual treasure hunts or invite them to solve puzzles. This can take exploring parks, zoos, gardens, and historical sites to a new level of fun.

   How Can AR Improve Customer Satisfaction in Travel and Tourism?

   Integrating AR into customer experiences is key for travel and tourism companies that wish to stay competitive. In 2021, the AR market was worth $8.6 billion, and it is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 38% by 2030.

   This rapid expansion only serves as testament to how powerful AR is in helping businesses deliver better customer service.

   

   Using AR to Provide Personalized Travel Experiences

   With competition fiercer than ever, the key to standing out is providing a high quality, uniquely personal experience. In fact, 63% of customers say they will stop using a brand if it uses poor personalization tactics.

   With ready-made packages and all-inclusive deals, traditional travel itineraries and activities are often a one-size-fits-all approach. But what if you could tailor every part of your customer’s journey, certain that they will love what they get? You can. With AR integrations and features, your clients can book a room after virtually browsing multiple options, seamlessly navigate points of interest to them, and enjoy interactive, tailored itineraries.

   Improving Customer Communication and Collaboration Through AR

   Using AR, customers can leave reviews and ratings for places they visit in real time. This feedback is invaluable for travel and hospitality businesses and can help to enhance communication with your audiences. You could also consider implementing useful features like AR avatars or virtual representatives to guide customers through their travel experiences. These avatars can provide assistance, suggest activities, and answer common questions, improving communication and customer support.

   How Can AR Increase Travel and Tourism Revenue?

   AR features can captivate visitors, streamline the travel experience and drastically enhance visitor interactions. From informative overlays to real-time translations, these tools can drive engagement, confidence and ultimately consumer spending.

   

   AR can also help travel and tourism businesses to move into new markets and expand their offerings in ways that differentiate them from their competitors. Here are some opportunities for building new revenue streams using AR:

   Enhanced Virtual Tours

   Users can explore destinations virtually, navigate attractions, and even interact with virtual elements in real time. This technology opens up opportunities to generate revenue through augmented tours, ticket sales, and partnerships with local businesses.

   Virtual Shopping Experiences

   AR technology can transform traditional souvenir shopping. Using AR-enabled apps or devices, tourists can virtually try on clothing, accessories, or test products before purchase.

   This not only enhances the shopping experience but provides a unique way for travel companies to generate additional revenue. They can partner with local retailers to offer exclusive discounts and promotions for AR shoppers. This creates a win-win situation for both travelers and businesses.

   Smartify’s eShop platform, for instance, lets users access art from galleries like The National Gallery in London and buy prints, souvenirs, mementos, and gifts directly from their smartphone.

   Augmented Advertising

   With AR-enabled devices, marketers can create interactive and engaging advertisements that blend seamlessly with real-world environments. Featuring creative design work and animation, these campaigns extend your brand into the digital layer and can be highly impactful.

   Gamification in Travel & Tourism

   With integrated game-like features, users can participate in interactive challenges, complete quests, and earn rewards as they explore different destinations. Jurassic World Alive is a prime example of this. The app invites users to find virtual dinosaurs in different real-world locations, enabling them to learn about the ancient creatures at the same time.

   Applying this concept in various settings can make travel more engaging and educational. It also provides opportunities for travel and tourism companies to generate additional revenue. They can offer premium game experiences, extra features, or in-game purchases and upgrades.

   

   AR as a Tool to Boost Sales and Conversion

   By providing virtual tours of destinations, cruise ships, and leisure facilities, travel agents and marketers give potential customers a sneak peek into holiday bliss. This can increase interest and likelihood of booking.

   AR also makes it easy for travelers to book day tours on demand. They can browse and engage in activity options from within an app—and use the same app to instantly book the activity. This is especially useful for weather-dependent activities or to avoid long lines.

   How Can You Leverage AR in the Hospitality Industry?

   Leveraging augmented reality in hospitality has the power to turn your customer experiences—and your bottom line—around. AR tools can reduce operational, training, and administrative costs, improve the guest experience, and drive more bookings.

   AR in Hotels

   Holiday Inn uses augmented reality to offer virtual 360º hotel tours to prospective visitors. These tours help users to:

   • Decide which room size is the best fit for them
   • Get a realistic idea of amenities
   • Explore leisure and dining facilities
   • Evaluate the suitability and capacity of conference and event rooms
   • Explore room upgrade advantages and compare the benefits
   • Gain a comprehensive overview of the facility layout, room privacy, noise levels, and views

   Furthermore, you can integrate AR with social media platforms to create interactive and shareable content, increasing brand exposure and engagement.

   Training Hotel Staff Using AR

   AR can enable employees to learn in a hands-on manner. They can use AR tools to visualize complex processes, simulate real-life scenarios, and receive real-time feedback. They can also practise handling customer-facing scenarios in an augmented environment and receive enhanced training with interactive guides and demonstrations.

   Improving Guest Services With AR in Hotels

   AR brings a whole new dimension of convenience to the way guests interact with hotels. With virtual concierge services, visitors can instantly access information, make bookings, and request assistance by simply scanning their surroundings. Whether it’s making a dinner reservation, finding out how the entertainment system works, or getting directions to the fitness center, guests can access everything in the palm of their hand.

   Holding a mobile phone camera toward the entertainment system might cause an overlay with instructions to appear on the screen. Or, as a user points their camera down the hallway, the AR application might superimpose directions to the restaurant, spa, or fitness center

   AR can also enhance dining experiences. By scanning a menu, guests could access information or ingredients, or even see how the dish was prepared. They could also scan a bottle label, as in the case of Chronic Cellars Purple Paradise, to access games.

   Similarly, prestigious Scotch whisky brand The Glenlivet partnered with Rock Paper Reality to create a virtual tasting room, so as to expand whisky access and education to a new swathe of younger consumers. The Sample Room experience immerses users in the heart of a 360º tasting room, where they can learn more about the story behind the brand’s 18-, 21- and 25-year expressions—all by scanning a QR code on the back of a bottle. An AR tool like this offers twofold advantages for hospitality establishments: educate staff on the fly, and enhance the guest experience.

   

   Augmented Reality: The Future of Tourism

   Augmented reality is transforming the tourism industry and shaping the future of travel experiences. It holds immense potential to offer travellers a whole new way to explore and engage with the world around them.

   Rock Paper Reality can help you take full advantage of this technology to drive growth in your travel or tourism business. From Fortune 500s to start-ups, we’ve been helping companies leverage the latest technology to drive growth strategies for over a decade.

   Our team of highly skilled innovators looks forward to bringing your augmented reality vision to life. Let’s chat.

6. RPR launches AR campaigns with Adobe Aero and Google’s Geospatial Creator

   Tue 30 May 2023 5:41 pm Leave a Comment

   

   With more interactions, notifications and touchpoints vying for user attention than ever before, making the right kind of impact has never been more crucial. Creating unique experiences that both stoke your audience’s imagination and signal your brand’s value can be the difference between building lasting relationships with customers and wasting budget on campaigns that just get ignored.

   The global extended reality (XR) market is growing, expected to increase in value to over 100 billion USD by 2026 from 29 billion in 2022. It’s not surprising as we look at younger generations, especially since 93% of Snapchat users are interested in using AR for shopping.

   Thanks to Geospatial Creator, building and publishing immersive content experiences has just become easier. Powered by ARCore and Google Maps Platform, developers can visualize real environments and produce world-anchored augmented and mixed reality products, opening up creative opportunities for brands across the globe.

   What is Geospatial Creator?

   Geospatial Creator is a tool that enables developers to access the 3D geometry of real-world locations and build augmented reality (AR) experiences for both Android and iOS devices. Available in Unity and Adobe Aero, creators can select a place and build, preview and publish 3D digital content that can then be accessed by end users in the physical world. 

   Google’s geospatial tools draw upon more than 15 years’ worth of Google Maps data. Accurate localization is made possible with Google’s Visual Positioning Service (VPS) — the same technology that has been powering Google Maps Live View since 2019 — while Scene Semantics, Photorealistic 3D Tiles and Rooftop anchors enable developers to identify and understand the unique components within a scene and anchor digital content in real time and space. 

   

   Image: T-Mobile Holiday Mode, Time Square, New York, Geospatial Creator powered by ARCore and Google Maps Platform, Google

   Why does Geospatial Creator matter for brands?

   So what does this mean for brands? 

   In basic terms, you can now deploy cross-platform, world-anchored immersive experiences with significantly more coverage and without having to scan the physical space yourself. Calling upon the gargantuan coverage of Google’s existing location data speeds up the process of overlaying digital content onto the physical world. It’s important to note that this is not the first instance of VPS — similar capabilities can be found through Niantic Lightship VPS or Sturfee — though these have relied on different data capture techniques such as in-person location scanning, crowdsourcing or satellite imagery. 

   What’s particularly exciting about Google’s offering here is its accessibility. With integrations in Unity and Aero, developers can build high-quality, accurately anchored and geometrically realistic experiences without needing to physically visit the location themselves, and audiences can access them natively in-app or app-less via Aero. 

   According to Ben Sax, Augmented Reality Producer at Adobe, “This is the moment that AR has been waiting for. Creators can now build and deploy digital experiences with the world as their canvas.”

   As we move towards a more widely accessible and friction-less digital layer, the commercial possibilities really are endless. Brands have the opportunity to elevate the way their audiences discover and engage with their products, beyond the limitations of print and conventional digital media.

   As brands seek to develop immersive experiences built in Adobe Aero with Google’s Geospatial Creator, it’s important to work with premiere agencies that have deep knowledge around designing and developing for XR. Rock Paper Reality has become one of our most trusted collaborators and have helped us push our platform and the medium to the edge of what’s possible.”

   Ben Sax, Augmented Reality Producer at Adobe

   RPR: The specialist immersive agency for Geospatial projects

   

   Image: RPR experience for Ben & Jerry’s on Adobe Aero

   The team at Rock Paper Reality has over 15 years’ experience in the augmented reality space and has delivered projects for clients including Red Bull, Lenovo, Amazon Studios, Motorola and Microsoft. 

   Last year we teamed up with Adobe and Ben & Jerry’s to build an AR game to promote the launch of new Sundae pints. After creating a unique 3D world from modeled assets, we deployed the interactive experience via Aero, where customers could learn about the product and even request a customized Sundae to their door. It enabled users to explore the layers and ingredients in a whole new way and won the People’s Voice Webby for Metaverse, Immersive & Virtual Food & Drink earlier this year. 

   

   Image: Digital origami dragon and tree developed by RPR for Paper Tree

   We’re also currently collaborating with Adobe Aero and paper craft supplier Paper Tree. The project will use Google’s geospatial technology to transform Japantown in San Francisco with 3D digital origami artwork, creating a virtual guide to the stores in the plaza and showcasing the history and culture of the space. Using Adobe and Google’s geospatial technology enables us to integrate the AR experience directly into the physical location, without the need for image targets or tracking. 

   If you’re ready to launch your first Geospatial Creator experience, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to get the conversation started.

7. Are Restaurants Successfully Leveraging Augmented Reality?

   Thu 1 December 2022 6:33 am Leave a Comment

   From unique dining experiences to cultural foods finally getting the global recognition they deserve, the restaurant industry must pivot according to the latest trends. What’s the exciting new ingredient making its way through the industry today, you ask? Augmented reality (AR). This technology enables innovative new applications to foster a more rewarding dining experience while aiding kitchen staff.

   Augmented reality turns ordinary menus into exciting interactive displays capable of keeping even the most traditional patron entertained. In addition to serving as dining entertainment and marketing tactics, AR also works for employee training. This technology makes it simple to learn food preparation and other work-related activities.

   Restaurants are among the growing use cases transforming the customer experience. Fashion, shopping, and customer support are also taking advantage of this emerging trend. Augmented reality to restaurants is the “try-before-you-buy” sales strategy to retail. In all of these applications, AR adds a dimension of fun while providing useful, user-friendly information.

   This technology is growing massively. Until recently, few people had even tried it. Yet, by 2024, there will be approximately 1.7 billion people using mobile augmented reality. People crave new experiences anywhere they can find them—even in our food. Learn to put the two together to offer customers an irresistible reason to patronize your restaurant!

   Augmented reality improves the customer experience, a critical component of running your business. Now people expect faster, more exciting—yet still higher-quality—service than ever before… and usually with a digital component. Though AR meets this customer demand, businesses have struggled to implement it properly.

   Developmental costs and technical hurdles have kept many restaurants from using AR—until now. Rock Paper Reality is an industry-leading AR agency eager to help seamlessly incorporate AR into your business practices, so you can get a leg up on the competition.

   Today’s consumers are looking for augmented reality experiences and are willing to shell out for them—if they can deliver. Fortunately, customers already have the smartphones necessary to use these immersive experiences, and it’s become feasible for restaurants like yours to implement compelling content.

   Augmented Reality Transforms Restaurant Menus

   Augmented reality makes it easier than ever for patrons to see what they’re ordering. All you have to do is hold your phone up to experience a photorealistic look at menu items right on your table. It’s as close as you can get to seeing the food before actually being served a fresh plate. Not to mention, the device can overlay detailed product information to readily answer any nutritional questions. Now you can have your cake and eat it, too.

   

   AR allows restaurants to offer customers a menu that comes to life through a smartphone. Life-size 3D images of the food function as both advertisements and entertainment, making it easy for you to upsell.

   Say a customer has decided on the main course. You can easily show them what sides, drinks, or desserts it would best pair with. Also, the AR menu can link directly to your payment system.

   Since the AR menu is dynamically generated, patrons can even mix and match different ingredients or toppings to see how their creation would look. The overlay can reveal as many details as you and your customers want, such as food textures or portion sizes.

   Instead of leaving hungry customers waiting, AR delivers entertaining experiences that offer information and 3D visuals through your interactive menu. You can also incorporate information about nutrition, where you source your ingredients from, your business values, or any other messages you want to convey to your customers.

   

   Believe it or not, these augmented reality overlays are very easy to use, as their level of accessibility is dictated by you! For instance, you can include a QR code on your tables. Customers can then instantly activate the corresponding menu simply by hovering their phone over the QR code with the camera app open. You can also incorporate uniquely tailored 3D animations into the experience to make the interactive menu more fun. Imagine a virtual mariachi band breaking the ice on a first date at a Mexican restaurant, or young kids giggling as they watch cartoon monsters decorate their pizza! Extra cheese, please!

   You could also include allergens, dietary information (like what is categorized as vegan, gluten-free, low-calorie, etc), or details about your restaurant’s sustainability program. The options are limitless. Whatever information you want to share with your customers can be made worlds more appealing when conveyed through AR. Restaurants that deploy augmented reality menus are seeing sizable increases in sales and word-of-mouth references.

   Broadening the AR Menu

   Taking the visual aspect of AR menus even further, these may transition from smartphones and tablets to smartglasses and perhaps even smart contact lenses. We’re at the start of a massive evolution, from static menus to immersive 3D menus and dynamic activities throughout the dining experience.

   This has the potential to alter how people engage with restaurants dramatically. No more going back and forth between menu items out of uncertainty, no more disappointments. You see it and the restaurant makes it happen. Payment is automatic. Augmented reality menus were built from 2D video boards, printed menus, and plain text descriptions. Each stage of technology advances the detail and realism, giving prospective diners a better understanding and experience with every new round of advancements.

   

   Augmented reality contributes to marketing efforts for drinks as well. Winemakers, beer brewers, and spirit vendors are embracing AR for its powerful storytelling capabilities. Even non-alcoholic beverage brands are leveraging AR to connect with buyers.

   Businesses are embedding augmented reality experiences into their beverage labels. This extends the reach of the messaging opportunity far beyond the physical size of the bottle. For instance, a simple scan can bring you to the farms where the drink’s ingredients are grown, or you can learn about the brand’s story from its founder. This cost-effective physical packaging can transport customers anywhere in the world at the touch of a button. Now, that’s an experience.

   As discussed, restaurant-goers like learning about new products. An exciting way to deliver this information is through augmented reality product launches. For example, people waiting to be seated can go on an AR adventure to explore a new beverage now available in that restaurant.

   In-restaurant AR games offer another type of entertainment. People of all ages can play quick sports games or action games. This also works for take-out or delivery, as you can customize boxes or bags to transform into 3D games using QR codes.

   Visual and Social Marketing for Restaurants

   Hundreds of restaurants are developing augmented reality menus, from global fast-food chains to small independent restaurants. Those that embrace this technology sooner will benefit from both the menus themselves and the marketing boost of being ahead of the curve.

   In the age of sharing every moment of our lives online, connecting augmented reality and social media is critical. Social media has become the main driving force in many customers’ restaurant outings. People choose where to go and what to eat based on Instagram, Facebook, Google, and other online services. You can spread your message through social media and have it connect directly to an AR menu. Diners like the convenience and shareable entertainment of this approach.

   It’s not difficult to implement an augmented reality menu, with the help of an experienced AR partner, like Rock Paper Reality. You maintain full creative control of your menus while we bring them to life. You can have a WebAR experience that runs directly on people’s mobile devices without requiring any downloads, or if you prefer, you can develop your own downloadable app.

   Restaurants serving international fare may stand to gain the most from augmented reality. It can be difficult for people to visualize foreign food, and having a life-size preview of a dish can make it more understandable (and thus more desirable!). People think visually, seeing is believing!

   Products can incorporate AR content to appeal more to people at home, as well. Household names, like Nestle and Kraft, are adding augmented reality to their product packaging. It’s not just for kicks, these projects look to elevate health outcomes. For example, food vendors can make healthy (generally less appealing) foods more attractive through the magic of AR. When it comes to restaurants, augmented reality can enhance the entire eating experience.

   AR Improves the Dining Experience

   Dining is not just about the food itself. It’s also about the ambiance, the activities, and all of the other elements that contribute to the overall experience. Augmented reality has now earned a place in these categories. AR enhances customer engagement while making the meal more interactive and immersive.

   When patrons go to your AR-enabled restaurant, they can compare menu items, take photos of themselves and their loved ones enjoying your food, and post to social media even before the dish arrives. You can also post coupons to social media that open your augmented reality menu.

   Augmented reality elicits feelings, the way sharing laughs over knock-your-socks-off homecooked food with the people you love most does. Putting them together for a more memorable experience is a no-brainer!

   Furthermore, an interesting new technique projects a small AR chef—just a few inches tall—onto diners’ tables to prepare their meals right in front of their eyes! The mini-chef may encounter entertaining challenges as other characters enter or leave the scene with changing music and decorations. After the show, diners receive the real versions of the digital creations, bringing the dining experience full circle.

   You can incorporate augmented reality restaurant technology into your storytelling portfolio with RPR, bringing the meal to life and giving customers memories to treasure and share.

   Better Restaurant Staff Training Using AR

   Augmented reality isn’t just good for your clientele, it’s also good for your employees. Restaurants can speed up and increase the quality of training while reducing costs and time. Service businesses have to conduct extensive training. The more efficient this is, the better.

   Using an AR training app decreases the amount of paper and other materials needed. It also makes the lessons more understandable, since trainees can see the items and their locations as if they were already on the job. Going one step further, you can use augmented reality for on-the-job training. This medium also makes it easy to adjust the training information as procedures evolve.

   Augmented reality optimizes work training programs and ensures all bases are properly covered. This produces high-quality staff at an affordable rate. It’s considerably faster and more cost-effective than conferences or in-person sessions. As such, AR restaurant training applications offer a great bang-for-your-buck return on investment.

   Large restaurant chains can reuse the same training materials with new employees at any location, for economies of scale and to eliminate inconsistencies. Some of the tasks that augmented reality can assist with include learning portion sizes and food and beverage preparation techniques. It can also aid in kitchen equipment maintenance, repair, and operation.

   AR training adapts well to people with different learning styles, needs, and capacities. Individuals can do self-paced courses and go over any materials on an as-needed basis. For these and a million other reasons, well-known food and beverage organizations are adopting augmented reality training—and you can too with a Rock Paper Reality solution.

   Trainees can use their smartphones or tablets (or even smart glasses) to view information and graphic instructions on how to complete specific tasks/ With the AR overlay, the program mimics real-life working conditions so the employees will be ready to work.

   Using AR for restaurant training also decreases the total amount of personnel time necessary for training purposes. Previously, other employees would have to take time away from their normal duties to conduct the lessons. Augmented reality allows self-directed training instead.

   AR Restaurant Training in Practice

   Thanks to the speed of AR training, employees can start contributing to the team faster than ever. As such, it may very well be on its way to becoming the industry standard for training restaurant workers.

   As another advantage of augmented reality training, people can receive instant feedback on their performance. After initial training, managers can also maintain AR programs to keep employees performing well and learning new tasks.

   Restaurant owners appreciate AR training for its added efficiency, while employees like AR training for the fun of it and the confidence it instills in them. Just as augmented reality makes it easy for customers to visualize their meals, AR makes it easy for workers to visualize their tasks. For instance, they can watch scaled-down animated figures operate machinery step-by-step.

   A fast-food restaurant may spend hundreds of hours training a new employee. Add to that the high turnover rates in the restaurant industry and the frustrations of customers dealing with employees-in-training, and the costs rapidly add up.

   With augmented reality, however, businesses can decrease this lost time while keeping more people serving customers instead of training new hires. A trainee sees real-time information, and can thus perform well even with minimal on-the-floor preparation.

   For instance, the device could show precisely which ingredient to use, in what amount, and even how to combine ingredients for the best flavor. The overlay remains available to replay or to move to the next step, making the learning process simple and stress-free.

   AR training isn’t just for fast-food restaurants. Independent businesses can use the same technology to streamline and speed up their processes. While big brands have made impactful commitments to augmented reality, smaller restaurants are also working with developers to implement their own AR experiences.

   Add Augmented Reality to your Restaurant’s Mix!

   Augmented reality is already elevating how restaurants do business, and its importance will only expand in the coming years. Businesses of all sizes are employing AR to market their foods, enhance their dining experiences, and train their employees.

   With augmented reality, a restaurant becomes more visual—starting from the moment customers sit down and lasting until after they’ve finished dessert and shared their experience online. All in all, business operations become more efficient and diners have more fun! These advantages of AR boost revenue while providing amazing customer experiences. People spend more at AR-enabled restaurants and have more positive opinions.

   The best way to ensure your augmented reality investments pay off is to work with a proven agency. Look no further—Rock Paper Reality is the trendsetting AR consultancy. We’ve set several firsts in our industry, and we want to help you succeed in yours. Tell us about your restaurant’s AR ideas and our experts will bring them to life!

8. The Top Use Cases of Augmented Reality in the Food & Beverage Industry

   Tue 29 November 2022 10:40 am Leave a Comment

   

   Augmented reality or AR technology has gradually expanded beyond gaming to impact a range of industries. In the food and beverage sector, AR offers many benefits and can spur customer engagement. With augmented reality, you not only engage consumers, but also encourage them to see, taste, and experience your product in a new way.

   The AR market is a rapidly growing industry with a projected market value of $50 billion by 2024. Studies suggest that 70% of consumers between ages 16 and 44 are aware of AR. Additionally, an eMarketer study indicates that 68.7 million American users interact with augmented reality at least once a month.

   And all this means tremendous opportunities for the food and beverage to engage its customers in exciting and innovative ways.

   Let’s dig in.

   Augmented Reality Food Menus Bring Dishes to Life

   Dining out is a social experience that can be made even more engaging through augmented reality. The use of AR in menus is changing the way customers preview and order food. Here’s how:

   Enhanced Information

   Ordering from a menu full of options can be a frustrating experience, especially when dining in an unfamiliar restaurant. Sometimes even a detailed explanation from the waitstaff isn’t enough. AR menus give diners a realistic view of each dish. Customers use their smartphones to scan the menu. A realistic 3-D rendering of the item pops up off the menu and comes to life. This technology can also provide additional details such as ingredients and nutritional information.

   Upsell

   AR menus are also a great way to suggest pairings for a chosen dish. Recommended drinks, appetizers, or desserts are all great upsell opportunities.

   Promotions

   Diners will be inclined to return if they are aware of discounts, special events, and seasonal food offerings. An AR menu is a great place to feature this information.

   Improve Customer Engagement

   AR menus are designed to display rich media content on-demand. They present a unique opportunity to show cooking demonstrations, chef interviews, and testimonials.

   Gauge Customer Satisfaction

   The longer diners interact with the menu the more information companies can collect. Restaurants can gain valuable insights. For example, how long customers look at each item or which items are ordered the most. These invaluable nuggets of information are vital to improving and customizing the customer experience.

   Packaging Goes Live!

   Thanks to the use of augmented reality, food product packaging has evolved from static labels. Today’s product packages are interactive digital experiences.

   The Jack Daniels app is a perfect example. The company used the technology to take customers on a virtual tour of the company’s distillery. The tour featured demonstrations about the whiskey-making process. The app was a huge success. In an interview with Forbes, Jeff Cole from Jack Daniels shared that “more than 30,000 downloads happened in just the first two weeks that the app was available.”

   The Starbucks AR app is another great use case. In this application, customers use their smartphones to scan items in the store. The goal is to discover various Christmas characters that come to life on the screen. Characters include carolers, a skater, a sledder and dog, a fox, and a squirrel.

   Here at RPR, we partnered with the wine brand Chronic Cellars to create a series of Web AR experiences. These experiences featured Chronic Cellars’ star character, Purple Paradise, brought to life in AR as he steps off the label and becomes part of the real world!

   Food Manufacturing Optimization

   Food manufacturers face many challenges, with food safety perhaps the biggest. Maintaining refrigeration temperature, equipment sanitization and allergen control are just a few areas where AR can help food companies manage these challenges smartly.

   Training Tool

   Due to a myriad of regulatory requirements, the stakes in the food industry are high. Failing to meet regulations comes with costly consequences. Employee training is essential to ensure everyone is up to speed on standard operating procedures (SOPs). This ultimately minimizes risk across the operational chain.

   Boosts Employee Safety

   Increased automation in food plants means more equipment and procedures employees need to learn. Failure to provide the requisite training can lead to assembly line errors which in turn can lead to faulty products, recalls, and worker injuries. Using AR for training helps provide more in-depth information and instruction to ensure employees perform each step properly.

   Boosts Customer Safety

   Improper food preparation can have disastrous, sometimes deadly consequences. The Federal government estimates that there are about 48 million cases of food-borne illness annually. This is equivalent to 1 in 6 Americans being sickened annually. And each year, these illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Restaurants can use augmented reality to show demonstrations on how to prepare food items safely.

   Viral Marketing Campaigns

   What is the difference between campaigns that go viral versus the ones that yield mediocre results? Brands are turning to this innovative technology to boost marketing campaigns, enhancing customer experiences and engagement in the process while standing out from the competition.

   Take Burger King, for example, which used the technology for some competitive trolling. The company launched a “Burn the Ad” campaign that attracted immediate attention. Patrons could use the app to virtually burn a competitor’s ads. After burning the ad, the app presented the user with a coupon to use at a Burger King store.

   A few years back, Pepsi launched what they called the Unbelievable Bus Shelter AR application… A campaign that went viral with almost 6 million views! The company replaced the glass at a busy London bus stop with a special AR mirror. Those passing by were treated to various surprise effects such as a lion running towards the bus station or an enormous snake sliding out of the sidewalk.

   Employees and Staff Training

   Consistency and attention to detail are sometimes the very things that differentiate one brand from another. What sets Starbucks aside from its competition is the aesthetic and sensory experience. One that involves meticulously preparing every custom drink order to perfection. This level of perfection can only be achieved with consistent and effective training.

   Many companies, like Starbucks, are turning to AR to train employees on proper techniques for food preparation. The technology can be used in the kitchen to guide cooks how to prepare each item on the menu. According to this study from BMC, AR is also finding use as an aid for portion size estimation of foods.

   Bring AR to Your Food Business Today

   Augmented reality in food and beverage companies is quickly becoming the future for this industry as more and more companies find innovative ways to leverage the almost limitless possibilities of AR. Partnering with Rock Paper Reality can help your company take full advantage of this technology to keep pace, perhaps even outstrip the competition.

   RPR is committed to helping companies of any size harness the full power of Augmented Reality food technology. With over 12 years of experience at the cutting edge of this technology, we’ve helped companies—from start-ups to Fortune 500s—develop AR strategies to drive brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue growth. Contact RPR today, and together, let’s make your AR vision a reality.

9. Augmented Reality in eCommerce

   Thu 10 November 2022 3:30 pm Leave a Comment

   

   A recent survey shows that 51% of customers said that brands are failing to meet their increasingly high expectations and 76% expressed that it is easier than ever to take their business elsewhere. Faced with these numbers, it is even more important for eCommerce brands to evolve. They will need to find new ways to not just meet but exceed customer expectations. Augmented reality in eCommerce opens a whole new opportunity for brands to wow the customer.

   A Google survey found that 66% of those surveyed are interested in using augmented reality for help when shopping. This type of shopping experience provides an immersive experience that lets customers interact in real-time with products in a virtual environment. Here we’ll discuss AR and how eCommerce brands can leverage it to build their brand.

   Why Consider Augmented Reality in eCommerce Business for Your Brand

   Why do so many people still prefer brick-and-mortar stores when shopping online is easier? Because they want to try the product before purchasing it. According to a recent study, 71% of customers expressed they would shop more often if they could use AR.

   Try Before They Buy

   With augmented reality in eCommerce, customers can control the product in a digital world to see how it would look on them, or how it would look in their space. Size, color, features, room placement and more are just some of the features customers can experience in a digital world. Trying the product beforehand helps the customer feel more connected to the product.

   Increases Customer Satisfaction and Reduces Returns

   Trying out a product in a virtual environment makes the product more tangible. It improves buyer confidence which minimizes the chance for buyers remorse. As a result, they are less likely to return their product. Ultimately this saves companies on shipping and restocking costs.

   Makes the Product Seem More Valuable

   How can high-end restaurants get away with charging so much for a meal? It’s the experience that you’re paying for. One that includes fancy décor, linen and expensive flatware. It’s all part of the experience that ultimately makes the product look more valuable. The same holds true for online shopping. A recent survey indicated that 40% of shoppers said they would pay more for an item if they could try it out via AR. That same study also revealed that 72% of people said they purchased something they weren’t planning on buying after using AR.

   Makes the Product More Memorable

   Bounce rate is when a customer shows up on your site, takes a glance around for a moment and then leaves. They may have just been “window shopping” or perhaps they didn’t have the budget. Either way, they left without making a purchase. Online retailers who use AR can keep online shoppers on their website longer and make their products more memorable.

   How Can eCommerce Utilize AR

   In today’s competitive landscape, brands must leverage new technology to offer a more engaging shopping experience. There are many ways to use AR as a part of your brand strategy.

   Virtual Try-On

   

   One of the first brands to use virtual try-ons was Converse. With the Sampler App, customers could use their iPhone’s camera to see how the shoes looked on them in augmented reality. They could also share the shoes online and make purchases within the app.

   Virtual try-ons in augmented reality works in much the same way as the concept of “filters” in the popular social media app, Snapchat. is a concept where a digital three-dimensional view of the clothing automatically appears on the person. The technology responds to a person’s movements and reacts in sync to provide a more realistic experience with the product.

   There are a variety of products that can benefit from offering this type of experience for shoppers such as

   • Shoes
   • Accessories
   • Cosmetics
   • Furniture

   The benefits include:

   Increases Revenue: According to Forbes Insights, 40% of marketing executives report that personalization has a direct impact on sales and profits.

   Saves Time: Testing items in the store can be time-consuming. Doing so in a virtual world allows customers to have the same experience at home at a time that works for them.

   Match the Look: Buyers can experiment with items and match them to outfits to get a true sense of how something will look when purchased together.

   Consult With Friends: Many augmented reality apps let users post their potential purchases to social media to get feedback from friends.

   Reduce Hygiene Issues: Trying things on virtually minimizes the chance of spreading germs to other shoppers.

   Augmented Reality in eCommerce Marketing Campaigns

   Winning the battle for attention in a crowded market is more than just challenging. It can be near impossible without the right strategy. Using AR in marketing is an ideal way to rise above the competition by providing customers with an experience they won’t soon forget.

   Complement Marketing Materials

   AR lets companies inject new life into printed marketing materials such as flyers, brochures and business cards. For example, a company can use AR on a business card so that when a customer scans A QR code on the card, they experience a virtual environment that shows them:

   • A video of the product
   • Email address or other contact information
   • Invitation to social media platforms
   • Invitation to an event
   • A discount code

   Augmented Reality in eCommerce Creates Buzz

   Buzz marketing relies on word-of-mouth marketing. It assumes that the power of this approach means more than standard broadcast messaging. Customers are more likely to trust a brand referred to them by a friend or a relative because it is seen as unbiased and coming from someone they trust. Providing an unexpected AR experience can get people talking about your brand and increase the chances of it going viral. Word-of-mouth marketing has the amazing side-effect of being free marketing.

   Enhanced Shopping Experience Using Gamification

   Humans are competitive by nature and can be easily motivated by rewards. Brands can capitalize on this by using gamification in their marketing efforts. Gamification refers to applying traditional gaming principles to the shopping experience to encourage customer participation. A common example is a treasure hunt where customers use their app’s camera to look for hidden clues inside the game, a magazine or a print ad.

   Rewards – Rewarding a customer when they complete a task finding a clue gives them a sense of satisfaction. Rewards can include badges, points, discounts, store credits or gifts.

   Progress Bars – The human brain does not like outstanding incomplete things. Thus, a progress bar motivates a customer to keep going until they complete the task. Using a progress bar encourages customer engagement with the game.

   Challenges – A challenge plays on the mind’s desire to problem-solve. Giving customers a challenge allows retailers to create a tailor-made challenge that keeps customers motivated.

   In-Game Currency – In-game currency is providing customers with a reward they can use in the app or the store.

   Help Customers Using Interactive Manuals

   Text manuals are often boring and too complex. They lack visuals and rely on the assumption that everyone learns by reading. This is unfortunately not the case. Augmented reality enables companies to take a completely new approach to an old learning medium.

   The benefit of using interactive manuals allows customers to learn things visually which will minimize their frustration. It can also increase the chance they’ll remember the concepts. AR user manuals also remove language barriers that make text manuals too difficult to understand. Companies can use virtual manuals for a variety of purposes.

   Unboxing and Installation Guide – Giving customers an interactive manual on how to install a product increases their confidence in using the product.

   Product Features Introduction – A product features demo lets companies show customers how the product works so they can get the most use from the item.

   Troubleshooting – Customers who are frustrated with a product are likely to return it. Giving them a virtual demonstration of how to fix common issues can help prevent this problem. It also decreases the number of support calls they would normally make to get help.

   Examples of eCommerce Applications of AR

   Many popular brands are using augmented reality in eCommerce applications. These five are some of the most notable.

   Sephora

   “Digital and innovation have always been part of our DNA at Sephora,” says Mary Beth Laughton, Sephora’s executive vice president of Omni retail. “We are very focused on our customers, and we know that her life is increasingly reliant on digital. So we know to be successful as a retailer, we’ve got to be where our clients are, and give her tools and experiences that meet her needs.”

   Sephora’s Virtual Artist app empowers customers to try on makeup from anywhere. The app uses facial recognition to scan the customer’s eyes, lips and cheeks. Buyers can then see how makeup items would look on their faces.<

   Customers can view product demonstrations and get step-by-steps for where to place the makeup on their face and how to blend them to achieve the desired look. They can also color match a specific makeup to their outfit.

   Nike

   According to Nike, three out of five people are likely wearing the wrong size shoe. The sneaker and apparel giant says that length and width don’t provide early enough data to get a shoe to fit comfortably.

   Nike Fit is an app that uses a smartphone’s camera to scan a customer’s feet. The app collects 13 data points. Nike says the app can measure with accuracy within 2 millimeters. Once the scan is complete, the app gives customers a recommended best fit based on their measurements. The app can even tell a customer if one foot is smaller or larger than the other.

   Customers can then make purchases directly from the app. They can also save this information to their online Nike profile to use for future purchases.

   Wayfair

   “Leveraging augmented reality, the Wayfair app allows shoppers to transform their homes into virtual showrooms, allowing them to see their favorite products up close and at every angle – all in their very own space,” said Steve Conine, co-founder and co-chairman, Wayfair.

   Using augmented reality in eCommerce for furniture retailers have long faced challenges with transitioning online. The shipping costs for heavy items have made the option challenging for most. Additionally, customers still want to see the product before making such a major purchase.

   Wayfair’s augmented reality app lets customers visualize furniture in their homes before making a purchase. The shopper takes a picture of the room and the app recreates a virtual 3D representation. Customers can shop for items in the Wayfair catalog and place those items in their 3D room to see how the items would look. The tool also features a room designer that allows customers to test different layouts and room configurations.

   Ikea

   In 2014, the popular home furnishings brand made the debut of their virtual reality catalog, Ikea Place. “IKEA Place makes it easier to make buying decisions in your own place, to get inspired and try many different products, styles and colors in real-life settings with a swipe of your finger,” said leader of digital transformation at Inter IKEA Systems Michael Valdsgaard in a press release.

   The app allows users the chance to see how any item in the Ikea catalog fits in their space. Shoppers can save items to their favorites and share their ideas on social media. Additional features include:

   Multi-Placement: While many furniture apps only allow customers to view one item in the room at a time. The Ikea app lets users view multiple items by dragging and dropping them to specific spots in the room.

   Room Sets – With room sets, customers can select a theme and the app suggests an entire room package (a set) to try in a room.

   “For You” Feed – The app provides a feed of inspiration, tips and news tailored to the customer’s interests.

   Visual Search – The visual search function lets users capture an idea “on the fly.” If a customer is out shopping and sees a piece they like, they scan the item and the app will search for similar items in the Ikea store.

   Amikasa

   The Amikasa augmented reality app lets shoppers redecorate a room using furniture, flooring and paint colors. Shoppers can choose from one of the app’s predefined rooms or they can make a custom layout. Customers can then experiment with various design features. A walkthrough feature lets them walk through a 3D version of the room to get a personalized experience in the space. The app also lets customers share their ideas with friends on social media or email.

   Augmented reality in eCommerce is no longer something brands can ignore. It has become a technology that is necessary for companies to gain a competitive edge, increase customer satisfaction, and increase revenue. Implementing this strategy can be complex— having an expert in the field as a partner is critical to success.

   Rock Paper Reality has over a decade of experience with helping companies leverage augmented reality as a business strategy. Are you ready to embrace AR for your business? Get in touch with us and learn more about how we can help transform your brand into a household name with AR.

10. 10 Applications of Extended Reality

    Mon 21 March 2022 9:14 pm Leave a Comment

    Extended Reality (XR), the umbrella term for Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) is used to define the concept of “extending” or transforming our reality with the use of technology to create immersive environments, experiences, and interactions.

    XR tech takes the human-machine interface and modifies it, either by immersing you in the virtual environment (VR), adding to, or augmenting, the user’s surroundings (AR), or both of those (MR). While extended reality use cases have been humming along, the pandemic served as the catalyst for an explosion of XR use cases during 2020 and 2021, accelerating the rollout of virtual experiences for work and collaboration.

    From retail to healthcare to education and training to the food sector, extended reality applications are vast and increasing, with experts expecting this technology to radically alter how we work, live, and play, and market size to rocket to a staggering $300 billion by 2024.

    Understanding Extended Reality Better

    

    “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” — Oliver Holmes, Jr.

    To better understand Extended Reality (XR), let’s briefly run through its three main components: Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality.

    Virtual Reality

    Virtual Reality (VR) applications use headsets to fully immerse users in a computer-simulated reality. These headsets generate realistic sounds and images, engaging all five senses to create an interactive virtual world.

    Augmented Reality

    Rather than immersing users, Augmented Reality (AR) relies on a device – usually the camera in your phone or tablet – to overlay digital graphics and sounds into a real-world environment. For instance, you could be at a live sports event and see a digital statistics overlay hovering over the players, or videos of replays or interviews.

    Mixed Reality

    Mixed Reality (MR) lies somewhere in between VR and AR. It blends real and virtual worlds to create complex environments where physical and digital elements can interact in real-time. You see the surroundings as in AR, yet the headset produces 3D imagery with interactivity and depth as in VR. Like AR, it overlays virtual content over a real-world environment; and like VR, this content is interactive, and users can manipulate the digital objects in their physical space.

    Even in an otherwise highly volatile economy, XR appears to be thriving. From digital training simulations to remote experience technologies that link spaces and people across the globe – XR is driving change in every sector, across all markets and industries.

    10 Applications of Extended Reality

    Imagination is infinite, and by creatively combining XR technology with our imagination, new frontiers will open up. That said, several XR applications already have huge social relevance and impact.

    1. Entertainment and Gaming

    XR for entertainment and games may sound light, but this currently constitutes the number one market segment, with the XR gaming market on track to reach $18 billion by 2023.

    Gamers can intimately feel what their selected scenes would resemble in the flesh, whether crossing into another era, place or exploring fantastic futuristic worlds. Consumers can virtually experience live music and sporting events from the comfort of their VR headsets.

    More and more gaming developers are launching their own virtual reality headsets. And given the hyper-competitive nature of the gaming industry, it’s highly likely that VR gaming will continue to develop in an extraordinary innovative way.

    

    2. Healthcare

    Experts see multiple areas where VR technology can contribute to healthcare, including mental well-being, physiotherapy, pharmaceutical development, and education for professionals and patients. The technology also assists in collaboration, especially among multiple facilities. During the pandemic, doctors used XR extensively to offer remote care.

    Medical imaging technologies like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scans now make extensive use of extended reality. It gives staff full 3D representations of human bodies rather than traditional 2D imaging. This improves diagnostic accuracy, as medical personnel now have a more accurate rendering of the relevant structures.

    Surgical training marks one of the stand-out applications of XR. Immersive models allow doctors to practice skills without risking lives – to learn general surgical techniques or even to develop procedures for complex operations. During live operations or patient care, medical staff can use AR to make better decisions and offer more insightful recommendations to their patients. With medical VR treatment, people can experience a controlled environment where they face and overcome their fears safely.

    3. Engineering and Manufacturing

    A skilled workforce has become necessary to keep pace in the super-charged business world, with training a necessary yet expensive endeavor. XR tools can save money, time, and prevent injuries.

    Computer-aided design (CAD) makes an ideal use case as designers and their clients can immerse themselves in life-size plans while drafting. This allows for superior exploration of design space.

    Engineering and manufacturing can sometimes involve dangerous functions. The use of augmented reality enables workers to conduct these actions from a safe distance. For instance, an employee can direct a robot to perform some tasks involving hazardous chemicals that pose a risk.

    New factory employees can learn how to use risky equipment via simulations and from anywhere. A job simulator can even include accurate deadlines, distractions, and other pressing demands.

    

    AR can also assist in other processes like assembly, quality control, and maintenance. Workers receive visual and voice instructions as well as seeing data on a smartphone, headset, or other hardware. It can include precise technical data such as tolerances or coatings. From Boeing to Porsche to Lockheed Martin, AR is being leveraged to drive productivity along key stages of the production process.

    4. Food

    The food industry is vast and diverse. Whether that be streaming training content, mimicking food production processes virtually, or simulating real-life scenarios — XR offers a new way of looking and doing things. Some restaurants, for example, now offer placemats that can transform into gaming platforms and recipe books.

    Proper hygiene in food facilities is one of the most important aspects of food production. Manual inspection routines are susceptible to human error or lack of oversight. With mixed reality devices such as HoloLens, it is possible to add a digital layer to any form of maintenance or service like a routine hygiene inspection. The digital layer can highlight critical areas that can be overlooked with manual processes, ensuring all important areas are covered.

    You can even add a no-oversights feature that means a worker cannot move on to the next step until all necessary steps have been completed. Additionally, HoloLens can capture content and store it in a database, meaning improved traceability of hygiene inspections, a key focus area for food operators.

    The retention of skills and knowledge learned via VR is very high, meaning it is more likely to be applied in the workplace, ultimately leading to increased productivity. Even complex techniques can be broken down into their most basic components to make certain that even the newest employee can grasp and deliver consistent, high-quality output.

    Using VR, any task in a production facility can be copied virtually and can be reviewed at a pace most comfortable to the employee. In addition, VR-learning doesn’t require help from other colleagues, meaning new employees can be trained without the need for other employees to take time to teach. With visual guides, a worker should be able to pick up the next steps. Further, the instructions can easily be read in different languages.

    5. eCommerce and Retail

    AR contributes to both online and offline shopping. In stores, customers can quickly and easily learn all about products on display. You can, for instance, instantly find reviews and recommendations just by pointing your camera at an AR-enabled item. Retailers can also offer discounts through this medium while uncovering shopping patterns in the data.

    For e-commerce, AR brings the shopper closer to an in-person experience – especially during the pandemic. People generally want to interact with a product before buying, and this technology allows them to do so.

    Product returns can cost as much as $550 billion per year. People often buy a product based on a stock photo, but when they receive it, they realize it’s not what they imagined. AR eliminates this frustration. By allowing customers to experience the product in an augmented world, they sense first hand whether they will like it or not. Retail giant Macy’s “try before you buy” AR product visualization helped the company reduce return rates to less than 2%. Famous retailers from Saks to Saatchi have also rolled out immersive shopping experiences.

    Studies show that 47% of consumers acknowledged that immersive technologies make them “feel more connected with products” while shopping online. Rather than forcing a consumer to imagine how a product will look, AR allows the user to experience the product firsthand, in a digital environment.

    6. Education

    The National Education Association has found that while the learning retention is only 5% for lectures and 10% for reading, VR is among the top 2 with learning retention of 75%. With immersive technology, learning can be made much more engaging than simply reading a piece of text or watching a video.

    Augmented reality gives students hands-on, real-world experience without the need for a classroom. It enables people to see what it’s like in outer space or to practice surgery on virtual patients. XR delivers unique learning experiences and is expected to have a growing influence on education at all levels from elementary to tertiary, to professional learning.

    XR enables virtual field trips, including to locations that you can’t reach in person. You can also explore complex scientific topics in extreme detail, like manipulating a 3D model of a molecule. When it comes to post-secondary, XR enables remote self-paced learning. Students can have multisensory engagement with any topic from astronomy to zoology. Richer interconnections make the material more memorable. Gamification, in which lessons are made entertaining, can further enhance learning outcomes.

    7. Real Estate

    Real estate agents can give prospective buyers a tour of properties as if viewing them in person, even if they are on opposite sides of the planet. You can produce advertisements, sales presentations, and detailed open houses for use with smartphones or headsets. Real estate agents already exploit XR’s core functions with current tools already built into some web browsers.

    8. Workplace

    Hybrid work, remote employees, 4-day work week; the pandemic has triggered a series of new workplace arrangements. Executives see extended reality as an effective method to reconnect employees. It brings new opportunities for on-the-job training too, helping employees learn as they go, getting hands-on experience in a safe and controlled environment, enabling them to be more efficient.

    Logistics giant DHL rolled out its Google Glass-based Vision Picking Program in its warehouses in nine countries, reporting productivity savings of 15% through more accurate and efficient fulfillment. Lloyds Bank is investing in VR technology to train their staff in soft skills, helping employees learn to develop resilience and cope with stress.

    9. Defense

    “This is cutting-edge technology. It’s going to transform the way we train soldiers and the way soldiers operate in combat. We’re excited about it,” is how Gen. James McConville, the US Army’s chief of staff, describes XR.

    Since the inception of XR technologies, the US Military has invested billions of dollars in the technology. The Army and the Marine Corps have invested in a new battlefield head-up display called the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), which combines synthetic training environments with real-world data to boost infantry readiness and effectiveness. The Navy and Air Force have been using similar XR technologies to train their fighter pilots.

    The US Defense Department readily extols the boundless promise that XR advances hold for dramatically improved training, situational awareness, logistics support, combat readiness, and even medical training and procedures. XR can deliver training far faster and at less cost than traditional training in many cases. By employing virtual reality, artificial intelligence (AI), and biometric tracking, the US Air Force has reduced pilot training from 12 months to four.

    By superimposing virtual data over a view of the real world, military personnel can use XR technologies to navigate more easily across any terrain in the world; know the location of friendly troops or reported threats; train and rehearse for anticipated battle scenarios, and even overlay virtual enemies and obstacles as needed for better preparation.

    10. Travel and Tourism

    The unprecedented and disastrous pandemic impacted nearly every sector of the economy, with the travel and tourism industry hit particularly hard. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates that the sharp decline in international tourism during the pandemic has slashed more than $4 trillion off the global GDP.

    Because so many people still aren’t willing to travel, smart operators are using extended reality to offer stay-at-home travel experiences. This benefits both consumers and the tourism industry. Extended reality tourism gives consumers the opportunity to travel the world safely and at a fraction of the cost. This technology also creates a new revenue stream for companies struggling to stay afloat.

    In Jordan, for example, the government launched the Petra Xplore App, which uses virtual reality technology to teleport visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can walk through and explore points of interest. As users explore the city, commentary helps them understand the historical significance.

    Industry experts believe, even post-pandemic, that extended reality tourism will continue to appeal to tourists who are looking for an inexpensive way to travel the world.

    Leverage The Use of Extended Reality Now

    Extended reality advances the potential of AR, VR, and MR and merges our real and virtual worlds to create new environments and visualizations where physical and digital objects co-exist, interact, and communicate. Instead of removing users completely from the real world, or simply layering flat content on top of their immediate view, MR adds intelligence, even personality, to digital content relative to the world around them.

    As part of the technological evolution of how we engage with the digital world, in both our personal and work lives, we are smashing through the barriers that interfere with our ability to make smart decisions quickly, absorb, retain and process critical information, visualize possible scenarios before acting, or share knowledge and tasks. The XR trend is ushering in a new world of simulated experiences grounded in the ways business gets done and how customers actually use products.

    If you plan to effectively leverage the immense power of extended reality, choosing the right partner is critically important. You need to work with an experienced agency that not only has a stellar track record but one that has a firm grasp of the technical know-how of these immersive technologies, as well as the capability to creatively bring your vision to life and solve real-world problems.

    Rock Paper Reality (RPR) has been at the forefront of AR development for over 12 years. Having worked with clients including Microsoft, Netflix, and Lenovo, the experts at RPR will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your brand stands above the competition.

    Contact us today for a free demo and discover how our clients have achieved strong ROI with our proven solutions. Watch the RPR showcase reel for some more AR experiences in action.

11. WebAR Portals – Bringing Magical Worlds to Your Phone

    Wed 23 February 2022 12:10 am Leave a Comment

    In order to create a strong understanding of augmented reality portals, there is a need to first explain augmented reality and the world of endless possibilities that can be gleaned from it. AR is a technology that superimposes a computer-generated model on a user’s view of the real world. This can be done either with an AR headset or through mobile AR. The rest of this article will be focused solely on mobile WebAR.

    Over the past few years, we’ve seen augmented reality used in a variety of ways including adding fun creatures in our world (Pokemon Go), displaying furniture in our rooms (IKEA Place), trying out makeup (Sephora AR app), plus a multiple of other great AR experiences for a wide variety of cases and industry.

    What is an Augmented Reality Portal?

    In the past years, a new feature has been released both in app-based AR (ARKit and ARCore) in addition to WebAR (8th wall) called AR Portals. Through the camera of their smartphones, users can see a “doorway” that leads them into a virtual world. They can then move freely and look around the scene as if they were in a “real” place. AR portals can have photorealistic 360 spheres showing real-world locations or they can be completely digitally crafted into a number of imaginary worlds. AR portals can be the size of a small room or can be the size of stadiums. A great example that helps explain the concept is from the TV show Stargate where a portal allowed explorers to go through them and explore worlds across the galaxy in an instant.

    

    AR portals are where virtual reality with deep immersion and mobile AR with device ubiquity meet and the result is something magical.

    In understanding portals, the first part is understanding the magic behind AR occlusion. Occlusion refers to objects blocking other objects located behind them from a given viewpoint. In AR, if a digital object can be ‘hidden’ either behind a physical item in the space or another digital item, it is occluded. Occlusion is the reason why only one side of the portal is visible (from the inside) and creates the illusion of a magical portal.

    In AR portals, the exterior side of the portal has a material property that must be transparent while blocking the rendering of models behind it. See the GIF below to see it in action.

    

    Depending on if you’re using ARCore, ARKit, 8th Wall, or any AR platform the code will be slightly different, but in all cases, the basic premise is the same. Either with a 3D model or a cube map, it should be pretty straightforward to create your own AR portal whenever the relevant material properties are added.

    The Vocabulary Behind WebAR Portals

    The webAR space has some unique vocabulary used to best describe what is happening as well as how a user experiences a portal deployed in the AR environment:

    • Active AR Portal: The user must physically walk through the portal.
    • Passive AR Portal: The portal encloses around the user automatically.
    • AR Window: Where the user can only look inside, not physically enter. Used when the trigger image is on a wall.
    • Dimensionality: The richness of three-dimensional content.
    • Ground-based AR Window: Where the portal is on the same level as the floor/table surface the user is scanning and the user looking “down” inside the AR window.
    • AR Portal Doorway: The doorway where the user transitions from the real world into the digital.

    Popular Use Cases for WebAR Portals

    Now that we have the right vocabulary in relation to AR portals, let’s now discuss some use cases:

    1. Retail (on-site): Window shopping can become a magical experience with AR windows placed in store windows. As retail stores often have marketing material already placed in their windows, this is a perfect opportunity to stop pedestrians walking by and engage them with the store merchandise. The AR window can show a variety of imaginative scenes including a catwalk with models showcasing clothes, or a scenic representation of where the products come from, or any other scene that would engage the pedestrian and drive them inside the store.
    2. Retail (at home): Although people are now able to go out more with lifted COVID restrictions, digital marketing will always be able to reach customers wherever they are and webAR portals are the perfect way to bring the store to the customer with virtual showrooms. Any retail store could create virtual showrooms in augmented reality where the user can walk into the virtual store and not only see the merchandise in 3D but actually purchase the items. Virtual showrooms can be replicas of the physical store to maintain brand aesthetics or the laws of physics can be thrown out the window and brand-new magical stores can be created to create feelings of awe and wonder with the users.
    3. Hotels and Resorts: Hotels and resorts are the perfect matches for portals. By placing potential customers in their locations with 360 views, they can show their features in a much more engaging way than pictures or videos. With the price of 360 cameras constantly dropping and the quality constantly improving, hotels and resorts can easily create their content and craft portals that show their locations in a whole new way.
    4. Zoos and museums: WebAR portals used for zoos and museums can give a sneak peek to potential visitors about what they would see if they came to visit. The portals can either be made with content captured by a 360 camera to get a replica of the space or it can be done with 3D modeling and craft engaging stories. The museum pieces could come to life and allow users to engage with them or give the animals feature that allows them to speak and explain all the different ecosystems that the zoo has to offer visitors.

    The variety of use cases for portals are nearly endless and span nearly every possible market or vertical in which users may need or want to engage with a virtual world.

    RPR’s Learnings From WebAR Portal Creation and Deployment

    1. Mind the gap: If using an active portal (requiring the user to physically move into the portal), use smart UX to make sure users don’t stop in the doorway. The camera will have a hard time detecting if the user is inside or outside and it will increase the chance of tracking being lost.
    2. A way back home: If using an active portal, make a conscious decision to hide or show the doorway (so the user can see the physical location they are currently in). The advantage of keeping it is that it promotes the magic of the portal and the user can enter and leave. The disadvantage is that it breaks the immersion of the digital world and allowing the user to enter and leave increases the chance of losing tracking.
    3. Move your butt: If using an active portal, be over communicative so that the user needs to physically get up and move inside the portal.
    4. Down the rabbit hole: Have an audio effect or animations triggered when the user passes through the portal door to accentuate the transition between the real world and the digital one.
    5. User’s safety and comfort: If using the active portal, be aware of the user’s environment and plan for obstructions, especially in locations outside the home where there is high foot traffic (public transit, stadiums, sidewalks, etc.), or structure built for other pedestrians.
    6. Reset: Always have a re-center button in case the user loses tracking.
    7. Explore the space: Use 2D or 3D UX to encourage the user to look all around when inside the portal.
    8. Engage the user: To make a more memorable and longer-lasting experience, have interactions inside the portal.
    9. Audio is key: Don’t forget to have sound effects. Without them, your scene will feel dead, but just make sure you offer a mute button.
    10. The Wardrobe into Narnia: The doorway is super important. Make it have 3D dimensions and interesting styling and have it be introduced with an interesting animation, instead of just toggling its visibility.
    11. When things fall apart: If using image tracking for an AR window, have a fallback UI if tracking is lost and give users feedback if they are too far or too close to the image.
    12. Scene over screen: This is a generic AR UX principle. Minimize on-screen UI, it takes away from the AR content.
    13. Selfie time: Offer the chance for your users to take pictures and share on social media to increase virality.
    14. Achieving dimensionality: The interior of the portal should have items close to the user (things they can interact with), things in the midground (3D assets that create the scene), and things in the background (the background sky/photosphere) that encompasses the entire scene. This will add richness to the scene and make it more lifelike.
    15. Eyes on the ground: Avoid having the user move the phone upwards, away from the floor. This will help prevent loss of tracking. Put interactions and interesting 3D content towards the lower half of the portal.

    If you’re interested in using AR Portals to engage with your customers in a whole new way, feel free to email us at hello@rockpapereality.com.

    From startups to Fortune 500s, Rock Paper Reality (RPR) has over a decade of experience at the cutting-edge of WebAR technology and strategy. By infusing technical mastery with a holistic approach to WebAR marketing, RPR has developed best-in-class AR content and strategies to drive brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue growth.

12. Rock Paper Reality and Charity Dynamics Boosts Alzheimer’s Association’s Largest Fundraising Event with New Augmented Reality Platform

    Mon 1 November 2021 11:46 pm Leave a Comment

    Innovative technology will allow Walk to End Alzheimer’s participants to experience Promise Garden from their phones.

    

    San Francisco, CA (November 2, 2021) – Rock Paper Reality, an augmented reality development and consulting agency, and Charity Dynamics, a provider of online marketing and fundraising solutions to nonprofits, have worked with the Alzheimer’s Association to bring a new, innovative augmented reality experience to participants in the Association’s signature Walk to End Alzheimer’s, currently taking place in more than 600 communities across the country.

    The new feature, built using Unity (NYSE: U), the world’s leading platform for creating and operating interactive, real-time 3D (RT3D) content, provides participants and donors the opportunity to create and build their own virtual Promise Garden on the Association’s mobile fundraising app. The Promise Garden ceremony is a powerful and moving experience at in-person Walk to End Alzheimer’s events. During the ceremony, Walk participants hold flowers of different colors, representing their individual reason for walking. Flower colors represent people living with Alzheimer’s, people who have lost someone to the disease, people who are serving as caregivers and people who support the cause. The dynamic and colorful Promise Garden unites participants and highlights the strong sense of community and connection experienced at each Walk.

    The new augmented reality feature allows Walk to End Alzheimer’s participants to participate in the Promise Garden Ceremony from their own phone. By accessing the feature through the Walk app, participants can choose a flower color and add a personal message about their reason for walking. Participants can also view the flowers “planted” and the messages shared by others as they pop up on their phone’s camera screen.

    “We’re excited for participants to create their own Promise Gardens to honor not only those living with Alzheimer’s but all the people affected by this devastating disease – family caregivers, friends and local community members,” said Wendy Vizek, Vice President, Field Operations and Constituent Events at Alzheimer’s Association. “It’s a beautiful way to show just how large and caring our Alzheimer’s community is.”

    “Working with the Alzheimer’s Association and Rock Paper Reality to provide this tremendous augmented reality experience has been especially gratifying,” said Meghan Dankovich, general manager of Charity Dynamics. “In mimicking what happens at the live events, the app Promise Garden allows participants to take part in an important aspect of the overall event experience, ensuring they can have that same feeling of community, of connection to something greater than themselves.”

    “This is a first-of-its-kind for augmented reality,” said Rock Paper Reality’s CEO, Patrick Johnson. He pointed out that the Promise Garden takes augmented reality in a new direction as well. “Often, augmented reality is more of an individual experience that doesn’t bring people together. With the Alzheimer’s Association’s Promise Garden, it does. It’s a living experience—something that you can return to day after day since the garden updates and “grows” as people plant flowers and make their dedications. What makes it particularly special is how it emphasizes the importance of community and mission.”

    “This augmented reality Promise Garden represents a fantastic example of the ingenuity of its creators around a deeply personal subject for many,” said Jessica Lindl, Vice President, Social Impact at Unity. “It shows a way in which those touched by Alzheimers can share in a sense of community and create meaningful tributes to loved ones. I’m always in awe of the ways Unity’s technology is being used to drive meaningful social change — from creators who are reimagining what they want this world to look like and advocating for a better future.”

    The Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app is available for iPhone and Android. Click here to learn more about the app.

    About The Alzheimer’s Association

    The Alzheimer’s Association is a voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia^®. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

    About Charity Dynamics

    Charity Dynamics is a strategy, fundraising and online marketing firm for nonprofit organizations. Our staff has over 175 years’ experience working directly for nonprofits, working with organizations of all sizes, including some of the biggest names in the nonprofit and foundation world. Charity Dynamics delivers what charities need to help fulfill their missions: more awareness, supporters, engagement and donations. Our solutions include strategic consulting, creative services, fundraising solutions, and innovative technologies. At Charity Dynamics, our mission is to fulfill yours. For more information, please email info@charitydynamics.com.

    About Rock Paper Reality

    Rock Paper Reality is an immersive technology design agency that works with companies to improve brand awareness and drive deeper communications with customers. Founded in 2017, RPR works with consumer and enterprise companies: from those just beginning to explore AR to those in need of a global rollout. Key industries include AR marketing, education, entertainment, and retail. RPR leadership has over a decade of experience working in the trenches of AR product and content development. The RPR team has delivered dozens of successful AR products and applications and received over a dozen technology patents in headworn and AR. RPR has offices in Silicon Valley and Copenhagen. To view other RPR AR Fundraising experience, see the American Heart Association’s Kids Heart Challenge

    For more information, contact us at hello@stage.rockpaperreality.com or visit us at https://rockpaperreality.com/

13. Augmented Reality in Fashion

    Sun 31 October 2021 5:28 pm Leave a Comment

    Augmented Reality (AR) is upending the traditional way we buy clothing and what we choose to wear. However, the shift to a more digital based consumer experience and the wider adoption of technologies, such as AI avatars and virtual try-ons, has been a challenging one for the fashion industry. 

    Traditionally reliant on physical stores and in-person shopping outings, fashion now has had to adjust to a world where digital interactions dominate. AR helps bridge the gap between the traditional retail experience and the digital one. Its use demonstrably boosts sales and engagement. 61% of shoppers prefer going to retailers who provide an augmented reality experience and 72% of luxury fashion consumers say it’s important that brands provide AR experiences as part of the shopping experience.

    The need for an AR/VR strategy is critical to the success of any innovative fashion company, and in this article we’ll see how AR’s role in fashion is growing.

    

    Key Takeaways:

    • AR enhances brand awareness, improves sales and reduces returns. Technologies such as virtual try-ons and interactive catalogs significantly increase customer engagement.
    • Conversion rates are much higher with AR retail experiences compared to those without. Integrating an AR experience into the customer journey can boost conversion rates as much as 200%.
    • Leveraging AR for innovative experiences, such as virtual fashion shows and interactive storefronts, boosts engagement and drives viral marketing on social media.
    • Combining AR with AI allows for highly personalized shopping experiences, improving customer satisfaction and repeat purchase rate by 35%.
    • AR and 3D technology enable designers to visualize and modify products digitally, speeding up the design process and lowering costs.

    How is AR Changing the Fashion Industry?

    In short, Augmented Reality is the overlaying of digital elements onto the physical world. In a fashion context, this means allowing a user to see how they might look with a certain item of clothing or accessory using a mobile phone or AR glasses from the comfort of their own home.

    The AR market is forecast to reach $598 billion by 2030, up from $57 billion in 2023, so capitalizing on the AR trend early will create huge rewards for the companies that do.

    Clothing in the virtual world isn’t limited by the same constraints it faces in the physical one. The opportunities for self expression are far greater and virtual clothing can be seamlessly integrated into digital spaces, from virtual reality environments to social media avatars.

    

    As we’ll see throughout this article, AR can be used across the fashion industry for:

    • Artificial Intelligence Avatars
    • Virtual Try On
    • AR Fitting Rooms
    • Highly Customizable Products
    • Interactive Catalogs
    • AR Fashion Shows
    • Product Information
    • AR Wardrobe
    • AR Storefronts

    What are the Benefits of Using Augmented Reality in Fashion?

    81% of Gen Z and Millennials expect AR to improve their shopping experience in the future, and with the spending power of these demographics growing every year, the opportunity for companies that create a seamless online shopping experience is greater than ever. 

    Understandably, navigating the shift from the physical store to the digital one has been challenging for many companies. So how can AR help?

    AR in Fashion to Improve Sales and Reduce Returns

    Allowing customers to virtually try on clothing before making a purchase makes it much more likely that the clothes match their preferences and fit correctly. By creating more informed customer decisions and lower return rates, AR can help stores cut down on return-related expenses.

    Deepgears, a company that creates virtual fitting rooms, has found that brands using its technology see a 25% decrease in return rates and a 28% increase in sales on items that offer virtual try-on options. Likewise, when John Lewis began using virtual try on technology, it saw a 10% reduction in online returns and a 38% increase in sales. Impressive stats indeed!

    Simply Wardrobes, a New Zealand based wardrobe company, created a mobile AR experience giving customers the chance to view a virtual wardrobe superimposed over the space in their house. The experience increased revenue by 77% in the first month alone and increased web traffic by 18% during its first three months.

    It’s also known that AR helps improve conversion rates. A recent Snapchat and Ipsos report found that interacting with products that have an AR experience built-in boosts conversion rates by 94%. Shopify has also found that merchants who use AR in their ecommerce stores, increase their conversion rates by 94% on average.

    The massive improvement in the customer experience that AR provides in each step of their journey, clearly improves conversions and enhances the overall customer experience. Many companies are already using AR to supercharge their fashion sales, conversions and reduce returns.

    

    Using AR to Improve ESG Ratings in Fashion

    Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is a growing trend that consumers, investors and companies are paying ever more attention to. Unfortunately, the fast fashion trend (the process of creating low-quality apparel to meet current and short term trends), is growing and is projected to reach $180 billion by 2030, up from just $60.5 billion in 2022. It leads to significant environmental damage and waste and relies on low-wage labor in poor working conditions. 

    If customers can try on clothing virtually before they buy it, it would reduce the fast fashion trend. Information about the origin of the product and its manufacturer could even be overlaid onto the experience to give the customer a sense of how ESG credentials stack up against what they want. Creating experiences like this boosts consumer trust and enhances brand integrity.

    How Can AR  Boost Customer Engagement in Fashion?

    It’s been proven that AR is more effective than traditional forms of marketing when it comes to boosting brand interaction. On social media, the opportunity for companies to improve customer engagement and create viral content in a virtual world rather than a physical one are huge. Snapchat has found that marketing campaigns that include AR drive 5X more attention compared to standard campaigns, and another study by Ipsos found that 80% of brands that use AR say it helps in driving sales and improving brand awareness.

    AR can create a much more enriching experience for the user whilst improving brand activations and sales for the company using it. 71% of customers say that they shop more when the product has some sort of AR experience available and 40% are happy to pay more for AR configured and customizable products. So, for those companies willing to invest, creating an AR experience can be a gamechanger. By offering more immersive and interactive shopping, a company will captivate customers, boost their satisfaction, and set the brand apart from the competition.

    

    How Can Augmented Reality be Used in Fashion?

    Now let’s see some examples of how AR is being used in fashion.

    Virtual Try On in Fashion

    Virtual try on is a technology that allows users to see how a product would look on them before they buy it using AR. Although it’s fairly new, 92% of Gen Z say they’re interested in using it. AR also means that the fitting room can be brought to the customer with virtual fitting rooms that allow them to see how clothes look on their body via their smartphone or tablet. There are plenty of examples of companies using virtual try on fashion, just two being Saks Fifth’s virtual AR shopping experience and Zara’s AR app.

    Saks Fifth

    We worked with luxury fashion company, Saks Fifth, to create an Augmented Reality shopping experience. Shoppers could try on virtual clothing using a smartphone or glasses either in a store or from the comfort of their own home. They could pick items, get recommendations and access information about the clothes. The app greatly improved the shopping experience, increased revenue per customer and reduced returns. 

    Zara’s AR App

    Zara is yet another business looking to capitalize on the benefits AR can offer. The luxury fashion brand first started using AR in 2018. In their initial AR venture, customers could download Zara’s AR app, scan a sign and virtually try on makeup, clothes, or even use it for in-store navigation. They could then purchase the accessories either on the app itself or in-store. After the success of this experience, Zara has been adding more AR experiences to its stores around the world and now even offers virtual in-store navigation in some of them.

    Augmented Reality Fashion Shows

    Imagine being able to bring models into a home and showcase the garments in real-time. With AR, you can do just that. AR helps give potential buyers a clearer view of the products compared to static photos, allowing them to see how the clothes fit, move, and look from all angles, which typically leads to higher customer satisfaction and fewer returns. They also help a brand’s ESG credentials by reducing the need for physical events and garment production.

    Balenciaga 

    Balenciaga partnered with Apple to create an app for the Vision Pro headset. The partnership promises to create a whole new sort of fashion show. Users will witness the Balenciaga Spring 2025 collection through Apple’sXR headset, showcasing the garments in a context that amplifies their detail and artistry.

    There’s also an interactive lookbook and a chance to view the collection that, according to Balenciaga, will give people “the opportunity to see Balenciaga creations in a virtual space that echoes the detail and artistry of the brand’s physical garments.”

    How Can Artificial Intelligence Be Used in Fashion?

    The applications of AI in fashion are already huge and with companies like Google, Meta and Amazon investing billions of dollars into the technology, they’re only going to grow. Companies like StichFix are using generative AI to interpret customer feedback faster and create more personalized styles for them based on the feedback. 

    “While still nascent, AI has the potential to help fashion businesses become more productive, get to market faster, and serve customers better. The time to explore the technology is now.” – McKinsey & Company

    How do you think these innovations will disrupt the fashion industry? Here, we’ll take a look.

    AI Avatars in Fashion

    The popularity and ability to create AI avatars has exploded since the generative AI boom and release of ChatGPT at the end of 2022. AI avatars allow a company to greatly enhance brand interactions and engagement. They’re already extremely popular in the world of content creation and their potential is immense in fashion too.

    Although it might seem a bit sci-fi, artificial intelligence avatars have already been used on the cover of Vogue and play a big role in influencer marketing. AI avatar firm, Lalaland, claims that creating an AI avatar model is 90% faster than creating one via a photoshoot and requires zero physical samples, reducing waste and saving time for the companies (or individuals) that use them. 

    They also have huge potential for personalization and can be tailored to the tastes of the audiences or changes in algorithms of different social media platforms, offering much greater opportunities for going viral.

    Rock Paper Reality and Chronic Cellars AI Avatar

    We worked with Chronic Cellars to create an AI sommelier that improved the buyer experience and provided detailed information on the company’s products. The experience created positive sentiment towards the brand and greatly boosted engagement, with users interacting with the sommelier an average of five times per visit.

    The project positioned Chronic Cellars as cutting-edge and bold, helping it appeal to a younger audience whilst maintaining  its competitive edge.

    Tommy Hilfiger’s AI Avatar Fashion Game

    Iconic American designer, Tommy Hilfiger, created an AI based fashion game. Known as FashionVerse targeted at Gen Z and Millennial consumers, the mobile game will allow players to style life-like avatars with realistic 3D outfits. Gamification elements, such as style competitions and challenges to win rewards, are included in the game.

    Hilfiger believes that improvements in AI technology have reached a point such that AI avatars can now be made very close to lifelike and created to represent a wide range of demographics.

    He says that the game’s reception from within the fashion industry has been mixed but that  “people who are innovative and who are out in front of the curve embracing the culture and creating great creative marketing content really get it.”

    Combining AI and Augmented Reality in Fashion 

    Combining AI avatars and AR, a customer could try on entirely different combinations of clothes/accessories whilst sitting in their living room and order the ones they want directly. 

    AI and AR also offer the opportunity to create a much more immersive experience than using either of the two technologies on their own. AI can analyze and interpret user interactions and the environmental context in real time, allowing an AR system to adapt and personalize the content dynamically. 

    AI and AR together offer a high level of personalization, from accurate virtual fittings to real-time customization, allowing customers to make more informed purchasing decisions and creating a more engaging customer experience.

    

    Use of 3D in Fashion

    The use of 3D technology in fashion has transformed brand-customer interactions. With 3D models, AR, and virtual try-on, customers can see products in a virtual form before they buy them, helping them make informed purchasing decisions. 

    3D technology is a great storytelling tool, allowing brands to communicate their narratives in a more engaging way. Demand for 3D imagery is growing too as brands look to use it more and more in their marketing or on their websites. We worked with LVMH to scale 3D capabilities across the Maisons.

    3D Assets to Enhance Design

    Software like Clo3D allows designers to create highly realistic 3D clothing so they can see exactly how it will look before spending the time and money to make it. It allows designers to quickly modify their creations and removes the need for physical samples, improving on efficiency and lowering the time it takes to get a design onto the market. 

    “Rock Paper Reality continues to push boundaries for 3D technologies. Customers have seen more retail sales, increased visits from event attendees, and greater fundraising engagement.” – Adobe

    Demand for 3D imagery is also growing fast as fashion brands rush to expand into the virtual world, putting their products into video games or building experiences for mixed-reality headsets. 

    3D Assets in Fashion with Jacquemus

    The French fashion brand Jacquemus, known for its unique style and playful online marketing, has become a favorite among fashion enthusiasts. In April 2023, the brand went viral on Instagram and TikTok with a video showcasing an enormous version of their iconic Bambino bag speeding through the streets of Paris. The video used cutting-edge 3D technology to create a convincing CGI version of the bag, bringing in over 2 million likes on Instagram and over 15 million views on TikTok.

    This creative stunt not only generated buzz and conversations online but also cleverly addressed previous criticisms of their micro bags, often deemed impractical by influencers. By embracing the discussion and presenting exaggerated versions of their popular products, Jacquemus highlighted its sense of humor and continued commitment to innovative design and marketing.

    Choose the Right Augmented Reality Fashion Partner

    Most retailers say they’re not prepared to integrate AR into their retail, yet 61% of consumers say they prefer retailers with AR experiences. This disconnect combined with the growth of events like Digital Fashion Week (and now even Metaverse Fashion Week)  makes it more important than ever for a fashion brand to have a presence in the AR/VR world.

    Despite the growing importance of the space, 52% of retail industry leaders say that one of the key barriers for digital product creation is the lack of digitally trained talent to develop digital assets. At Rock Paper Reality we specialize in bridging this gap by providing digital product development services.

    We’ve been at the forefront of AR development for over 12 years and have worked with companies like Google, Amazon, Adobe to create incredibly immersive AR experiences. Our team of experts excels in creating and managing digital assets and ensuring your fashion business stays ahead in the digital space.

    If you’re curious about how AR can elevate your business, connect with us to explore the possibilities.

    FAQs About AR in Fashion

    What is the difference between AR and VR in the fashion industry?

    AR allows a user to see how clothes or accessories look on them in real-time whilst the physical world around them remains the same (e.g. – a virtual fitting room). VR means the entire world will be digital and can change along with their avatar and clothing (e.g. – a fully immersive and digital fashion show).

    How can I make AR clothing?

    To put it briefly, you’ll first need to conceptualize the design and then speak to a first rate digital product experience team to create the 3D assets needed. The team can then help you develop the content and build the experience itself. Testing and further improvements will then need to be made. This is where we can help you build the AR experience you want.

    What is the fashion metaverse?

    The fashion metaverse refers to the virtual worlds where brands and designers can create their digital clothing and accessories. The items can be worn and showcased in the metaverse. Popular fashion events held in the metaverse include Decentraland’s Metaverse Fashion Week and Gucci’s Vault Land event in The Sandbox.

    How does Zara use Augmented Reality?

    Zara created an experience using its AR app which, when pointed at the right signs, made two of its models start walking around and speaking in Zara’s SS18 Studio Collection. All of the clothes could be purchased through the app itself as well as in store. It’s since expanded its use of AR to its stores around the world.

    What is the future of AR in fashion?

    As computing power and investment in the space grows, it’s likely that AR and AI will become more intertwined along with the physical and digital worlds. In the virtual world, clothes could update in real time based on current fashion trends or even on how you’re feeling. Fashion shows will likely become bigger and viewers could explore collections, attend runway shows and even design their own clothing in real time at the show.

    Article Sources

    • https://kalypso.com/files/docs/2023-DPC-in-Retail-Research.pdf
    • https://surveysparrow.com/blog/augmented-reality-customer-experience 
    • https://www.threekit.com/3d-and-augmented-reality-stats-and-data 
    • https://www.voguebusiness.com/technology/what-luxury-fashion-consumers-want-from-augmented-reality-snap
    • https://forbusiness.snapchat.com/augmentalityshift-us 
    • https://www.theinterline.com/2023/10/03/benchmarking-digital-product-creation-for-2023
    • https://www.threekit.com/23-augmented-reality-statistics-you-should-know-in-2023 
    • https://www.hubspot.com/hubfs/2024%20State%20of%20Marketing%20Report/2024-State-of-Marketing-HubSpot-CXDstudio-FINAL.pdf
    • https://explodingtopics.com/blog/augmented-reality-stats
    • https://www.shopify.com/enterprise/blog/augmented-reality-ecommerce-shopping

14. WebAR in the Beverage Industry

    4:33 pm Leave a Comment

    WebAR Marketing For Beer, Wine, And Spirits

    WebAR in the beverage industry is capable of bringing ideas and stories to life like no other marketing medium. Marketers have long been aware of the power of this technology to immerse and stick in people’s minds. As such, many brands now consider AR, and WebAR in particular, as a vital part of their marketing mix.

    The beverage industry is no exception to the popularity surge of WebAR. It’s only natural that such a competitive landscape would drive brands to seek out any advantage they can find. Augmented reality offers limitless potential due to its ability to drive sales, communicate values, reach new markets, and elevate packaging.

    With revenue from the e-commerce food and beverage industry in the United States set to grow to 25.7 billion dollars by 2025, it’s important to understand what WebAR can do for you.

    Benefits of Using WebAR in the Beverage Industry

    

    Web-based augmented reality offers a wide range of applications across industries such as manufacturing, sports, entertainment, retail, and more. When you understand the advantages of AR, it’s easy to see why it’s taking the beverage industry by storm.

    Reaches New and Wide Markets

    Augmented reality, and WebAR in particular, is an effective way of reaching and engaging with new customers. WebAR is instantly accessible, enabling it to reach most smartphones and browsers across the world. This means that over 6 billion devices are capable of running webAR experience simply by scanning a QR code or tapping a link.

    This accessibility enables brands to create viral marketing campaigns. Creating a viral campaign is difficult, but WebAR gives developers tools to bring fresh and unique ideas to life. Experiences such as selfie filters and gamified content on packaging are not only fun but can increase brand retention by 70% over videos. This encourages users to share the experience with others in their social circles. This builds a buzz and unlocks new audiences.

    A well-executed WebAR experience also encourages the most effective form of marketing out there – word of mouth. People love talking about unique experiences and interactions, and AR is one of the most unique experiences out there.

    Increases on-Site Sales

    In line with many industries, growth in online alcohol sales exceeds that of brick-and-mortar sales. However, just because online channels are growing quickly doesn’t mean that vendors should lose focus on on-site sales.

    WebAR in the beverage industry can encourage on-site sales by offering experiences that capitalize on the social and fun nature of going out for drinks. Experiences involving games, prizes, and discounts can be triggered on-site through interactive packaging or a QR code. These experiences can be used to encourage interactivity among patrons while sharing information and freebies about the brand.

    Connects with Customer Values

    Millennials are a generation with a unique set of values that brands must understand in order to connect with them. Some of these values include a concern for sustainability, social equitability, health, and low waste. Millennials bring these values into their consumer lives, with 52% of them preferring to shop at retailers that share their values.

    WebAR allows brands to engage with customers on issues that are important to them. For example, a beverage that sources fair trade ingredients could design an experience that brings customers straight to these farms. Another example is that a health drink could take customers on an interactive experience detailing the health benefits of the beverage.

    Shares Your Brand Story

    Aside from sharing brand values, WebAR is also an effective way to share your brand story. Some of the most iconic brands in the world are beverage brands, so standing out in such a competitive landscape is challenging. In this environment, building brand equity through telling your brand’s story is crucial.

    WebAR in the beverage industry allows brands to differentiate themselves in a fun, memorable, and different way. Immersive animation and storytelling allow customers to learn about a product, its values, and its story in a way that sticks in their memory.

    Increases Customer Loyalty

    Marketing’s initial step is getting a customer to purchase your product for the first time – the true test is getting them to buy from you again and again. However, the rewards of retention are well worth the effort, with a five percent increase in customer retention leading to an increase in profits between 25 to 95 percent.

    WebAR can be used to increase customer loyalty in any number of ways. You can offer incentives for repeat purchases, share the benefits of your product, or simply engage customers in a memorable way. All of these AR experiences can increase the number of repeat purchases.

    Making Beverage Packaging and Labels Interactive With WebAR

    

    Interactive packaging is one of the most widespread uses of augmented reality in advertising. Humans process visual information 60000 times faster than text, so products with engaging packaging are able to capture more attention.

    Augmented reality allows brands to create packaging that is not confined to the physical dimensions of the product. Interactive packaging experiences include games, immersive videos, nutritional benefits, manufacturing processes, brand stories, and animated scenes. These experiences bring life to traditional packaging.

    WebAR Allows Anyone to Access an AR Experience

    When it comes to creating an AR experience that can be enjoyed by as many people as possible, web-based augmented reality is key. Unlike its app-based counterpart that requires an inconvenient download, WebAR can be triggered on any smart device with a browser.

    Any person encountering your product in the beverage aisle or restaurant would be able to trigger a frictionless web-based AR experience. The ease of use and accessibility of WebAR technology encourages virality and mass consumption of your content. Ultimately, this translates to better recall and loyalty, with 47% of customers saying immersive technologies make them feel more connected with products.

    For more on “How To Deploy A Successful WebAR Marketing Campaign” – Read our WebAR Marketing Guide.

    More than a Rich End-User Experience

    WebAR in the beverage industry is more than just an immersive end-user experience, it’s also a powerful tool for back-end processes. The digital nature of interactive packaging allows for remote tracking of important use and engagement statistics. It allows brands to trace interaction, key locations, and which parts of the campaign have the most traction.

    This information can then be used by brands to gather insights into the customer experience and buyer profiles. This generates value for the brand as it allows them to make more effective decisions in the future.

    WebAR in the Beverage Industry allows for Cost-Effective Packaging

    Creating conventional product packaging that stands out can be expensive. One of the advantages of augmented reality is that it can elevate simple packaging and product design into a rich and memorable experience. Even a minimalist beverage design is the perfect canvas for any number of AR experiences. This helps brands save on packaging costs while delivering an ever more memorable customer experience.

    The cost-effective nature of combining AR experiences with economical packaging is even more evident at larger scales. As thousands and thousands of your beverages are rolled out, you will enjoy the additional savings provided by economies of scale.

    Augmented reality also allows you to recycle and reuse the same interactive packaging design. Instead of going through an expensive redesign process every couple of years or so, all you have to do is update the associated AR experience. The technology also allows you to make changes on the go, adjusting the AR experience to incorporate any new elements or messages you come up with.

    Examples of WebAR in the Beverage Industry

    WebAR in the Beverage Industry – Jackson Family Wines

    

    Critically-acclaimed Pinot Noir specialist, Siduri, a subsidiary of Jackson Family Wines, used WebAR to launch an experience that brought consumers closer to the product. Every bottle came with a special AR experience that featured the brand’s founder stepping out of the bottle to share entertaining stories about each wine.

    The experience expertly brought the winery’s ethos to life that “serious wine and serious fun aren’t mutually exclusive.” As each bottle featured a QR code on the packaging, customers could launch the experience wherever they came across a bottle.

    

    WebAR in the Beverage Industry – De Bortoli Wines

    

    RRP’s Web-based wine experience for De Bortoli wines pushed the boundaries of what was possible for bottle tracking. De Bortoli wanted to celebrate the Australian outback with the release of three new red wines, each featuring an augmented reality with a ‘sinister’ outback animal. “The Shout” features an article on the experience where you can watch the tiger snake come to life.

    De Bortoli wine used RPR’s WebAR to stand out in the competitive and creative wine industry. Each Sinister Collection wine bottle indicates that it is AR-enables, and by scanning a QR code, the experience is launched.

    Executive Director, Victor De Bortoli said: “We are really excited about launching AR to bring our brand to life by using cutting edge AR Technology. At De Bortoli, we are constantly striving for new and unique ways to provide our consumers with engaging and interactive content that helps them connect more with our wines.”

    WebAR Beer – Heineken Augmented Reality

    Wine isn’t the only beverage company using WebAR. In celebration of the Euro 2020, Heineken launched a well executed web-based gaming expererience. featuring avatars.

    

    It featured specially designed beer cans and bottles for each team participating in the championship, fans were able to support and interact with their favorite team in a fun and innovative way. This highly engaging WebAR game received an average session length of 2.5 minutes for logged users and 1.5 minutes for all visitors.

    WebAR Spirits – Jim Beam Whiskey

    

    This WebAR experience turns your space into a virtual bar where you are the bartender. Jim Beam used web-based augmented reality to turn customers into bartenders.

    Using the WebAR experience, users can mix up their perfect Jim Beam Highball with the virtual bar. It features four virtual bar locations all stocked with Jim Beam varieties, mixers, ice and garnishes and allows the users to take screenshots and share.

    Choose the Right Partner

    If you plan to use WebAR in the beverage industry (and hopefully now you understand why you should), it’s important to choose the right partner. You need to work with someone who not only technically technically understands AR, but how to successfully deploy Web-based AR in the beverage industry. Not only should this partner grasp the benefits of WebAR and interactive packaging, but they should also have the capability to bring your vision to life.

    Rock Paper Reality (RPR) has been at the forefront of WebAR development for over 12 years. Having worked with clients including Microsoft, Netflix, and Lenovo, the experts at RPR will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your brand stands above the competition.

    Watch the RPR showcase reel for some more AR experiences in action and CONTACT US today.

15. Augmented Reality in the Pharmaceutical Industry

    Tue 10 August 2021 4:28 pm Leave a Comment

    Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are immersive technologies that combine virtual and real environments. Termed together, AR and VR are referred to as Extended Reality or XR technology and are rapidly redefining what’s possible in healthcare.

    Virtual reality (VR) experiences happen when the user is fully immersed in a virtual environment that appears completely real. Augmented reality (AR) is a similar technology, but instead of users being immersed in a completely virtual environment, AR enables them to see and interact with virtual objects overlaid on real-world scenarios.

    AR and VR have the potential to revolutionize medicine in the areas of medical training, patient treatment, and hospital management. Surgeons can, for example, harness these visualization tools to help plan surgery more effectively. XR technologies can even be deployed before surgery, helping patients to better understand their medical conditions and treatment options on a range of procedures.

    Another key benefit of XR technologies lies in improving the quality of learning and training for medical students and professionals while enhancing retention and understanding. Conventional training procedures usually involve static 2D images, textbooks, slide shows, and shadowing a professional to see how they perform certain treatments. XR technologies enable them to see every detail in full immersion, significantly enhancing the learning process. The immense benefits of XR tech do not end with students, however, qualified professionals too can learn and retain new and innovative procedures through an immersive environment.

    The market share of pharmaceutical AR and VR was valued at $477.2 million in 2018. This is a pretty big number for a technology that didn’t feature in the industry in recent years, but this part of the story gets better and bigger. Consumer data provider Statistica estimates that the market will be valued at $4.64 billion by 2025. That’s an annual jump of 38.4% in North America alone.

    Let’s take a deeper look then at how the medical industry is leveraging this technology now, and what are its potential applications going forward.

    Selling and Marketing Pharmaceuticals with AR

    As rapidly emerging technologies, professionals are increasingly exploring new ways to embrace VR and AR in different fields of the medical profession; such as in sales, marketing and advertising. There’s great potential for the use of AR in sales. That’s because the key to a successful rep and healthcare professional relationship is communicating clearly and accurately. AR technology can help sales reps do this by helping doctors visualize the benefits of their products, literally.

    Sales and marketing teams will have access to technology that can generate 3D presentations designed to educate healthcare professionals visually. Pharmaceutical companies are already using interactive animations to show the effects of their products. XR technology is enabling the use of animated sequences that involve 3D simulations and moving images that show the effects of a particular medication. These AR applications give healthcare professionals deeper insights into the benefits these new products offer and thus help them to better explain to their patients how these treatments work.

    It can also be used by professionals to “test-drive” larger medical equipment without having to physically bring it in. Not only does this make life easier for manufacturers in terms of shipping costs and training, but importantly, it allows medical professionals to gain a better hands-on feel for the product before committing to purchase.

    Patient Education and Care

    XR technologies can be used to educate and ease the anxieties of apprehensive patients about procedures and treatments in an interactive and immersive way. Patients benefit from the technology in two ways: education and reassurance.

    Better Choices

    Patient education is a particularly important aspect of AR’s potential. Immersing patients into an AR experience will help them better understand their diagnosis and treatment options. This knowledge will in turn empower them to take care of themselves and be more responsible toward their health and recovery.

    In addition, being able to better understand medication is vital in deciding which medicine to buy. Patients can use augmented reality through their smartphones to learn more about drugs and treatments and their possible side effects. The best current implementation of this practice comes in the form of helping patients choose medicines based on specific pain areas. Some pharmaceutical AR applications are used to help patients identify which product is best for a specific pain point. This can help patients make informed decisions on what medicine to get.

    Doctors can also use AR to demonstrate the proper usage of devices their patients need to use in the aid of their treatment and recovery. The knowledge of how to properly use the equipment for homecare patients, for example, can go a long way towards improving the quality of life of these individuals as they recover without the need for expensive hospital treatments.

    Reassuring the Patient

    Augmented reality can also help surgeons adequately prepare for potentially risky procedures. The technology can simulate a virtual rendering of the operating theater that can help the doctor identify and anticipate potential challenges throughout the entire procedure.

    This can give the healthcare professional the much-needed confidence to minimize potential risks. This helps to reassure the patient that they’re safe in the hands of their surgeon.

    

    Efficient Equipment Manufacture and Operation

    The benefit of AR can further be extended and applied in the manufacture of medical equipment, machinery, and devices. Being able to visualize three-dimensional schematics of a product in the design phase can help engineers understand how to improve a design and render it more effective.

    AR can also assure uniform production of the equipment. This can greatly improve the safety of these products, especially those destined for operating and emergency rooms, as well as pathology units.

    Pharmaceutical AR can also be leveraged to reduce costs in research and development. That’s because the technology can simulate the reaction of components in bioreactors without having to run actual procedures and using resources on tests that could end up in flawed versions of the final product. Put simply, it reduces potential flaws by simulating visual tests based on past data.

    It can also help hospitals and clinics in training their personnel with the use of new equipment. Specialized equipment needs to be operated and maintained in specific ways, and manufacturers—or even HR—can use AR training tech to develop training programs that can teach staff the correct procedures in terms of operation and maintenance without having to touch the machinery. This can be done remotely, even before the equipment’s arrival.

    The Augmented Reality Agency

    Apart from the fact that this is a potentially multi-billion-dollar market – the opportunities to leverage XR tech, particularly AR, to significantly enrich medical and pharmaceutical training; enhance patient education and care; increase sales and boost marketing; as well as strengthen equipment manufacture – is thus compellingly clear.

    Partnering with a professional augmented reality outfit such as Rock Paper Reality (RPR) is the key to unlocking the full benefits of AR technology in the healthcare space. With over a decade of innovative and successful AR experiences, RPR is well-equipped and uniquely positioned to craft powerful and effective AR apps and webAR experiences. Our skills span from dynamic app development and content creation to focused consultation and targeted marketing solutions.

    The Rock Paper Reality team is acutely aware that fully understanding your unique needs is crucial in identifying what type of AR solutions can enhance your operation. No matter where you sit on the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry chain, we will hold your hand throughout your shift to AR and help you learn how you can truly immerse your business into an AR future.

16. The Marketer’s Guide to WebAR

    Wed 30 June 2021 2:00 pm Leave a Comment

    “WebAR has the incredible potential to enhance user experiences.”

    With many businesses shifting online and the competition for views heating up, brands are increasingly becoming aware of the immense power of web-based augmented reality, also known as WebAR. This is a new marketing and advertising tech tool that takes consumers on an interactive journey while showcasing products and services in an innovative and exciting way.

    Web-based AR works across many operating systems such as Google and iOS and is compatible with over 3.5 billion mobile devices around the world, rendering WebAR the most easily accessible form of augmented reality to date.

    Accessing information with web-based AR is a cleaner process for the end-user, while accessing app-based AR involves more steps and utilizes more phone memory and storage, a potential barrier for many consumers looking to quickly engage with the experience.

    Partnering with skilled and experienced WebAR development agencies who can harmonize the technical aspects with an overall marketing strategy is key to extracting the maximum benefit from this technology.

    WebAR Enhances the Marketing Experience

    Limitless Reach

    WebAR reaches almost 3 billion people– nearly twice as many as app-based AR. Web-based augmented reality is also easily supported by social media platforms such as Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram.

    WebAR tools such as 8th Wall allow for this massive reach by providing the necessary underlying technology for AR to build upon. Smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, Huawei are all compatible with 8th Wall, as are the big browsers Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.

    This means that as a marketing tool, WebAR grants brands an incredible, seemingly limitless reach. Its widespread accessibility empowers agencies who were previously bound within the ‘walled gardens’ of social media to spread their campaigns further than ever before, enabling their messages to resonate much wider.

    Strong Engagement

    Web-based augmented reality creates lasting impressions by connecting with audiences on a more profound level. A recent report from Accenture shows that 50% of consumers have better recall when brands engage them with immersive technologies, such as WebAR.

    WebAR is a powerful marketing tool because of its ability to engage and provoke an emotional response in the user. That emotional impact is key because it cultivates positive brand sentiment and the willingness of the customer to either return to the brand, endorse it to others, or perhaps even both.

    If used strategically, companies can use web-based AR to market products and services to a wider audience who will experience more highly interactive content than what traditional marketing methods offer.

    A Seamless Experience

    Without the need for a download – a distinct advantage that WebAR has over its app-based counterparts – users can engage with the technology through triggers such as a QR code, link, or real-world object.

    WebAR’s instant accessibility eliminates a huge barrier to entry, as opting for an app-based AR requires downloading a standalone mobile application from the App Store or Play Store. In fact, studies have shown that there is a 50% drop-off in engagement for any digital experience that takes over 30 seconds to load. Downloading an app to load an AR experience often takes longer than this.

    Web-based AR is such a potent marketing tool because it allows customers to immediately ‘experience the experience’ without annoying load times and multiple steps. It also provides a uniform experience across devices and browsers.

    The ease of use and widespread accessibility of WebAR also facilitates virality as users immersed in the experience are more likely to spread the word.

    WebAR Augments Marketing Campaigns

    AR Outperforms Other Mediums

    

    WebAR is extremely effective at creating positive impressions while spreading marketing messages compared to other mediums. It’s important to note that the monumental potential of this technology does not lie in it being an exciting new concept. Its power and potency reside in its immersive and engaging nature.

    Sure, novelty can spark initial hype around your brand, but unless you add real value to your target group in some way, your marketing campaign will remain mediocre, or worse, fall completely flat.

    Studies have shown that interactivity is key to creating marketing messages that stick. AR is as interactive as it gets, with an 80% recall rate for users. WebAR also has an average dwell time of 75 seconds, four times longer than video.

    With such impressive outcomes, it’s hardly surprising that brands leveraging WebAR have recorded up to a 520% increase in intent to purchase over the next six months. This is 95x greater than the non-AR benchmark.

    WebAR Integrates with Existing Marketing Mixes

    Web-based augmented reality is a medium that integrates smoothly into an existing marketing campaign. As the technology is browser-based, it thoroughly aligns with your 360-degree marketing plan.

    Reaching and engaging your audience with WebAR can be done in several ways, be it a QR code embedded on a physical object or digital space, part of an email newsletter, or push notification. WebAR can also be triggered when encountered on social media applications or websites.

    With so many avenues to integrate WebAR into an existing campaign, the key to getting the most out of it is strategic implementation. The deployment needs to act as a part of a greater whole. It needs to be smoothly and deliberately embedded in a campaign to avoid inefficiencies or gambling on success because of its novelty effect.

    WebAR can also easily integrate with powerful tools such as Google Analytics. This allows marketers to collect a huge amount of valuable data and insights which can be used to inform effective business strategies.

    Enriches the Customer Experience

    It’s not hard to imagine how webAR can enrich a customer’s experience, particularly in the retail space. Displays, products, and promotions can all be enhanced with interactive content. The unique power of WebAR combines the digital with the physical world, enabling brands to offer users an immersive experience unmatched by any other technology.

    Possible applications of WebAR include previewing furniture in your home before purchase, providing nutritional information on a food product, and even giving a user a virtual tour of a resort before they make a booking. With WebAR, customers can now engage with a brand in a manner that’s informative, entertaining, and immersive all at the same time.

    While offering so many opportunities, it’s surprisingly straightforward to get customers to activate a WebAR deployment in-store. Up to 60% of customers already use their smartphones when browsing to gain more information about a product, for example, so having them scan a QR code will not pose a difficult task.

    The sheer number of benefits WebAR provides is staggering. International brands can leverage it to overcome language barriers. As the technology easily integrates with Google, content can instantly be translated into the user’s preferred language.

    

    Entrenches Buyer’s Confidence

    The digital migration poses new challenges to brands that rely on physical spaces to connect with customers. Online shopping, for all of its convenience, has always carried with it some baggage.

    For example, studies have shown that in ensuring their correct size, nearly a third of online shoppers buy different sizes of an item they want and then return the ones that don’t fit. Aside from causing inconvenience and annoyance on the part of shoppers, this practice also represents a logistical and financial burden on online retailers. The problem is exacerbated by the current stay-at-home dynamic forced upon us by Covid-19. By being unable to visit stores in person, shoppers have to contend with these issues regularly.

    WebAR addresses this problem by allowing brands to immersively connect, inform, and sell to customers. A great example of WebAR being rolled in this particular scenario is the deployment by Saks Fifth Avenue which allows users to customize and preview clothes on a digital mannequin before purchase.

    AR experiences such as these increase buyer confidence in that the item they are buying is exactly what they are seeking and creates smoother customer interactions.

    

    Provides Real-Time Feedback

    Web-based augmented reality presents marketers with an effective tool for gathering real-time feedback and data on their deployments.

    The nature of the technology allows for beta testing, meaning brands can gather feedback from users and iron out any problems with the experience before committing to a full rollout.

    Huge Possibilities with Different WebAR Experiences

    WebAR marketing opens up almost limitless opportunities for brands to use in their campaigns. Its capacity to bring the digital world into the real is unique among the range of marketing tools currently being deployed.

    Deploying webAR in a campaign can also help unleash marketers’ creative elements and boosts motivation levels among a marketing team. Opportunities to create new virtual elements and marry them to the real world open up endless possibilities.

    World Effects

    World effect WebAR deployments embed digital objects as part of the real world.

    There are two types of world effects: marker-based and markerless. A marker-based experience entails a digital model being bound to a specific point or object in a real-world environment. Examples of these bindings can include a QR code, company logo, street art, or any other 2D image.

    Markerless WebAR means that a virtual object is bound to a surface, such as a table, floor, or wall. As the technology is capable of discerning different environmental contexts, the subject of the deployment is sure to be the focal point of the experience.

    World effects allow agencies to flex their creative muscles as they design experiences that are entertaining, interactive, and immersive. This translates to increased positive impressions and brand recall among users.

    

    Filters

    Filters are one of the most recognizable types of AR being used by brands today. The entertaining, social-media friendly, and easily-sharable aspects of this medium render it viral-friendly if used strategically.

    Social media-based marketing campaigns in particular are capable of leveraging WebAR filters to great effect. By adding engaging and fun elements to messaging, users will likely be more encouraged to share and interact with one another.

    Filters can be used to allow users to preview try-on’s such as make-up and accessories, engage with gamified experiences, and upcoming events such as a concert or a movie.

    Portals

    Portals are a perfect illustration of the continued enhancement capabilities of WebAR technology. This AR medium transports users to a different world through engagement with the content.

    Devices can navigate these portals because of the ability of WebAR to understand the so-termed ‘six degrees of freedom’ – the capacity of a device to track its position along three axes of position and three axes of orientation. This allows a smartphone to recognize its position relative to the virtual environment, meaning that a user can navigate a portal through their phone’s movements.

    Other Types of WebAR Experiences

    Holographic Web AR

    

    Holographic WebAR, such as the “Siduri Holographic Experience” RPR developed with Jackson Family Wines and Microsoft, represents a step forward in the power of the technology. 3D objects in this type of experience appear to entertain and inform users.

    Personalization

    Personalization-type experiences seek to maximize the interactive and dynamic nature of web-based augmented reality. Brands can use this medium to create experiences that are unique to each customer, creating deep connections, memorable interactions, and long-lasting relationships. An example of this is having users create and send custom AR greeting cards to loved ones.

    Partner with WebAR Experts

    Developing WebAR is a complex process that requires a special skill set. Partnering with a capable developer helps with the technical aspects and the overall marketing strategy.

    Brands need to be able to clearly articulate their goals and the desired outcomes before approaching a WebAR partner. Setting these parameters down early on ensures that the entire project team pulls in the same direction.

    Choose a WebAR Experience

    The type of AR experience deployed in a campaign depends on a company’s goals. If a brand seeks to go viral, a filter would be the best choice as it’s readily accessible on social media and thus easily sharable. If an entity wants to reduce returns from online purchases, a world effect experience allowing customers to preview items before buying would be ideal.

    When choosing the goals for WebAR marketing, brands should make sure that they are SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Well-chosen SMART goals lay the framework for a successful, unified deployment.

    Choose Your Channels

    Channels are the avenues through which brands communicate with their customers. To choose the most effective channels for a WebAR deployment, marketers must understand when and where users are most likely to encounter the experience.

    Some WebAR experiences are more effective when deployed on social media, while others are best when triggered with a QR code, in-person, or through email. Identifying which channel to use depends on an understanding of the target market.

    Marketers need to grasp where, when, and how users will interact with WebAR. Some brands, though, cannot afford to deploy across multiple platforms, so efforts must be focused on where they will be most effective while determining which represents the best ROI. Well-strategized campaign goals help in guiding the choice of channel.

    A strong channel strategy enables brands to engage with their customers effectively, taking into account user behavior and technological capability.

    

    Choose the Right Partner

    Choosing the right partner to develop a brand’s WebAR deployment is critical to the success of the project. The importance of thoroughly vetting a potential WebAR partner before engagement cannot be emphasized enough.

    Competent agencies have a holistic approach to development, displaying prowess over the technical aspects as well as in overall marketing, design, and strategy.

    Reputable agencies have a proven track record and should be able to provide performance metrics from previous campaigns. It’s also important to connect with brands who have experience working with such agencies to glean insights into their the working relationship.

    Knowledgeable agencies must be able to provide partners with dedicated project managers as well as offer a warranty for their development. Post-deployment maintenance and updates are also a must. Skilled and experienced agencies create the ‘experience’ and work closely with the brand to ensure the deployment aligns with pre-determined goals.

    Synergize Your AR Deployment With Your Campaign Goals

    From startups to Fortune 500s, Rock Paper Reality (RPR) has over a decade of experience at the cutting-edge of WebAR technology and strategy. RPR’s expert team of consultants and developers has created an AR blueprint using a data-driven approach that sets up WebAR marketing campaigns for success.

    By infusing technical mastery with a holistic approach to WebAR marketing, RPR has developed best-in-class AR content and strategies to drive brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue growth.

    Are you ready to transform your project with WebAR? Get in touch and see why brand leaders such as Microsoft, Netflix, and Sony have chosen RPR as their dedicated AR partner.

17. The Best WebAR Experiences (8 Examples)

    Fri 4 June 2021 1:35 pm Leave a Comment

    WebAR allows for immersive Augmented Reality experiences using just your smartphones and a web browser.

    In today’s social media content-drenched world, it is hard to get noticed. Adding interactivity to content increases engagement and helps retain information better. According to Ion Interactive, adding interactivity to content raises retention of brand messaging by 79%.

    By skipping the social media middleman and hosting your interactive content on your own website (which can be accessed directly via a hyperlink or QR code), can drive even more traffic. And what’s more engaging and interactive than Augmented Reality content? Its latest iteration, WebAR, delivers the same interactivity, but in a more accessible medium with greater reach.

    Earlier Augmented Reality technologies were wildly popular, but not exactly practical. The earlier versions of Augmented Reality were focused on delivering the technology through a headworn device tethered to a PC, which wasn’t exactly portable enough (yes, try to carry your laptop when demonstrating AR and you’ll find it a cumbersome experience).

    Then the mobile phone companies managed to release smartphones as powerful as PCs. With its embedded camera, the smartphone became the perfect vehicle for delivering highly interactive content rendered through the video. The initial iterations of AR came via apps that require downloading and, in most cases, compulsory personal accounts. Think of Pokemon Go, Snapchat’s Face filter, or Google Map.

    Now, web-based Augmented Reality, also known as WebAR, is a technology that brings Augmented Reality to smartphone browsers. It has freed augmented reality from the clutches of apps and other limitations. Instead of logging in, a simple QR code can open dynamic content for a great WebAR experience via any browser.

    Applications of WebAR

    

    WebAR can help increase interest in brands by providing highly interactive content.

    The applications of WebAR are unlimited. It can be used to promote brands, increase awareness, enhance learning, and provide interactive entertainment.

    Benefits of Web-based AR

    There are always tradeoffs with any technology approach and Web AR is no different compared to app-based AR. However, when compared to many traditional ways of marketing and advertising for consumer products, Web AR often outperforms the competition on product sales lift and intent to purchase, brand retention, and increased loyalty.

    Other Web AR benefits include:

    • It offers users more extensive insights when paired with Google analytics;
    • Increases the conversion rate and sales lift up to 520%;
    • Has better audience targeting and retargeting than app-based;
    • Integrates with an existing website and CRM touchpoints;
    • It tracks your audience’s interests and brand engagements.

    Business

    WebAR does wonders for business, whether for uniquely advertising products, delivering the company’s message, or as a means to demonstrate or display service offerings.

    For example:

    1. Retail brands can use WebAR to showcase digital products against a backdrop of users’ actual homes.
    2. Real estate companies can host virtual tours to properties on the market. They can also add interactivity to open houses or tours.
    3. Fashion brands can feature virtual dressing rooms where customers can visualize 3D apparel and try on items.

    Education

    WebAR helps provide improved educational tools over the web. Tours to major landmarks and historic sites can now be accompanied by interesting facts and additional information for curious minds. Adding interactivity to remote learning can make it more interesting for teachers and students alike. Plus, students retain more of what they learned. Museums can overlay digital content on paintings and installations, textbooks can create 3D animated diagrams, and businesses can even recreate their onboarding materials with WebAR avatars and holograms.

    Entertainment

    WebAR opens up possibilities for video games that play against a real-world background. Studios can promote their upcoming movies and shows with interactive content featuring lovable characters or major holographic stars. Theme parks can display more information about their attractions. Events can offer side attractions such as interactive scavenger hunts within designated areas.

    Awesome WebAR Examples

    WebAR already caught fire among content-hungry users, and there are plenty of great examples where companies ventured into WebAR to help drum up interest for their products, services, or messages. Below are eight of the more popular examples of WebAR that generated exciting content.

    Retail

    Saatchi Art “View In My Room”

    People in the retail sector can increase sales by capitalizing on online marketing’s potential by integrating Web AR into their e-commerce websites. Saatchi Art, the largest online art store in the world, is among the firms that have benefited from incorporating Web AR into their website.

    

    RPR developed a web AR feature known as “View in My Room” that allows users to visualize how artwork sold by Saatchi Art appears on their wall right from the comfort of their home. All this happens right on the phone’s browser with no application installation required.

    By allowing customers to visualize how the artwork looks on their walls, the art store can attract more customers to their products.

    

    The WebAR experience allows customers to view over a million works of art in the Saatchi Art gallery and check how they look displayed in their target surroundings. This helped dramatically increase sales lift. Customers that use the View-In-My Room feature are 70% more likely to proceed with the purchase after they visualize how the digital artwork looks hanging on their walls.

    Fashion Industry

    RPR & Microsoft’s Holographic Retail Platform

    Web AR brings a new twist to online shopping by allowing users to interact with 3D holographic images of models right from their smartphones’ browsers. RPR has partnered with Microsoft to bring an all-new innovative platform to fashion companies who sell their products online.

    

    The holographic modelling project changes how brands showcase their products to customers. Users can now view new clothes and accessories on models on their phones. This brings the modelling runway experience right to your phone. This experience is designed to increase buyer confidence and reduce clothing returns, which are two of the greatest challenges to purchasing clothing online.

    Food & Beverages

    Jackson Family Wines

    The Jackson Family Wines project developed by RPR in partnership with Microsoft delivers a first-of-its-kind hologram that fuses volumetrically captured content with Web AR. The Siduri Holographic Experience allows users to interact with a 3D model of the founder of Siduri wines, Adam Lee, in an innovative marketing strategy that helped the Siduri brand boost sales and cultivate loyalty from its customers.

    

    Siduri’s motto, “serious wine and serious fun aren’t mutually exclusive”, was brought to life by Rock Paper Reality crafting an interactive experience featuring founder Adam Lee stepping out of a 3D wine bottle for various shenanigans designed to delight and engage viewers and potential customers like never before.

    Entertainment industry

    Jumanji: The Next Level

    The entertainment industry has improved marketing by incorporating web AR to give fans of popular movies a way to experience the movie plot and engage with the characters. In the Jumanji project, for instance, fans use their voice to activate the web AR experience, which then takes them to various virtual locations where they can play games just like the characters in the movie.

    

    The Web AR interactive movie experience drives brand reach with fans and increases awareness for new releases in the future in a way that’s fun and shareable. Web-based AR increases the impact of new releases by increasing ticket and merchandise sales, and ultimately the new movie following all thanks to web AR.

    Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse

    Here’s a webby treat: Your favorite web-slinger in a WebAR via the Sony website.

    

    8th Wall developed the AR platform that made this interactive WebAR promoting the Sony animated smash Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse. Here, you can invite teenage Spiderman/Miles Morales into your home for some one-on-one interaction. You can take pictures and share the experience with friends. Sony Pictures included the QR code to launch this WebAR site in print promotions for the movie.

    Bugs Bunny’s 80th Birthday

    For anyone who wanted to eat carrots and get hit by an anvil, the Bugs Bunny WebAR experience is for you.

    

    Warner Bros created a quirky AR experience in celebration of Bugs Bunny’s 80th birthday. Fans can scan a provided QR and get treated to a daily series of fun Looney Tunes experiences including face filters, interactive gags, and other highly shareable content. Users can also journey on a world-tracked experience to meet Bugs and receive a virtual gift.

    Automotive Industry

    Digital Porsche Brand Academy

    Porsche employees will love this WebAR program that discusses Porsche’s colorful history.

    

    An award-winning idea from and developed by the Team of svarmony Technologies GmbH, the Digital Porsche Brand Academy is the first-to-market training tool that uses augmented reality to provide Porsche employees an immersive experience learning about the company’s history and values. The star of the WebAR experience is an animated avatar that serves as a tour guide for Porsche’s past, present, and future. Employees can explore realistically animated Porsche-locations, take a ride in a virtual Porsche, help assemble a car, and test Porsche knowledge via a quiz. The Digital Porsche Brand Academy is a great starter kit for employees to establish a relationship with the brand and align with the company’s plans.

    Toyota Car Configurator

    The Toyota project allows customers to visualize the latest Toyota features by viewing an interactive 3D model of the vehicle right from on your phone. Users can even tap on some of the model’s features to see how they perform in real life. The web AR feature also allows the user to view the car’s interior and turn the headlights on and off.

    

    With the interactive visualization, potential customers can view the car from the comfort of their phone and decide to buy the car without having to physically visit the Toyota showroom. With more people viewing the model, Toyota has an opportunity to boost sales even in new markets and seamlessly push out updates to their experiences when new vehicles or features are available.

    Conclusion

    From the above web-based AR examples, it is clear that Web AR has a wide range of applications and can be customized to drive new value and opportunities for just about any customer-facing industry. Any business that seeks to establish its name and increase its dedicated following now and in the future should embrace this new technology, which only promises to get better with time.

    WebAR with Rock Paper Reality

    Rock Paper Reality is an Augmented Reality design agency that helps companies achieve their objectives with augmented reality. Whether you’re a startup or Fortune 500 company, Rock Paper Reality delivers engaging AR products and cutting-edge applications that are tailored to client specifications. RPR is here to help you incorporate Web AR into your business’ marketing plan and help you blaze the new frontier of authentic brand storytelling.

    Learn more about how Rock Paper Reality can make WebAR and app-based AR work for you. Visit rockpaperreality.com or reach out for a free demo.

18. The Best Web AR Marketing

    Fri 21 May 2021 1:35 pm Leave a Comment

    Web-based augmented reality is an excellent option for brands looking to engage consumers across digital and physical channels. Web AR is more effective than its app-based counterpart because it requires no application to download, which is an additional step many users would prefer to do without.

    Web AR technology also integrates well with your existing marketing platforms and ad channels, as its versatility is only limited by a developer’s creativity. Its distinct advantages have caught the attention of companies the world over.

    For example, Web AR technology’s revenue is set to grow at a compounding rate of 86.3% over the next few years. Web AR is not only here to stay, it’s set to take over the marketing world. If you’re looking for inspiration on how to make this technology work for your brand, check out some of the best Web AR marketing examples below.

    Toyota

    Toyota used web-based augmented reality to allow customers to view life-sized models of the 2020 Corolla and Tacoma vehicles. The experience was immersive, featuring multiple touchpoints that customers could engage with to activate animations. These animations let users see the car in action. The experience included opening the sunroof, spinning the wheels, and switching the headlights on and off.

    Toyota also took advantage of Web AR’s accessibility by allowing users to capture images of their experience to share with others. As web-based augmented reality requires no additional download on the user’s end, this helped boost visibility.

    

    Jackson Family Wines

    Jackson Family Wines used Web AR technology to make deep connections and drive engagement with their customers by connecting winemakers to wine. Upon scanning a QR code, Siduri founder Adam Lee would jump out of a 3D wine bottle to perform a variety of interactive scenes designed to entertain.

    WebAR-Adam would tell stories about the 25-year old winery across six different unique experiences. This enabled the brand to build strong personal connections with people while educating them about the brand and the award-winning wine they were drinking.

    

    Miller Lite

    Miller Lite used Web AR technology to get creative in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. The experience was intuitive, activated by scanning the logo on a can of Miller Lite. Users were then directed to a special page on their website where an AR leprechaun would appear and performing entertaining tricks.

    This campaign had two units- the 360° Portal and the Web AR Mini-Game. The Mini-Game had a 75% re-engagement rate while the campaign overall drove a 25% lift in Miller Lite favorability in association with St. Patrick’s Day.

    

    Ally Bank and Monopoly

    Ally Bank used webAR to power a campaign designed to drive brand-awareness while educating users about financial literacy. The campaign used a Monopoly-themed scavenger-type AR game to achieve the goals of making “money talk” less intimidating in a fun manner.

    Financial education aside, Ally’s webAR experience hit a number of engagement high-points. The game achieved 100,000 plays in a week, largely through organic channels. The most impressive statistic is the 86% retention rate of users. This shows a very deep level of brand engagement made possible through interactive AR experiences.

    

    Unilever’s CloseUp

    Unilever’s CloseUP web AR experience was a hit, perfectly aligning their branding with fun. It was a twist on the 6-second blink test, but instead of blinking on the 6-second count, you kissed a loved one.

    The experience drove engagement in-store and across social media in a unique, memorable, and interactive way. It was also effective in spreading CloseUp’s brand image and values by encouraging people to get close to and kiss those who are important to them. Feel-good and fun, it’s a perfect example of creatively using web-based augmented reality.

    

    Jaguar

    Jaguar drove awareness for the upcoming launch of their latest Land Rover model by expertly using Web AR technology. This made them one of the first automotive brands to use this medium.

    The AR experience was triggered through banner advertisements. Upon engagement, users were transported inside of the SUV. From there, they could get a feel for the car, checking out its features, dimensions, and interiors.

    Jaguar pushed web-based augmented reality to its limits by making the environment fully 360º. This gave users a good sense of what it was actually like sitting in the Land Rover by allowing them to view their surroundings through their phones. They could even check out other variations of the vehicle by changing trim and color.

    The experience ended with a call-to-action (CTA) to book test drives or even reserve a Land Rover in advance.

    

    Purina 28-Day Challenge

    Purina’s 28-Day Challenge was a triumph in web-based augmented reality. They effectively educated their customers while driving over 172 million impressions. The experience walked customers through the positive changes they could expect to see in their pets if they started feeding them Purina.

    Available in both cat and dog versions, the AR was brought to life with instant world-tracked pet avatars complete with realistic movements. Benefits such as increased energy, appetite, muscle density, and heart strength were perfectly portrayed with the avatars acting them out in the user’s environment.

    User engagement on the channel was similarly impressive, with 25% of users sharing or capturing their experience. This is much higher than with non-AR social media formats.

    

    Conclusion

    Web-based augmented reality has proven results. Its massive reach, ease-of-use, and accessibility have made it one of the most exciting marketing tools today. Rock Paper Reality (RPR) creates effective Web AR for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500s. As an agency that thrives in developing best-in-class AR experiences, RPR handles the entire process from conception to roll out. Clients such as Lenovo, Hilton Hotels, and Microsoft have all enjoyed the benefits of well-executed Web AR by RPR including increased brand engagement, revenue, and conversions.

19. Examples of AR in Marketing

    Fri 27 November 2020 4:36 am Leave a Comment

    The Augmented Reality industry is quickly becoming a multi-billion dollar market and is expected to reach 198 billion U.S. dollars by 2025. With over 4.5 billion active internet users globally, businesses face relentless competition for their customer’s attention. AR offers small businesses and Fortune 500s alike a chance to set themselves apart by using cutting-edge technology to showcase their products and services.

    Imagine having the hologram of your brand’s CEO explaining their products right in your living room; or virtually trying on an item before your purchase, whether it’s a pair of jeans or a painting on the wall.

    Businesses of all sizes are starting to incorporate augmented reality into their marketing strategies, and they see extraordinary results. There is a 520% increase in purchases for businesses using AR-based campaigns compared to non-AR.

    Even with all the buzz and excitement, many companies still lack the knowledge and resources to integrate AR into their business. Only 1/10 companies are comfortably using AR and have it properly integrated it into their campaigns.

    Augmented Reality – Marketing Campaigns Reinvented

    The basic principles and goals remain the sam as the strategies from traditional marketing to Out-Of-Home (OOH) advertising. What is now revolutionary is the ability to engage customers in a never-before-seen fun and shareable way. Some of the well-known marketing strategies that have leveled up are:

    AR Out-of-Home Advertising (AR OOH)

    Static billboards and signs have long been a tried and trusted advertising strategy. With the widespread use of digital versions of the static billboards, adding the AR touch is now possible. It is now more affordable and more accessible than ever to implement AR OOH strategies globally. Perhaps one of the most popular and loved Out of Home AR initiatives is NHS’ campaign to encourage blood donation. The interactive billboard showed people in need of blood, asking passersby to fill in the blood bag. Users could help those in need by “connecting” their virtual IV to their arms and virtually transfer blood to the patient.

    AR Print Advertising

    With marketers focusing on the digital sphere, the print advertising industry has to adapt to modern standards. Brands have to be a lot more creative in telling their story on paper. This is where Augmented Reality comes in. More specifically, web-based AR has taken advantage of the simplicity of scanning a QR code with the phone’s camera and allowing users to get the full experience right on their browser.

    AR Product Packaging

    

    In the old days, packaging was used only for storage and for transportation safety purposes. With branding and design, businesses can began to personalize their packaging for product mindshare and long-term interactions with their customers. And now with the help of AR, product packaging has become a new interactive playground for brands.

    Depending on your goals, your can create AR campaigns to increase your brands awareness, stimulate engagements, increase sales, or simply for fun. There are many ways to achieve these objectives: from 3D augmentations, videos, digital annotations with information about the product, games, coupons, and more.

    For example, the new Amazon boxes now offer an AR experience in an effort to promote the reuse of the box in a fun way. Amazon challenges users to customize a Halloween pumpkin that they can later bring to reality by scanning a QR code.

    

    Examples of AR in Marketing

    Showcase Demo Sessions

    Demo sessions allow brands to showcase live demonstrations of their products or services. It is also an opportunity to engage and get fresh feedback from loyal or prospective clients.

    Lenovo attended the Augmented World Expo 2019 to showcase its new ThinkReality Platform and headset. The platform targets business managers, developers, and IT professionals who want to create and implement AR and VR applications.

    

    While the project itself uses AR technology, showcasing any product or service using augmented reality adds value and excitement to the demo experience.

    RPR was the only development agency featured in Lenovo’s booth at AWE 2019 and CES 2020. RPR created the showcase demo, an AR experience featuring Ducati, and three apps now available on their ThinkReality headset.

    Product Marketing Campaigns

    The retail industry benefits hugely from online marketing campaigns. Elevating the online experience by implementing AR technology offers customers the flexibility to virtually try the items and increases purchase intent.

    RPR developed an innovative AR campaign for Saks Fifth Avenue, the famous chain of luxury department stores. Shoppers use their phones to virtually try on clothes and accessories both in-store and at home. The AR app allows them to select the items they want to buy, access information about the desired item, and ask for recommendations about the product.

    

    The Augmented Reality app improves buyer confidence, following their ability to see how the item looks on them virtually. Trying on an item before purchase also reduces returned merchandise and increases spending per-visit.

    Experiential Marketing

    The Jackson Family Wines project showcases a revolutionary Web-based AR initiative. RPR delivered the world’s first Holographic Web AR Experience in partnership with Microsoft that helped the wine brand increase sales and cultivate customer loyalty. The Siduri Holographic Experience features a 3D model of Adam Lee, the founder of Siduri wines, showing their selection of products and educating their customers.

    

    The AR experience can be found on their bottles, social media, digital ads, brochures, and billboards in an omnichannel strategy that proves the versatility of AR in terms of placement.

    The Future of Augmented Reality in Marketing

    AR experiences are becoming increasingly popular and for a good reason. They provide an engaging and entertaining experience while building communities. With the help of social media, customers can easily share the AR experience with their friends and network. The shareability factor plays a significant role in the development of the AR industry and encourages marketing professionals and business managers to invest in AR technology to bridge the gap between the digital and physical world.

    Augmented Reality, whether it is web-based or app-based, breaks new frontiers in brand storytelling. RPR specializes in helping businesses harness AR’s full potential: from concept to implementation and beyond by offering augmented reality consulting services.

    See Also: Web AR Examples

20. Watch RPR’s CEO Present at AWE Nite’s “XR and Accessibility”

    Tue 25 August 2020 7:06 am Leave a Comment

    AWE Nite SF’s first virtual event at Altspace VR focused on “XR and Accessibility” and is now available to stream on Youtube! The event was emceed by RPR’s CEO & Founder, Patrick Johnson, and featured a fantastic lineup of speakers you can see below.

    Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0mxPWLrnug&feature=youtu.be

    There were lots of learnings, a few technical challenges, but an all-around successful VR event and was insightful, powerful, and a ton of fun. Here’s a list of all the accomplished presenters and moderators that participated:

    Presentation on AltspaceVR’s new Avatar Designs

    • Kevin Appel – Senior Technical Artist at Microsoft, AR/VR
      Read more: https://altvr.com/new-avatars-coming-soon/

    Panel Discussion – XR and Accessibility

    • April Boyd-Noronha – Global Diversity & Inclusion Advisor, XR Safety Initiative
    • Christopher Lafayette – Founder of HoloPractice & Founder of The Black Technology Mentorship Program
    • Bill Curtis-Davidson – Senior Consultant – Emerging Technology Accessibility at Wheelhouse Group & XR Access Working Group Leader
    • Kai Frazier – CEO & Founder, Kai XR

    Hosted By

    • Patrick Johnson, Co-organizer, CEO & Founder, Rock Paper Reality
    • Mike Boland, Co-organizer, Chief Analyst, ARtillery Intelligence & Editor, AR Insider
    • Tom Emrich, VP of Product, 8th Wall

    AWE NITE SEPTEMBER 2020

    Patrick will emcee the next AWE Nite SF event on AltspaceVR on September 10th at 1pm PST. The event will explore “Virtual Meetings and Events.”

    RSVP here: https://account.altvr.com/events/1532724696787714596

    They’ve already got some great speakers lined up, including a fireside chat. Michael Boland, Co-organizer, Chief Analyst, ARtillery Intelligence & Editor, AR Insider will be speaking with Charlie Fink, XR Consultant, Author, and Columnist.

    And if you haven’t already purchased, Charlie Fink’s book “Remote Collaboration, Virtual Conferences, The Future of Work,” I highly recommend you go and buy it here: https://finkmetaverse.com/product/remote-collaboration-virtual-conferences-the-future-of-work/

    See you at the Show!

21. RPR’s CEO Presents AWE Nite SF Event: “XR and Accessibily”

    Tue 21 July 2020 5:34 am Leave a Comment

    We are very excited to announce that Patrick Johnson, RPR’s CEO and Founder, will be co-hosting AWE Nite SF all-new virtual event called XR & Accessibility on July 23rdj at 1pm PST!

    The virtual event will take place in AltspaceVR and can be found here:
    https://account.altvr.com/events/1517920455443349941

    From avatar design and hardware costs to machine learning algorithms and the teams behind them, this month’s event aims to outline the actions we as the AR and VR community need to take so that this next wave of computing is truly accessible and inclusive to everyone.

    Please note: Registering for this free event does not guarantee a spot in the AltspaceVR meeting room. AltspaceVR has a maximum limit and attendees will be admitted on a first-come-first-serve basis. We will be making best attempts to record this event to make a video available to those that are unable to make it in AltspaceVR.

    Agenda

    1:00pm PST: AltspaceVR room opens

    1:05-1:15pm PST: Welcome and Opening Remarks
    – Patrick Johnson, Co-organizer, CEO & Founder, Rock Paper Reality
    – Mike Boland, Co-organizer, Chief Analyst, ARtillery Intelligence & Editor, AR Insider

    1:15-1:25pm PST: Presentation on AltspaceVR’s new Avatar Designs
    – Kevin Appel – Senior Technical Artist at Microsoft, AR/VR
    Read more on this here: https://altvr.com/new-avatars-coming-soon/

    1:25-1:50pm PST: Panel Discussion – XR and Accessibility
    – Christopher Lafayette – Founder of HoloPractice & Founder of The Black Technology Mentorship Program
    – Bill Curtis-Davidson – Senior Consultant – Emerging Technology Accessibility at Wheelhouse Group & XR Access Working Group Leader
    – Kai Frazier – CEO & Founder, Kai XR
    – Adaora Udoji – Corporate Innovation Executive, RLab

    1:50-2:00pm PST: Virtual Networking

    Attend the XR Access Symposium
    July 20 & 21, 2020 (Virtual Event)

    The 2020 XR Access Symposium is reviewing the state of the XR field, celebrating a year of progress toward accessibility, and taking steps toward a more inclusive future. The 2-day event will include a series of virtual talks, tech demos, and breakout sessions. You can find more information about the agenda, speakers, and breakout sessions and register at https://xraccess.org/symposium/

22. How To Harness The Full Power Of Web AR Marketing And Advertising

    Sun 28 June 2020 7:47 pm Leave a Comment

    This article is part of RPR’s “Everything You Need To Know About Web AR” education series and focuses specifically on Web AR Marketing and Advertising.

    In today’s attention economy, brands are looking for any opportunity to stand out amongst the sea of digital content that floods consumer’s devices. Imagine your target customer for a moment. Think about how many ads and interactions she has with various brands over the course of a day. If you guessed between 4,000 to 10,000 ads per day, you’d be right.

    This is exactly why many traditional advertising strategies get lost in the noise or caught in competition with competitors of “who can shout louder.” This is where Web AR Marketing and Advertising come to the rescue.

    Whether she’s checking her email with morning coffee, scrolling Instagram during her commute to work, or searching for the right gift for Father’s Day on Google, brands are paying a premium just to reach her—let alone engage her.

    For that brief moment that you’ve managed to present your brand in front of her, how are you going to make sure her experience is engaging and memorable, improving her overall perception of your brand?

    Marketing Benefits behind Web-based AR

    Enter Web AR. As the technology for developing AR experiences matures, you can now seamlessly deploy an AR experience to your customers across your preferred channels from social media to email.

    Within a few clicks, your customer can interact with your brand in the physical world, view products at home, try-on clothing items like sunglasses, or watch the founder of the brand talk and walk across your kitchen table.

    This powerful and engaging experience is the reason why the memory response to AR is 70% higher than non-AR and why brands using AR ads are seeing disproportionate results like a 520% increase in intent to purchase over the next six months (95x the benchmark for non-AR).

    These metrics are enough to make any marketing team jump for joy and join the AR bandwagon. And yet, adoption still does not reflect that sentiment. So, what’s the hold up?

    

    A study from the Boston Consulting Group found that while 9/10 brands are using or plan to use AR in their campaigns, only 1/10 indicate that AR is well integrated into their marketing strategy.

    Without a carefully considered approach for deploying Web AR marketing and advertising experiences to your customer, your campaign likely will not see the same results that some other brands are boasting from AR.

    At RPR, we work closely with our clients’ marketing stakeholders to understand the objectives of their Web AR campaign and ensure that we’re crafting a Web AR experience and campaign strategy that not only meets but surpasses your goals.

    To best achieve your Web AR campaign goals, we map out the customer journey, capturing the voice of the customer to understand how Web AR can solve current pain points and enhance the overall experience.

    First, we inventory the target customers’ most common interactions with the brand to determine which ones have the greatest influence on the customer. Then we focus on each interaction that we can impact and influence with Web AR.

    Those interactions that have the greatest influence on the customer are often referred to as ‘Moments of Truth’ (MoT). By inserting Web AR into the customer journey during MoTs, you are more likely to see the exponential results that Web AR can unlock.

    

    Let’s take, for example, a few of the high-level stages of a typical customer journey such as awareness, shopping, and loyalty. After completing the customer journey map, we can see exactly where Web AR has proven to help brands exceed their target KPIs and ultimately enhance the customer experience.

    Awareness

    We’ll start at the top of the customer sales funnel with awareness: your customer’s first interaction with your brand.

    Your customer first becomes aware of your brand through various channels: social media and digital advertising, physical advertising such as billboards, or by walking into the store. This is what we like to call the “browsing phase.” In this phase, your customer is looking for a product to fulfill a need and is hoping for a brand with mutual values.

    As a marketing team, your objectives for the awareness stage might be reaching more of your target customers and increasing engagement with the intent to turn these “browsers” into “buyers.”

    If you’re worried about reach, Web AR can be delivered to any of the approximately 3.4B smartphone devices in the market today.

    Without the need for an app, Web AR is frictionless and can be deployed across the channels that you are already using to engage your customers as simply as using a hyperlink or a QR code. There is absolutely no need to sacrifice your targeting to deliver a Web AR experience.

    

    Engagement, however, is where AR reigns supreme. According to P&G, during that first MoT with a customer, you have 3 to 7 seconds to convert them from a “browser” to a “buyer.” What is your brand doing to stand out and make sure that engagement counts?

    AR marketing campaigns have an average dwell time of 75 seconds, which is 4x that of mobile video. So, considering the importance of that first MoT with a new customer, you’ve just bought yourself ample time to convert him to a “buyer.”Web AR Marketing and Advertising for Shopping

    Let’s talk about how AR is already enhancing the shopping experience. From virtual try-ons to unique in-store experiences, AR has a variety of use cases for shopping that will help you increase conversions.

    With the online retail market making up 16.1% or about $4.2 trillion of the overall retail market and expected to reach 22% by 2023, brands know they need to create a standout digital shopping experience for their customers. Shopify has found that viewing 3D product visualizations result in a 2x boost (200 percent) in conversions. We can expect to see eCommerce platforms expanding their AR offerings to draw in more customers and increase conversions.

    In-store, brands are adapting to the mobile-first customer. 60% of shoppers look up product information with their phones while in-store. With a customer that is already used to pulling out her phone to use apps like Vivino, it’s not too much to ask her to scan a QR code and start an AR experience.

    

    Loyalty

    If your marketing organization is not thinking about and investing in loyalty, you are doing yourself a disservice. It costs about 5x more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an existing customer. Furthermore, your success rate of selling to an existing customer is 60-70% compared to 5-20% with new customers.

    Fortunately, AR presents a significant opportunity for loyalty and enhancing the experience of your existing customers as well. For many organizations, email marketing continues to be the most tried and trusted form of digital marketing. While AR, once again, is seeing disproportionate results through this channel.

    Virgin Holidays, for example, ran an AR-enabled email campaign that saw a 40% increase in email rates and a 75% increase in click-through-rates (CTR), a key indicator for engagement.

    In the spirit of reimagining antiquated loyalty channels, how about those plastic gift cards that sit in your kitchen drawer never to be used? At RPR, we’ve helped brands transition to exciting AR gifting experiences that enable their customers to simply purchase and send an AR gift to friends and loved ones.

    With AR gifting and our proprietary ‘photogrammetry’ process, your customers can send photo-realistic, 3D representations of the same products you sell in your store, digitally wrapped up in custom wrapping paper and accompanied by your personalized video message.

    We can even transport your customers to a 1-to-1 virtual representation of your stores, showrooms, or restaurants.

    AR ads are already starting to stick, and the technology is stepping into an exciting stage of viability and adoption. The next advancement that will push forward the ubiquity of AR ads will be native AR ads on any of the platforms where you currently serve ads.

    This is already being championed by platforms like Unity, Facebook, or Snapchat who are having successful beta tests. Soon enough, an ad for an IKEA couch will come across your Instagram feed and within a couple of clicks, you’ll be able to place that couch in your room and see exactly how it fits.

    

    Takeaway

    Web AR Marketing and Advertising is not just a temporary fad. Across the entire customer journey, it continues to prove its worth by setting record benchmarks compared to 2D ad metrics.

    With so much potential for creating your Web AR ad, we realize it can be a bit overwhelming. That is why we always start with your primary objectives and understand your campaign strategy.

    At RPR, we have a step-by-step process to help you answer the right questions first and then build the Web AR experience to achieve your needs.
    Contact us today for a free assessment of how you can harness the full power of Web AR for your next advertising or marketing campaign.

    See Also: Web AR Examples

23. American Heart Association Uses RPR’s Augmented Reality to Boost Its Youth Fundraising Program

    Tue 19 May 2020 11:27 am Leave a Comment

    A collaboration with Charity Dynamics and Rock Paper Reality shows augmented reality’s ability to accelerate app user numbers, fundraising, engagement, and revenue.

    

    [May 19, 2020] — The American Heart Association today announced a first of its kind partnership with Charity Dynamics, a provider of online marketing and fundraising solutions for nonprofits, and Rock Paper Reality (RPR), an augmented reality development and consulting agency, to use augmented reality and gamification to amplify the fundraising experience for students participating in Kids Heart Challenge.

    The Kids Heart Challenge program, rebranded last year, is a peer-to-peer fundraising program where students have the opportunity to learn about the heart, while at the same time, help raise money to support the mission of the American Heart Association. In order to more effectively mobilize the youth market, American Heart Association collaborated with Rock Paper Reality to create and bring to life Heart Hero’s on the Kids Heart Challenge mobile app, developed by Charity Dynamics. This is the third year RPR has teamed up with Charity Dynamics to deliver augmented reality as the driving experience in the Kid’s Heart Challenge app.

    The American Heart Association led with a mobile-first and augmented reality strategy to tap into the youth market. Within the first year they saw a significant impact to student engagement both in terms of registration and donations. It was released to over 15 million kids across the United States with an adoption rate of 50% amongst registered students and 30% of online donations coming through the mobile app.

    “The increased student engagement through the augmented reality features has been encouraging to see,” said Paisley Payton, the national youth market strategic director for the American Heart Association. “Using gamification, students are now excited to participate and are able to learn heart healthy tips, while fundraising. Mobile devices and interacting with augmented reality features are already second nature to today’s youth – by introducing these features as part of the Kids Heart Challenge mobile app, we’re providing our students a way to fundraise that’s natural to them.”

    RPR developed a series of animated 3D characters for an iOS and Android mobile interface. It encouraged kids to download the app and register for the program, in order to unlock and share AR experiences based on earning points and achieving fundraising goals in competition with other students. These included AR Face Filters, an AR coloring book, AR tattoos, and an interactive AR game. Students had dozens of items they could scan to receive an AR experience, which resulted in millions of AR scans.

    “The American Heart Association is using RPR’s leading edge technology to help bring the Kids Heart Challenge application to a new level of user engagement and excitement among the young, and as a tool to help drive their vision forward both from a mission and fundraising perspective. It’s energizing to see these students embrace augmented reality,” said Charity Dynamics CEO Kathy Kempff. “Augmented reality has become far more robust and now offers incredible potential and possibilities for custom development within the Boundless FundraisingTM mobile app.”

    “3D augmented reality content can tell a story in a way 2D media cannot, yet many brands remain confused about how best to capitalize on the opportunity and integrate the technology to drive real value,” said Patrick Johnson, CEO of RPR. “We take away that pain, helping companies navigate the AR jungle to find the best solution, across any channel and on any platform. By incorporating immersive storytelling experiences together with 3D photo-realism, RPR was able to breathe new life into the Kids Heart Challenge app and have helped them boost fundraising, recruitment, engagement and revenue. It’s particularly gratifying when working with an organization whose vision is to improve the health of kids.”

    READ THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE HERE.

    Download the Android/IOS app or for more info, please visit: IOS App / Android App

    About American Heart Association

    The American Heart Association is a leading force for a world of longer, healthier lives. With nearly a century of lifesaving work, the Dallas-based association is dedicated to ensuring equitable health for all. We are a trustworthy source empowering people to improve their heart health, brain health and well-being. We collaborate with numerous organizations and millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, advocate for stronger public health policies and share lifesaving resources and information. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

    About Charity Dynamics

    Charity Dynamics is a strategy, fundraising and online marketing firm for nonprofit organizations. Our staff has over 175 years’ experience working directly for nonprofits, working with organizations of all sizes, including some of the biggest names in the nonprofit and foundation world. Charity Dynamics delivers what charities need to help fulfill their missions: more awareness, supporters, engagement and donations. Our solutions include strategic consulting, creative services, fundraising solutions, and innovative technologies. At Charity Dynamics, our mission is to fulfill yours. For more information, please visit www.charitydynamics.com.

    About Rock Paper Reality

    Rock Paper Reality is an Augmented Reality design agency that works with companies to improve brand awareness and drive deeper communications with customers. Founded in 2017, RPR works with consumer and enterprise companies: from those just beginning to explore AR to those in need of a global rollout. Key industries include AR marketing, education, entertainment, and retail. RPR leadership has over a decade of experience working in the trenches of AR product and content development. The RPR team has delivered dozens of successful AR products and applications and received over a dozen technology patents in headworn and AR.  RPR has offices in Silicon Valley and Copenhagen.  For more information, contact us at hello@stage.rockpaperreality.com or visit us at: RockPaperReality.com, Twitter: @rockreality /LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rock-paper-reality

24. RPR’s CEO Joins AWE Online as Track Chair for Enterprise AR

    Mon 18 May 2020 6:23 pm Leave a Comment

    We are excited to announce that RPR’s CEO, Patrick Johnson, will be the Enterprise AR Track Chair at the upcoming AWE Online Event on May 28th. AWE is one of the largest AR-focused events in the world, and we highly recommend attending. There is a great lineup of speakers that specialize in Augmented Reality from companies and organizations such as Volvo, Dow Jones, Schlumberger, Koch Industries, and KLM.

    Patrick also organizes AWE Nite SF—the largest AR Meetup in the world. We are offering a limited-time discount for the AWE Online Event that brings the price down from $399 to only $99. Just add the following discount code at check out: AWENITESF99

    Message us if you have any questions and check out the Enterprise Track details below.

    May 28, 2020 – ENTERPRISE TRACK  LIVE STREAMS

    Snap Back to Reality, Here Comes Gravity

    11:30 AM – 11:50 AM
    Timmy Ghiurau | Volvo Cars Casper Wickman | Volvo Cars
    Hear from Volvo’s Lead Virtual Experiences, Timmy Ghiurau, about how he broke new ground with the multi-awarded Volvo Varjo collaboration by bringing technology forged in gaming into one of the leading brands in the automotive industry. Timmy will introduce their Product Simulator platform from Volvo Cars used for simulations and XR experiences, which will help Volvo Cars to shape the future of mobility, by enabling users to contribute in developing scenarios, and services for the automotive track.

    The Social Disruption of Telexistence

    11:50 AM – 12:10 PM
    David Varela | The Manufacturing Technology Centre Jose M Blanco Gomez | The Manufacturing Technology Centre
    Join David Varela and Jose M. Blanco Gomez of The Manufacturing Technology Centre’s advanced visualization team to explore the influence and impact of new telexistence paradigms. Learn how technology initially planned for space exploration will help to overcome actual society and workspace challenges here on Earth, thanks to next-generation breakthroughs in mixed reality, AI, and haptic and robotic technologies.

    Modern Wellsite Planning with Drones, 3D Images, and Augmented Reality

    12:40 PM – 01:00 PM
    Sergey Doronichev | Schlumberger
    In the commoditized environment of land oilfield operations, efficiency is the primary driver of profitability. Schlumberger has created a technology workflow, that increases the productivity of land operations through the utilization of drone mapping, 3D collaborative VR planning and AR-assisted execution.

    Spatial Dataviz Superpowers

    01:00 PM – 01:20 PM
    Roger Kenny | Dow Jones
    Spatial computing will transform how we understand data. Roger Kenny is a data viz expert from The Wall Street Journal who has been exploring spatial computing since 2015. In this talk, he will share some of what he has learned.

    How to Solve Employee Training Problems for Technical Systems or Operations using VR

    01:40 PM – 02:00 PM
    Dane Laughlin | Koch Industries Lou Pushelberg | Circuit Stream

    Learning by living memorable virtual experiences

    02:10 PM – 02:30 PM
    Sebastien Loze | Epic Games Myra LalDin | PERSPECTIVES
    Storytelling is as old as time itself. As humans, we have used stories for centuries to build collective knowledge, adapt, and to learn. With each new technology the way we experience stories, educate, and learning evolves. Now we are in the time of XR. We have lived the early years of XR technology dissemination and today we can begin to collectively reflect and share our knowledge on what is and is not working, what creates the most impact in XR for users, and how best to improve these experiences. In this session, two experts with very different backgrounds compare notes and share their experiences from the cognitive science perspective and the simulation technologies perspective. This is the beginning of a conversation establishing guidelines to augment learning by living memorable virtual experiences.

    AR in Defense Shipbuilding

    02:50 PM – 03:10 PM
    Ken Fast | Electric Boat Corp David Heath | Bath Iron Works Corp
    Bath Iron Works and Electric Boat are two large shipbuilders that are actively involved in deploying AR applications for direct manufacturing. This presentation will highlight some of the long history of advanced visualization technologies used in ship design. We will move on to more recent developments in the use of AR in the shipyard. We will discuss some of the unique challenges of doing R&D in the defense industry, and the difficulties of moving new technologies into a production setting. Both shipyards are part of the larger General Dynamics Corporation (GD). We will share lessons learned in the establishment of an XR working group across all the business units of GD, and some success stories of collaboration. Finally, we will show some examples of AR applications we are fielding in production, and touch on future plans.

    How the airline industry is embracing VR and AR with regard to sustainability and the changing customer value chain

    03:10 PM – 03:30 PM
    Jae Maloney | KLM Ashok Maharaj | TCS
    The Airline industry is facing challenges never faced before. How do we, as an industry, move forward becoming more environmentally savvy by embracing new XR and AI technologies; but, at the same time, remain competitive and profitable?

25. Top Interactive Agencies Interviews RPR’s CEO about the Future of Augmented Reality

    Mon 11 May 2020 4:28 pm Leave a Comment

    “WebAR technology is going to be a game changer for marketing and AR alike,”
    – Patrick Johnson, RPR CEO

    

    Last week, Top Interactive Agencies did a deep-dive interview into the future of Augmented Reality with RPR’s CEO, Patrick Johnson. The interview covered key AR questions such as Web AR Marketing, RPR’s research methodologies, and the next big trends for Augmented Reality agencies.

    We have included a few excerpts from the interview below, but you can read the full interview here.

    Can you provide one or two examples of your experience in dealing with usability studies, eye-tracking study, field study, or focus groups?

    Consumers have very low patience for learning new technologies before they lose attention and interest. For the past 3 years, RPR has been consulting Lenovo on their new AR Think Reality headset and software platform and developed their AR experiences that were showcased at the Augmented World Expo and CES 2020.

    Creating AR content for shows poses an even greater challenge because events are high-stress environments that must move people through the demo assembly line as quickly as possible. Before developing the AR experience, we always create user profiles that help us understand the intended user of the technology, how they will use it, and what their use case is.

    After validating the profiles with a sample of the intended users for validation, we refine and get to work. Once an MVP is created, we conduct recorded user testing where we observe the user while capturing user analytics on any steps that cause friction. We then interview the users using a point system to score usability and performance.

    As an end result for the Lenovo demos, we developed self-guided experiences for the events that required no external support from onsite staff. This reduced the need for Lenovo staff support and allowed the greatest number of attendees to engage with the product with as little friction as possible.

    Can you outline the research methodologies that give you greater insight?

    Along with usability studies, we always recommend that our clients in marketing and advertising include our AR launch strategy services when deploying a new AR program. Some of these services include:

    Competitor interviews— this is one of the most powerful services that we offer. We work with a company that helps us source knowledgeable stakeholders from competitive companies that have deployed comparable experiences and have insider knowledge. This helps us identify potential blind spots and ancillary opportunities before development. Ultimately, this allows us to incorporate successful solutions with proven success and steer clear of missteps on comparable AR programs.

    Customer interviews – before launching a project we like to speak with the primary source (i.e our customer’s customers) to help us verify our assumptions and guide our approach. Receiving customer profiles, demographic reports, and general buying behaviors from our stakeholders is always valuable. But what we have found is equally as important is speaking directly with the customer to ask the right questions that will help us inform our development and deployment strategies. Customers are often more willing to speak freely to us about what is and isn’t working since we are a 3rd party agency and they don’t have to worry about offending us.

    Customer Journey – after in-depth interviews with our clients and their customers and competitors, we develop a comprehensive customer journey map that looks across common customer touchpoints to identify where AR should be used to enhance the customer experience—from Awareness to Planning to Shopping to Loyalty.

    What would you say will be the next big trend in the interactive industry?

    The next big trend for marketing, the interactive industry, and AR is a new technology called WebAR. This is going to be a game-changer for marketing and AR alike.

    Essentially, WebAR (also known as web-based or app-less AR) allows users to initiate AR experiences through a simple hyperlink or QR code—no downloads or apps required. No friction.

    Everything is launched through your mobile browser. This means that companies in Consumer Package Goods can simply add a QR code to their product packaging or physical marketing materials that prompts the user to open their camera on their phone, scan the QR code, and then launch the experience. That easy!

    Or, if you’re advertising online, simply embed the clickable hyperlink into your ad or online store and users can now be directed to AR facefilters, AR games, or a product visualization experience that prompts your users to interact with your brand in exciting new ways. For more information on Web AR, read our “Everything You Need to Know About Web AR” series.

    Are there any AR app or websites that are worth mentioning?

    Our friends over at 8th Wall are the most robust development platform for Web AR development.

    Along with RPR, I co-organize the largest AR MeetUp group in the world: AWE Nite SF. We obviously won’t be having any events until the Covid-19 storm passes, but you can attend the Augmented World Expo online. For discount passes, email me (pat@stage.rockpaperreality.com) directly and I’ll set you up.

    You should also visit our friends over at Artillery Intelligence for all the latest AR analyst reports and trends. Mike Boland is the senior Analyst and your man when it comes to AR insights.

    And of course, visit Rock Paper Reality’s site and contact us for a free demo or to explore how AR can impact your business today.

26. Everything You Need to Know About Web AR

    Wed 15 April 2020 12:14 am Leave a Comment

    In this first installation of our Web AR 101 series, we will focus on the top questions we receive about this new technology. Technological advances in web-based AR (also known as Web-based AR and App-less AR) are creating new and exciting ways for companies to delight customers, drive brand engagement, and achieve measurable value.

    However, many people have never heard of Web AR. And if they are familiar with it, they still don’t fully understand how it works and why it will be the next big wave in consumer engagement. Lack of awareness and understanding of Web AR is exactly why RPR is launching an ongoing series that will help companies understand important topics such as:

    • Web AR 101: Everything You Need to Know
    • How to Harness the Full Value of Web AR for Marketing, Advertising, and Entertainment
    • How to Evaluate and Hire a Web AR Development Company
    • Web-Based AR versus App-based AR
    • Top Web AR Product and Business Strategies for 2020

    What is Web AR?

    

    In essence, the greatest difference between Web AR and app-based AR is that Web AR is accessed through your phone’s mobile browser rather than through an application. Like application-based AR, Web AR uses your phone’s camera to register computer-generated information and virtual experiences to the real-world. Think Pokemon Go, Ikea’s product visualization, or Google Translate’s AR feature.

    However, unlike app-based AR that requires the user to download and store an application on their phone (taking up time and space), Web AR is app-less, requires no downloads, and is a lower barrier to entry for users.

    As you can see in the step-by-step activation instructions below, AR Applications take (6) steps to initiate, while Web AR only takes (2) steps, which is a massive improvement.

    Sounds like a win-win, right? Well, for lots of AR marketing and AR advertising use cases it is the best solution. But Web AR does have performance, computer vision (tracking), and activation limitations. We’ll get into this topic more in our upcoming “AR App versus Web AR” article.

    How does Web AR work?

    In a lot of ways, Web AR can be thought of as an extension to your existing website.

    Since this article is primarily for helping companies understand Web AR and whether it is the right fit for your next initiative, we won’t get too “techie” on how Web AR is developed.

    For those interested in tech, there are a handful of platforms that support the creation of Web AR that are similar to normal web development platforms. One framework for building Web VR/AR experiences is  A-Frame–an entity component for Three.js, used for creating 3D and Web VR/AR scenes using HTML. RPR has also partnered with 8th Wall–the leading computer vision (i.e. SLAM Tracking) SDK for Web AR on the market.

    

    What’s great about 8th Wall is that it’s compatible with every mobile device, making it incredibly easy to deploy new experiences at scale to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

    Using QR codes in Web AR

    

    Web AR is typically initiated using either a hyperlink or a QR Code. For example, if you’re a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) company, to enable Web AR all you need to do is include a QR code on your product packaging or label. If creating new packaging is not possible, some companies we have worked with have used QR Code stickers. Not always ideal, but a work around in some cases.

    Most iOS devices have a QR code reader built into them. So if you have an iPhone, all you have to do to activate your Web AR experience is launch the camera app on your phone, point it at the QR code you want to scan, and click on the notification banner that pops up on the top of the screen to trigger your Web AR experience. It’s that easy!

    At RPR, we work with our clients to create custom QR codes that meet their creative style guides and branding needs. For example, when working with Morrison’s grocery chain in the UK, we created QR codes that used a deep-green color, leaves in place of the typical squares in the corners, along with the Morrison’s logo branded in the middle.

    Scan the QR code below to view photo-realistic carrots and Web AR in action!

    

    QR codes and SLAM tracking

    Depending on the requirements for the Web AR experience, the QR code can be used respectively or in a combination with the three ways below:

    1. To initiate your Web AR experience (as outlined above)
    2. To overlay digital information on it the same way you’d use an AR Marker in an app-based experience.
    3. To initiate the experience and then transition to SLAM tracking (Simultaneous Location and Mapping). This one is a bit more complicated but we’ll overview it below for those that are interested.

    SLAM is basically used to detect your surrounding environment using your phone’s camera, create a map, and to estimate the location of your device within that map. This approach is combined with additional sensors in your phone such as your accelerometer and gyroscope, and allows you to track your position in the environment.

    

    Sounds complicated? Basically, all you really need to know about SLAM is that it’s used in lieu of QR codes or markers since using markers for AR has limitations, such as your camera needs to maintain a specific distance to the marker or your camera will lose tracking and your digital information will “drift” away. With SLAM, for example, if you’re playing an AR game on your table, you can walk around your environment and don’t have to worry about keeping your marker close to your phone’s camera.

    On the other hand, using the Web AR QR code as an AR marker is straightforward. After pointing the camera at the QR code, virtual information will overlay on top of it (or, if it’s on a box, it can be perceived to be inside of it).

    For example, for product visualization, you can use a QR code to overlay a 3D model of the product onto a 2D advertisement. But if you move your camera too far away from the marker, you will lose tracking and your AR content will jitter or drift away.

    Using hyperlinks in Web AR

    Engaging customers with Web AR in-store (i.e. in situ) using QR Codes works well for customers interacting with a product or physical marketing materials such as a poster or flyer. But what about using Web AR online for marketing or advertising?

    With Web AR hyperlinks, you can connect to your key audience the same way you would through traditional advertising and digital channels such as:

    • Google Ads 
    • Social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)
    • Youtube
    • Email marketing
    • Text Messages

    After deploying Web AR for our clients through digital banner ads, many saw a surge of in-bound leads, longer engagements, and higher Click Through Rates (CTRs). When developing your Web AR strategy, it is often important to consider both your in-store products and promotions as well as how to best advertise and deploy Web AR experiences throughout your various digital channels.

    With our team of veteran digital and business strategists, we work with our clients to discover the most impactful ways to deploy new Web AR experiences both in-store and online.

    In many cases, we can repurpose some, if not all, of the content we develop for one channel and reuse it for others. This approach saves our clients time, money, and ultimately drives the most value. We will talk about the various strategies for deploying Web AR in our coming article “How to Harness the Full Value of Web AR.”

    Web AR cloud hosting and domains

    Finally, the last piece to the “How Does Web AR Work” puzzle to consider is what will be your Web AR URL and who will host the experience. At RPR, we have our own secure servers set up and ready to host and support your Web AR experience. We will also work with you on creating your unique Web AR URL.

    For example, when hosting your Web AR experience with RPR, you will get a custom URL that begins rpr.to/. After that, you can add your company or brand name or anything that you like, such as rpr.to/morrisons. However, although the URL path is ultimately up to your team, we recommend that the URLs are as short as possible–ideally (6) characters after rpr.to or less. This makes the data in the QR codes easier to read by QR code scanners. The less characters the user has to type into their browser the more likely they are to engage.

    After creating your custom URL for your Web AR experience, if you plan to use a corresponding QR code for the same experience, you will want to identify this before going to print so both redirect accordingly.

    RPR has competitive pricing for hosting and servicing your Web AR Experience. If interested in more information on “How Web AR Works” or want to discuss a specific Web AR project, please Contact Us anytime.

    Our next Web AR 101 post is coming soon. Stay tuned!

27. AWE Nite SF’s AR Gaming event is now available on YouTube!

    Mon 30 March 2020 1:00 am Leave a Comment

    The event was hosted by Emily Olman, CEO of Spatial First, and Patrick Johnson, CEO of Rock Paper Reality. It featured a killer presentation by Terry Schussler, Senior Director Spatial Computing, Deutsche Telekom and Tim Friedland, CEO, forwARdgame around 5G and multi-player gaming. Terry and I also dual it out in SCOAAR in Air Hockey in a match that comes down to the final seconds. Check it out!

    The show also featured a fantastic fireside chat with Amy Peck, Sr. Director Enterprise Content – HTC Vive, and Tom Emrich, VP, Product – 8th Wall. Amy dived deep into Tom’s highly anticipated AR Trends & How They Might Play Out in 2020.

    We would also like to give a huge thank you to Mike Boland for all his support and to Peter Halenbeck from the VRAR Association for editing the video. And a big thank you to Jo Ryall and the Microsoft Reactor for supporting the AWE Nite SF community with their great venue.

    Enjoy!

28. RPR’s CEO Presents: AWE Nite SF’s Apple Event!

    Wed 18 March 2020 9:22 pm Leave a Comment

    Last month Patrick Johnson, CEO of RPR, hosted an evening at the Verizon Innovation Center along with Apple to focus on all things ARKit—the largest AR platform in the world with hundreds of millions of AR-enabled iPhones and iPads.

    The event highlighted best-in-class ARKit experiences developed by 3rd party developers and an off-stage, ARKit demo by Rock Paper Reality that featured our new AR Gifting experience.

    It was great to see SpatialFirst co-founder Bart Denny take the stage to show off some of the latest features of the PlaceTime app followed by Allessandra McGinnis from  Apple who demoed Reality Composer.

    Check out the full agenda below:

    7:00-7:15PM: Welcome and introductions
    Mike Boland, Chief Analyst, ARtillery Intelligence | Editor, AR Insider
    Patrick Johnson, CEO & Founder, Rock Paper Reality

    7:15-7:20PM: Verizon Technology Development and 5G Ecosystems
    Dan Setterby’s, Manager, Product Technology

    AWE Nite Live Demos and Presentations
    7:20-7:30PM: Apple Presents: Reality Composer
    Presenter: Allessandra McGinnis, Sr. AR Product Marketing Manager, Apple

    7:30-7:40PM: SpatialFirst, Bart Denny – Co-founder

    7:40-7:50PM: JigSpace, Zac Duff, co-founder & CEO

    7:50-8:00 PM: Not a Bot studio Jyoti Bishnoi, Co Founder and CEO

    8:00-9:00PM:
    Networking with Apple
    Demos by Rock Paper Reality

29. RPR Presents New AR Gaming Experience At AWE Nite SF

    Tue 3 March 2020 1:36 am Leave a Comment

    Please join RPR at the Microsoft Reactor for AWE Nite SF’s March MeetUp on Thursday, March 5th!

    Hey Everyone! For anyone in the Bay on March 5th, check out the updated agenda for AWE Nite SF next week. We’ve got a killer line up of AR presenters. Space is limited so if you haven’t RSVP’d, you can do it here: https://lnkd.in/gZeGZ3S

    AGENDA

    7:00PM Welcome and Introductions
    Emily Olman, CEO & Co-Founder – SpatialFirst
    Patrick Johnson, CEO & Founder, Rock Paper Reality
    Mike Boland, Chief Analyst, ARtillery Intelligence | Editor, AR Insider

    7:10PM Executive Roundtable
    Tom Emrich , VP, Product – 8th Wall Amy Peck, Sr. Director Enterprise Content – HTC Vive

    7:30 forwARdgame & Deutsche Telekom / SCOAAR and AR Basketball
    Terry R. Schussler, Senior Director Spatial Computing, Deutsche Telekom
    Tim FriedlanCEO, forwARdgame (live via AR from Berlin)

    7:45 Microsoft Presents: Minecraft Earth and the past, present, and future of location-based games
    Em Lazer-Walker, Senior Cloud Advocate

    8:00 Demos and Networking with food and beverage

    Gaming Demos
    Rock Paper Reality
    SCOAAR
    AR Basketball

    AWE SANTA CLARA DISCOUNT CODE!

    Below is your AWE Nite SF code which offers the deepest discount we have – 25% over the current published price! Your code is especially valuable now while early bird rates are on until end of March as it offers double discount! AWE Nite SF Discount Code: AWENITESF25
    https://www.awexr.com/

    SPEAKERS

    Em Lazer-Walker
    Em is a Toronto-based artist/engineer and spatial computing cloud advocate at Microsoft. Most of her work focuses on using nontraditional interfaces to reframe everyday objects and spaces as playful experiences and to inspire people to become self-motivated learners.

    Tom Emrich
    Tom is recognized as one of the world’s leading thought leaders in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) & wearable technology. A pioneer in this space, Tom has over a decade-long track record of running tech teams and providing strategic direction in emerging technologies for powerhouse brands and organizations. He started working in augmented reality in 2009.

    Amy Peck
    From healthcare, education, retail, hospitality and entertainment to government and industrial use cases, Amy’s goal is to bridge the gap between the leading edge tech and clients ready to adopt the myriad solutions in the AR/VR stratosphere.

    Tim Friedland is the CEO and creative sparkplug of forwARdgame. Besides building exciting and innovative XR games, Tim is passionate about developmental psychology, speaks 5 human languages and 5 programming ones.

    Terry R. Schussler drives spatial computing research and innovation at Deutsche Telekom. He is focused on enabling us to becoming a heads up society which integrates digital experiences to enhance and not replace the real world ones.

30. An RPR Interview with Tony Parisi around AR Predictions for 2020

    Mon 27 January 2020 12:43 pm Leave a Comment

    If you were unable to make it to AWE Nite SF‘s event in December, “The Current AR Lifecycle,” it featured Patrick Johnson, CEO of Rock Paper Reality’s and his fireside chat with Tony Parisi, Global Head of AR/VR Ad Innovation – Unity Technologies. They discussed 2019 trends in AR and 2020 predictions. Check it out!

    They had a great discussion about the future of 3D modeling for AR, AR Retail, AR advertising and marketing, and the future of Augmented Reality experiences for consumers.

    They also dived into the value of Web AR (App-less AR experience), and it’s impact on the AR ecosystem. Web AR is a topic near and dear to RPR, as we believe Web AR will unlock massive potential and help proliferate AR to the consumer market.

    The video also includes a great panel moderated by Emily Olman, Founder of SpatialFirst, and features Ross Finman – AR Niantic, Tom Emrich – VP of Product at 8th Wall, and Dana Loberg Co-Founder at Leo AR .

    A big thanks to Peter Halenbeck with the VRARA for filming and editing the video!

    Next month Patrick will be hosting AWE Nite’s SF event that will be focused all on Apple and AR Kit. Rock Paper Reality will be featured at the event and will be showcasing their new AR Gifting application developed in partnership with Uptown Network.

    Hope to see you at our next AWE Nite SF in February at the Verizon Innovation Center. It’s going to be a killer show focused all around Apple. And remember to check out Rock Paper Reality–the augmented reality agency!

31. AWE Nite SF: The Holiday Party!

    Tue 17 December 2019 8:14 pm Leave a Comment

    Hey everyone!

    We have lined up some serious AR heavy-hitters and demos for the AWE Nite Holiday Party on Dec 17th, including a fireside chat with Tony Parisi. Check out the agenda below!

    Panel Moderator: Emily Olman, CEO & Co-Founder – SpatialFirst
    Patrick Johnson, CEO & Founder – Rock Paper Reality
    Matt Miesnieks, CEO – 6D.ai
    Ross Finman, AR – Niantic
    Dana Loberg, Co-Founder – Leo AR

    Fireside Chat
    Moderator: Michael Boland, Founder – ARtillery
    Tony Parisi, Global Head of AR/VR Ad Innovation – Unity Technologies

    Demos by:
    Gridraster
    SpaceVR
    Draw and Code

    Tickets are going fast so reserve your spot while they last. https://lnkd.in/giVHHSb

    Hope to see you at the show!

32. 5 Simple Ways Augmented Reality Can Change Retail

    Thu 31 October 2019 5:40 pm Leave a Comment

    Augmented Reality is going to be a game changer for both eCommerce and brick and mortar businesses alike.

    For example, AR product visualization is great for more expensive items like furniture and cars where there is a requirement for boosting consumer confidence and reducing returns. But as of today with AR commerce, conversion rates are incredibly high while reach is still small but growing.

    

    The consumer journey from visualization to other conversion milestones is a full-funnel medium that will continue to attract more consumer brands and we expect AR retail to explode over the next few years.

    As a corollary to advertising, Artillery projects $12.7 billion in products to be purchased through AR interfaces by 2023 (not counted as “AR revenue”)*. This will also drive affiliate revenue for AR ad-tech startups to the tune of $404 million by 2023.

    But one challenge eCommerce and brick and mortar are facing is the scalability of 3D content. 3D asset creation at scale is often a challenge for many companies. It can be expensive, time-consuming, and not super scalable. This is why RPR has developed optimized processes such as photogrammetry and proprietary 3D modeling techniques that help companies scale their 3D modeling initiatives.

    Below are 5 simple ways Augmented Reality can improve the consumer shopping experience and drive more sales.

    AR Clothing Shopping

    Want to try on clothes in the comfort of your own home? Or want to see if your size is in stock, how it’ll fit in-store before trying it on, or have it shipped directly to your home? RPR developed a custom AR fashion experience in collaboration with Mastercard and Saks Fifth Avenue that allows users to try photorealistic clothes onto a digital mannequin both in-store and at home. The experience drives consumer engagement and improves buyer confidence by allowing users to understand the fit and flow of fabric on a 1-to-1 scale.

    AR Furniture Shopping

    Houzz is using product visualization with great success. Houzz says product visualization boosts conversions by 11x and consumer spend levels by almost 3x. This is a major value-add to Houzz’s bottom line and exactly why we have developed applications that allows users to drop at-scale furniture in your home or office before you buy it. This allows users to stage home furniture to see how it all fits together and helps consumers feel more confident with their purchase decisions.

    AR In-store Navigation

    Ever get lost in the mall? Wonder where your favorite store is or just looking for a specific item? With indoor navigation technology and your own personal AR concierge, you can receive their own custom map and mall experience based on the stores you want to visit.

    AR Grocery Shopping

    AR can help you make better choices at the grocery store. Scan a label and see all the ingredients for a recipe, wine pairings, where to find the item in the store and whether it’s in stock. Set a weight loss goals and let your AR assistant analyze what you buy and what you eat to keep you on track.

    AR Visual Search (Street Buys)

    Visual search, a la Google Lens, identifies objects using the smartphone camera or AR glasses. As an ad medium, visual search engines such as Google will see strong performance and premiums due to high consumer intent (just like core search). For example, with visual search you can pass by a backpack or jacket you like, scan it with your phone, and instantly see the brand, reviews, and where to buy.

    For more information on how RPR can improve your retail business experience with AR, Contact Us today for a free consultation and demo.

    Look forward to hearing from you and happy shopping!