The idea that “The first impression is the last impression,” is true for the packaging aspect in commerce. In business terms, packaging is the first thing about the product that attracts a customer. For a long time, packaging was carried in the traditional boxing method, but the trends have changed now. The introduction of technology in the entrepreneurship realm has changed the entire business dynamics.
Newer ideas such as the integration of augmented reality in various fields have provided a new direction, and the current surge of using augmented reality packaging has created a unique opportunity for businesses to expand. Augmented reality packaging has really taken off, allowing numerous brands to expand significantly. Other names are now picking up behind them, which brings us to the question: How good is augmented reality packaging? Is it worth taking a shot?
Augmented Reality Packaging – What is it?
For those who don’t know, augmented reality is the exact opposite of virtual reality. It involves merging digital media into the physical world, creating newer images and other content projected onto real world objects. The entire principle of augmented reality packaging is based on three fundamentals: combining the real with the physical world, real-time interaction between these two, and accurate three-dimensional registration of virtual and real objects.
When the image overlaps or projects in the real world, it creates a unique effect for the customer to interact with. AR packaging is a concept that allows brands and businesses to present their products with an endless amount of options. By placing crucial information about the product and bringing in additional resources such as discounts, new features, and coupons, AR packaging has a lot for businesses to bring to the table.
The Introduction of AR Packaging in Business
The concept of augmented reality is pretty old, yet it took a long time to bring it to its present form. The earliest example of using AR goes back to 2000 when the game Quake was launched. Users had to wear a backpack with gyroscopes to play this game so immersively. Then came the Snapchat filter upsurge, which featured different masks and other interactive features to use in the cameras. Since then, AR has seen a significant rise in usage and many businesses have now switched to this model for their marketing.
According to sources, it was Nike that first used this feature for one of their collaborations. When they were working with Kyrie Irving, a basketball player, they used AR to increase their publicity for the release. To gain special access to the new product, users had to collect a code from four emojis. These were distributed by influencers working for Nike for the shoes’ promotion. After collecting all four of those codes, users had to enter them in Messenger to get a close look at the Kyrie 4 Red Carpet from all angles.
It was a cumbersome project, but it created a new path for many brands. Since then, the idea of using AR for different purposes took off, and that was the case with using it for packaging. Brands like Jack Daniels, Mojokaii, and many others brought in their innovations to create an even larger consumer base spread across continents. This gave smaller brands a chance to take a step with little to no cost on expensive packaging, but rather using innovation to reach out.
Who’s Using This Concept?
Augmented reality has really dug its roots in the packaging business. Recently, there has been a significant increase in companies employing IT experts to design creative ideas to market their products on social media. Take a look at some of these incredible masterpieces:
Food and Beverage
During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Belgian alcohol manufacturer Budweiser employed AR in their social media campaigns for marketing. They had already designed their cans according to the different nations competing in the tournament. Users could scan these different bottles to see a bunch of animations pop up on the camera, adding a dose of punch to the competition.
In the same manner, Watson’s designed some of their drinks and used AR packaging for the promotions. Scanning these real-life cans played interesting animations and redirected to different offers.
Fine Wine and Good Spirits
Martell Noblige, a company specializing in cognac, is also among the first users of the technology. Scanning a QR code presented an immersive display on the screen, which also entailed a historical timeline of the company’s success.
Cosmetics and Beauty
L’Oreal, one of the world’s leading brands in cosmetics and skincare products, used AR packaging in one of the most amazing ways possible. Customers received a special card which, upon scanning, played an incredible 3D animation that unveiled a date and time for a special event. You could even hold it in your palm and look from any side, thanks to the powers of the gyroscope and 3D features.
Luxury Gifts
Few other companies have as much dazzle as Dior, and their idea of bringing AR to their products is a bit different. Users can scan their special products to obtain a special effect for their camera. By viewing it from every angle, the user gains access to a special filter they can use to take selfies with.
Why Everybody is Experimenting with The Idea
There’s no doubt that every new brand is starting their marketing campaigns with AR packaging, and those with a reputable name for years are now switching to it. Whatever brand you can think of, everybody is now testing and applying AR packing methods.
Fashion brands like Burberry, Gucci, and Adidas, automobile industries like Acura, reputable furniture brands such as IKEA, and a large number of other names are also involved with using AR to market their products to more and more potential customers.
These companies market their products in three simple ways: they will either add a custom animation to the product, providing a different aesthetic according to the item’s nature. Another interesting approach is to use this graphic to present something valuable about the company or the object to present.
The last and most used technique is to integrate a small, fun game between the physical and digital world, allowing the user to interact with products and find out more about them.
The question is, what advantage does AR packaging provide? Here’s a look at it.
- Customers have an enhanced shopping experience without ever leaving their home. 68% of customers believe they can shop for a longer time in a retail store if they can use AR.
- Brands have the freedom to keep updating their products. A fresher content can bring more users to the product, thereby increasing potential buyer influx.
- With AR, customers have the ease of visualizing the product at the moment. This means that they wouldn’t have to actually buy the product if they don’t like it.
- As only customers who see and test the product from AR packaging, the amount of returns due to a difference in quality or build is lesser, thereby boosting sales and product success.
- AR packing provides a better opportunity to present the product with as much information as possible in the first glance. Customers who have a better understanding of the product from the first interaction are more likely to buy the product, so AR packaging provides the right opportunity to do so.
- With better sales and good reviews, brands are now able to build a larger customer base in different markets who are less likely to look towards their competitors.
FAQs
Question 1: What does AR packaging do?
AR packaging showcases different products from brands for interaction within the real world in a digital form. Users can scan the product or a code to see these images in their cameras and interact with them in an intermittent state between the two worlds. Brans use sharp 3D images, sound effects, and animations to do quality AR packaging.
Question 2: What is the benefit of using AR packaging?
AR packaging is an easy alternative for marketing. As compared to expensive ad campaigns on television and billboards, social media and the digital world is a cheaper option and a much bigger world to interact with new potential customers. Moreover, it also provides useful information about the product on the device rather than visiting a retail store, providing ease.
Conclusion
To sum it up, AR packaging is the future. Big brands like Nike, Adidas, and L’Oreal have already made significant progress in this field, and are now expanding their markets by reaching out to newer people. Entrepreneurs are now focusing on social media and AR to promote their ideas as quickly as they can. There’s certainly more work in this field than others currently.
If you’re looking for a company to help with your product’s sales through AR packaging, look no further than Kivisense! Our team consists of trained professionals with ample experience in the subject. With a diverse and happy customer base, we are proud to present our services to any entrepreneurs. Unlock your business’s potential with Kivisense today. Contact us now.
