Joachim Scholz, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Brock University’s Goodman School of Business, had a piece recently published in Adweek about the need for firms to create immersive and exciting experiences when promoting their brand using augmented reality technology.

He writes:

“Augmented reality has received much attention over the last few months as stores closed their doors and consumers sheltered in place.

 AR brings the in-store buying experience into consumers’ homes. Shoppers can see how a new pair of glasses, cute summer dresses or freshly dropped sneakers look like on their own faces, bodies and feet, thereby increasing confidence when buying online. And even as physical stores reopen around the world, AR is a good solution for customers who worry about trying on items that have been touched by countless hands before them.

Augmented reality is clearly having a moment. However, thinking about AR only in terms of an ecommerce play can badly backfire for brands. Helping customers gauge the dimensions and looks of products is important, but this is merely a very narrow slice of AR’s potential for marketing. As marketers, we not only want to reassure customers, we wish to excite them.”

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