As advertisers, it’s our job to know the latest techniques and mediums to reach audiences. Part of this requires us to know some of the latest technological advancements and whether they are related to advertising or not.
You may have heard the terms “Augmented Reality” recently. Augmented reality (AR) is defined as an artificial environment created through the combination of real-world and computer-generated data. In simpler terms, imagine you are taking a photo or video with your phone. As you pan across the scenery in front of you, overplayed images or markers can pop-up on the screen, thereby augmenting the reality.
So what practical use does augmented reality have? For one it’d be a great tool while driving. No, not augmenting via phone while you drive, but having the windshield of your car augment reality. To get a better idea of what this would entail check out the video below.
As you can see, augmented reality is an advanced, yet precise, technology. You might be a little apprehensive to trust sensors when driving your car. However, AR is being used in other ways that are not so monumental. For instance, various mobile games are being released that use the world in front of you to create the landscape for the game.
Now for the tricky part. How can advertisers take advantage of such a useful technology? One area that sticks out is real estate (the housing market could really use a break right now). The video below shows one of the first apps based on AR that was developed for the consumer market. Basically it uses both AR and GPS to allow you to pan across the landscape and discover available housing. While initially its uses may be minimal, as AR develops we’ll probably see more and more areas where it’s applicable.