Patrick is recognized in the industry as an AR thought leader, with 7 years of research, advising, presenting, and strategizing on AR technologies. He has integrated dozens of AR solutions for startups and Fortune 500s alike, generating millions in new opportunities and savings while building a network of over 25,000 relationships in enterprise and AR.
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
According to ABI Research by 2022, over 120,000 stores will leverage augmented reality. With the number of AR-capable devices in the world expected to grow to over 4 billion, companies should take note. Augmented Reality in fashion is transforming the way companies engage customers. This technology enables customers to experience products virtually from the comfort of their homes. AR can help consumers understand what they’re buying, making it easier to meet customer expectations.
Ultimately, this leads to higher-post purchase satisfaction and increases brand loyalty. In this article, we’ll discuss Augmented Reality in fashion, how it helps brands increase customer engagement, and how to build brand loyalty with AR.
Augmented vs. Virtual Reality: What’s the Difference?
Often the terms Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are used interchangeably. While they are similar, they are two distinct technologies. Both provide rich visual experiences with 3D high-definition video and audio. The most significant difference between the two is that VR is completely immersive while AR is partly immersive.
Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality provides a fully immersive digital experience that completely replaces a real-world environment. A person experiences vision, hearing and sometimes other senses through a digital device, usually a headset.
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality provides a real-world experience as an overlay. The technology can recreate a realistic environments by layering videos, images, and 3D content on top of real-world objects. Delivering AR experiences is not limited to headsets. AR can be deployed on smartphones, with projectors, and non-specialized hardware as well.
Advantages of Using Augmented Reality in Fashion
Studies have shown that people can retain up to 80% of what they see, but only 20% of what they read and 10% of what they hear. These figures show why it is even more important for companies to leverage new technology to provide more visually appealing experiences. The benefits of using augmented reality in fashion are many and include the following:
Differentiation
The novelty of AR is exciting to consumers. Many will find AR entertaining and rewarding. They often want to try it again and refer friends. With AR, companies can create the impression that there is no perceived product substitute thus eliminating pricing as a competitive strategy. When customers believe there is no substitute, they are more likely to keep your brand at the top of mind when making purchasing decisions.
Augmented Reality in Fashion Increases Revenue
Companies using Augmented Reality benefit from increased revenue. When customers experience products before purchasing them, it deepens their sense of ownership. Customers who feel as though they already own the product are likely to purchase. Think fashion retail rep that is eager for you to try on that new pair of shoes. When you try them on, you are 80% more likely to purchase them.
The AR experience is also a great opportunity for companies to educate customers and offer more in-depth content beyond the packaging and label. It also presents the perfect opportunity to upsell companion products or accessories.
Immersive experiences are also a great way to drive customers to brick-and-mortar locations. Customers may want to visit the store to ask questions, see products in person or explore additional products the company may offer.
AR isn’t limited to online stores. Companies with brick-and-mortar locations can use technology in the store to enhance the shopping experience. For example, Walmart developed an AR app to drive customers to the stores in December 2018. Customers would scan codes with their phones to activate AR content sponsored by consumer brands. AR activities also included virtual sleigh rides, mini-games and face filters. Shoppers could then share these experiences on social networks. All of which helped to drive additional shoppers to the stores.
Retail store Tilly’s used AR in 2017 to sponsor a treasure hunt tied to back-to-school shopping. The app allowed customers to search the store for coins to receive discounts.
Rich and Immersive Customer Experience
Immersive experiences elicit emotion which is a significant factor in a consumer’s decision to purchase a product. The phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” is key to marketing and advertising initiatives. Studies have shown that 47 percent of consumers acknowledged that immersive technologies make them “feel more connected with products” while shopping online.
Immersive experiences elicit emotion which is a significant factor in a consumer’s decision to purchase a product.
Rather than forcing a consumer to imagine how a product will look, augmented reality in fashion allows the user to experience the product firsthand, in a digital environment.
Potential to Go Viral
Immersive experiences are often worth talking about. That alone gives it a shareability factor, which encourages people to pass it along. Viral content means people are sharing it nonstop with family and friends. Augmented Reality can help you gain a larger audience for your product.
Going viral increases brand recognition. Fashion companies need brand recognition to build trust and acceptance. Once trust is established, customers are more likely to try the experience for themselves and are more likely to become customers.
Another benefit of going viral is that it can help reduce costs on marketing. Sharable experiences mean customers will promote your product for you.
Augmented Reality in Fashion – Reduces Returns
According to research firm Statista, product returns can cost as much as $550 billion per year. One of the main reasons for returns is that the product didn’t meet the customer’s expectations. They bought a product based on a stock photo, only to realize upon receiving it, that it wasn’t what they imagined.
Allowing customers to experience the product in a augmented world lets them see first hand whether they will like it. Retail giant Macy’s “try before you buy” AR product visualization helped the company reduce return rates to less than two percent.
Augmented Reality In Fashion – Boosts Buyer Confidence
Buyers want to be confident in their purchasing decisions. It has been shown that 47 percent of consumers are willing to pay extra for a product if they could customize or personalize the immersive experience.
Gain Valuable Consumer Insights
Conducting market research is invaluable to improving marketing efforts. AR technology keeps users engaged with the product which gives marketers insight into valuable information. Marketers can gather information such as:
What fashion products are the most popular?
What products are the least popular?
How long does it take for a customer to decide on a product?
What features are most important to customers?
What new features do customers want to see?
This information is beneficial to help companies reach out to previous customers with customized ads. It can also be used to guide indecisive customers down the sales funnel. If a company has insights into why customers leave without purchasing, they can craft their sales funnel to encourage customers to continue the sales journey.
Social Media AR Fashion Filters
Augmented Reality filters work with your camera to generate special effects for images. The filter superimposes these effects on top of faces. Social media users are excited about filters, as they provide a novel way to express themselves and communicate with other users and brands.
Benefits of Social Media AR Filters
According to Instagram, one-third of the most viewed Instagram stories were for businesses. Additionally, people use AR filters an average of 75 seconds, which is 4x longer than mobile video. All of this presents a huge opportunity for the fashion industry to build a brand following using AR filters.
Filters provide a memorable experience, which is great for increasing brand recognition and improving customer loyalty. Companies that provide great filters give customers something to talk about and ultimately share with others. The result of which increases a company’s market reach with very little expense.
Fashion Brands Using Social Media AR Filters
Several large brand names are using filters to attract new customers and engage existing customers. Each provides a unique approach, but the ultimate result is a fresh experience to user engagement with the product.
Gucci
Luxury designer Gucci used an AR filter that presents a holographic pearlescent tiara. Named “I See You”, the filter was designed to celebrate self-expression.
H&M
Retailer H&M created six AR filters to promote a collection of clothing inspired by 1990s streetwear.
Calvin Klein
Designer Calvin Klein created three interactive filters. The “MyCalvins Mood” filter acts as it suggests and allows users to select one of three mood colors. The “CK Everyone” filter has the phrase “I love every one of me” that follows the user’s movement. Lastly, the “Deal With It” filter acts as a halo.
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton released a filter tied to the League of Legends game, for which the company designed outfits for the characters.
Augmented Reality in Fashion: Virtual Fittings and Try-Ons
A virtual fitting room allows customers to try on outfits from the comfort of their homes. They can view the product’s size, style and fit before purchasing.
The global virtual fitting room market is projected to grow from $3.50 billion in 2021 to $12.97 billion in 2028. Studies have shown that 97 percent of consumers have abandoned a shopping purchase because it wasn’t convenient enough. Virtual fitting rooms offer a more convenient way for customers to try on products. Additionally, 34 percent of shoppers think virtual fitting rooms make online shopping more fun.
Brands Using Virtual Try-Ons
Saks Fifth Ave
Saks Fifth Ave shoppers can view RPR’s virtual clothing configurator using smart glasses or a phone. Customers can visit the virtual clothing rack in-store or at home. The store’s AR experience also makes recommendations about related clothing and accessories.
GOAT
GOAT uses an AR try-on feature that allows shoppers to try on sneakers before purchasing.
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren’s approach to AR was to install virtual mirrors in the in-store fitting rooms. The mirrors detect which items the shopper has bright into the fitting room to give them a virtual try-on session. According to the company, the mirrors have an engagement rate of 90 percent.
Warby Parker
Eyeglass shoppers can avoid the hassle of trying on glasses in a brick-and-mortar store. Instead, the Warby Parker app allows shoppers to see the glasses on their faces to determine a style that suits them.
Immersive Brand Experience
Augmented reality in the fashion industry allows companies to build their brand by delivering an immersive experience. Through these environments, companies can create spaces that enable customers to engage with the brand uniquely.
Virtual Fashion Shows
Fashion brand Balenciaga held a virtual reality runway show for its autumn/winter 2021 collection. The company presented the event through a virtual reality game “Afterword: The Age of Tomorrow.” The show was presented through Oculus glasses which were sent to 330 guests around the world.
Organizers can use these types of virtual shows to allow guests to experience the event up close and personal, all from the comfort of their homes. They can even provide exclusive content such as a virtual backstage visit. Ultimately, these types of events create high customer engagement and brand association.
Product Launches
Augmented reality can take the monotony out of product launches. Whether using app-based or web-based AR, a virtual product launch is a fresh new idea that puts the product directly in the consumers’ hands without the need for in-person demos. It is a cost-effective way of showcasing a product without the need for costly shipping and returns costs for customers to try on products.
Launching a product using AR allows companies to capture a consumer’s complete focus. When immersed in an augmented world, customers are less likely to be distracted thus allowing them to completely evaluate the product.
Product launches using AR afford companies complete control over designing the space. They can create new and exciting worlds and backdrops for customers to experience the product.
Augmented reality for fashion retailers is a game-changing solution for engaging customers. The technology gives companies a competitive edge by providing a unique and immersive experience for customers to explore the product first-hand in a virtual world. Giving the customer a chance to try on the product from the comfort of their home empowers them to be confident in their purchasing decision. Ultimately, engaged and satisfied customers are likely to be loyal customers.
Choose the Right Augmented Reality Fashion Parter
If you plan to use AR or WebAR to enhance your product line, it’s important to choose the right partner. You need to work with an agency with a track record for successfully deploying Augmented Reality in Fashion. Not only should this partner grasp the technical know-how of AR, but they should also have 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. Watch the RPR showcase reel for some more AR experiences in action.
Contact us today for a free demo of how our clients have achieved strong ROI with our proven AR solutions.
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
RPR Developed The World’s First Cylindrical Target Tracking WebAR Experience
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.
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.
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
Brands can use WebAR to elevate even the simplest packaging or product designs.
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
Delighting customers is a surefire way to win them over..
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.
The results from the WebAR Wine Experience welled exceeded expectations with: 144M impressions worldwide, 5mins of dwell time from mobile users versus (Siduri web users only spend 1:40 seconds on average on the website), and 46 PR hits.
WebAR in the Beverage Industry – De Bortoli Wines
Augmented Reality on-bottle experience.
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.”
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
Augmented Reality for Beer, Wine, and Spirits enhances the user experience and delivers value.
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.
