5 reasons why WebAR should be part of your marketing plan

Augmented reality is transforming marketing and advertising. According to industry analyst firm ARtillery Intelligence, augmented reality (AR) advertising has grown from around half a billion dollars in global revenue in 2019 to $1.41 billion in 2020 and is expected to surpass $8 billion. dollars by the end of 2024.

Augmented reality was already poised to become the next big revolution in digital marketing, but with the pandemic forcing most of the world to shelter in place, it has accelerated that shift, forcing marketers to find new ways compelling ways to virtually engage consumers. Augmented reality, especially WebAR or web-based augmented reality, is uniquely positioned to help marketers and brands engage consumers wherever they are to successfully achieve their marketing goals.

Here are 5 reasons why WebAR should be part of your marketing plans this year.

1. WebAR engages consumers wherever they are

Whether it’s a portal to teleport consumers into a branded environment, an animated wine bottle label to tell a story, or a virtual try-on of a pair of sunglasses, reality augmented brings the experience to your customer wherever they are, including at home. WebAR transforms the world, objects and even the consumer themselves into part of an extraordinary digital experience, making the individual an active participant in your campaign.

The interactive nature of AR causes consumers to spend a lot of time with branded content, which in turn leads to increased brand recall and sentiment. In fact, according to a recent report from Accenture, 50% of consumers are more likely to remember brands that regularly use them with immersive technologies and 47% say immersive technologies make them feel more connected to products.

2. WebAR has massive reach

Our smartphones have become powerful augmented reality machines, and WebAR uses the massive reach of mobile to give marketers the scale they need to get results. 8th Wall WebAR technology supports nearly 3 billion smartphones on iOS and Android platforms. The reach becomes even greater for 8th Wall WebAR Face Effects which can be used on smartphones, tablets and desktop computers with a webcam.

With the ability to reach consumers at scale, WebAR campaigns are built for great success. K5 Factory, in cooperation with its partners from 3ltr Werbung & Film, launched an AR web promotion for Müller Milchreis, a multinational dairy producer. Consumers received a QR code on some yogurt packages and were asked to scan the code to summon an AR character who would virtually open the lid to reveal if they had won a prize. K5 Factory reported that over 1 million unique AR experiences have been enabled through this campaign.

3. WebAR does not require any app to download

One of the biggest barriers to augmented reality adoption has been the need to download an app. WebAR removes this friction entirely. With WebAR, consumers simply click on a link or scan a QR code to immediately engage in an AR experience in their phone’s browser – no app needed. The ease and accessibility of WebAR results in higher engagement and also makes it easier for consumers to share the experienceencouraging virality.

Buu Digital, in collaboration with Publicis and Zombie Studio, used WebAR to power a campaign for Brazilian bank Bradesco. The experience was promoted with a 3-minute TV spot aired on the Globo network during “The Voice Brasil” season semi-final. The spot featured an on-screen QR code that, when scanned, opened the WebAR experience where animated fireflies danced around the consumer’s space. The easy-to-access experience by scanning a code on a TV screen enabled 250,000 users to simultaneously take advantage of WebAR activation within the first five minutes of commercial broadcast.

4. WebAR fits into your existing marketing mix

Because WebAR is browser-based, the experience can easily be integrated into all parts of a 360-degree marketing plan. A WebAR link can be distributed as part of an email newsletter, SMS message or push notification. It can also be used as a destination for any digital advertising. A QR code can be displayed on television, printed on packaging or signage, or displayed in store windows or at events. WebAR can also be showcased and experienced in native apps, including popular social networks, as well as embedded directly on a brand’s website.

A prime example of WebAR as part of a larger campaign was an experience created for Sony Pictures by Trigger–The Mixed Reality Agency for the release of the feature film “Jumanji: The Next Level”. In this WebAR experience, consumers placed a tabletop version of the Jumanji world in their own space so they could explore various scenes from the film in 3D. The WebAR experience was part of an overall campaign that included an Amazon page takeover and digital ad spend. This campaign resulted in over 5 minutes spent in the experience, more than double the average time spent in WebAR.

5. WebAR has proven results

According to Accenture, 64% of major consumer brands are starting to invest in immersive experiences. Indeed, WebAR is already used by major brands across all verticals and these experiences demonstrate ROI including high usage, high downtime and high engagement.

Rose Digital used WebAR to help New York fashion brand KHAITE bring its Spring 2021 footwear collection to life. Consumers scanned a QR code found in the KHAITE lookbook to drop virtual 3D shoes into their space so that they can get up close and see them from all angles. This experience resulted in a 400% increase in sales for KHAITE and an increase in customer engagement time of over 4 minutes.

With massive reach and a frictionless experience, WebAR is ready today to engage your consumers wherever they are and help you achieve your marketing goals. For more examples of marketers and brands already using WebAR, check out the 8th Wall blog.

Download the 8th Wall WebAR fact sheet for insights you can share with your team and clients.