Augmented reality presents a great opportunity
In the APA’s latest blog post, Julia Hutchison says with the right combination of creativity, technology and imagination, AR could become a driving force for the print industry and a vital tool for the brand marketer…
Like any great pop legend knows, in order to survive, you must change. Madonna knows it, so does Cliff. And now the humble printed page is getting in on the revitalising act by introducing innovations to make content burst off the page and add an extra dimension to the reading experience.
Augmented reality (AR) is one of those technologies that looks better than it sounds. While the name conjures up visions of a marketing meeting gone bad, the actual effect is a fantastic convergence of print, digital and video that’s creating excitement on both sides of the client-agency fence.
The idea is that a reader will download an app, then hold their smartphone over a specially created page of a magazine or catalogue. The image of the page will then suddenly come alive on the screen, offering video, animation, a computer game or extra information superimposed onto the page.
Unlike QR codes, where the reader is transported away from the page to a website, AR uses the page as the basis for more content – one doesn’t work without the other. A great example is the relaunch issue of Virgin Media magazine. By using their smartphones, readers could watch exclusive film trailers, access a video game created especially for the issue, and watch Sir Richard Branson give an introduction to the magazine.
But it’s not just editorial content. Volkswagen Norway demonstrated how ads can be interactive by inviting readers to download an app to test-drive one of their cars. On an empty road that spanned three pages of a magazine, the reader could try out three new Volkswagen features: lane assist, adaptive lights and adaptive cruise control.
A little more saucy is the Moosejaw catalogue. The American clothing company recently released their new catalogue full of models wearing the latest outdoor apparel and skiwear. But pass a smartphone or iPad loaded with the Moosejaw app over its pages, and the models suddenly lose their clothes and are left standing in their underwear.
However readers seek their thrills, there’s little doubt that AR presents a great opportunity for brands. While research shows that people still prefer to read printed content than digital, print needs to get closer to the immediacy and range of content that digital offers – not to mention the opportunities for m-commerce.
With the right combination of creativity, technology and imagination, AR could become a driving force for the print industry and a vital tool for the brand marketer.
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