5 great augmented reality examples for brands in retail

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With even more (financial) proof from The Drum’s reporter Laurie Fullerton that AR, VR and proximity tech is set to redefine how we interact with the world around us we thought we’d share 5 great examples of augmented reality in the retail sector

With even more (financial) proof from The Drum’s reporter Laurie Fullerton that AR, VR and proximity tech is set to redefine how we interact with the world around us we thought we’d share 5 great examples of augmented reality in the retail sector.

With augmented reality, virtual reality and proximity technology, every brand asset and brand environment is a digital connection waiting to happen and, as the following examples of our work shows, this new mixed reality world presents brands with a whole new heap of digital opportunities:

1. BiC DrawyBook augmented reality game experienceFaced with a growing number of kids turning to tablets for creative inspiration, BiC®Kids created a unique AR gaming experience to help kids unlock their creativity.

Children can bring their drawings to life and into the interactive story using augmented reality. BiC has also released a new colouring book product (available in store and online) which uses the same DrawyBook app to enable kids to interact with the pages using AR.

You can check out the DrawyBook in action here.

2. Tesco brings the store to the home using augmented realityTry before you buy is a great marketing strategy but difficult to pull off with all products.

Tesco managed to implement the strategy with soft furnishing products by enabling their customers to visualise key products in their own home with an augmented version of their Home Book catalogue.

Take a peak at the cushion visualiser here.

3. New Look targets teen audience with augmented reality Student CardsJust like it’s own fast-moving fashion products, New Look is always on the look out for new ways to engage and connect with its digital-savvy target audience.

New Look’s UAE team launched an AR campaign which encouraged users to scan their New Look Student Card to reveal special offers and interactive features. With social integration built in, the leading fashion retailer created a real buzz around their offering whilst also capturing a range of contextual data which was fed back into subsequent campaign activity.

See how student’s created their own New Look using AR here.

4. Disney team up with Tesco to deliver augmented reality magicAs every marketer knows, creating compelling social content is key for building brand awareness and nothing beats a selfie for instant social gold.

With this in mind, and with a new range of Disney Frozen products to promote in-store, Tesco used AR to create the ultimate celebrity selfie experience. Tesco customers could choose from a range of Frozen characters to have their selfie with and innovative face tracking technology was used to customise the selfies.

Find out how Tesco achieved over 300k views in one weekend with the help of augmented reality.

5. Lacoste give shoppers a virtual try on experience using augmented realityAnd last but not least, an AR retail experience we created for Lacoste which still gets amazing reactions when we showcase it to marketers.

A new LCST product range, a young, mobile-first audience and an in-store experience which allows shoppers to use their mobiles to virtually try-on the trainers and share the experience with their social network.

Take a look at the LCST promo video here.

AR and VR set to generate $150 billion by 2020So, there we have it, some augmented reality inspiration for retailers that highlight just some of the many new digital opportunities that the bright new mixed reality world holds for brands and products.

If digital transformation is core to the future of your business then an AR and VR market which is set to generate $150 billion in revenue by 2020 has to be a place well worth investing in.