AR is the layering of digital content like video and 3D over print and other real-world environments to literally bring it to life. More importantly AR easily connects multiple marketing channels together into a seamless, engaging, and measurable customer journey. Augmented reality is not a gimmick, it is a functional everyday marketing solution.
Most importantly, AR is a lot easier to implement than you might think.
Augmented Reality is an enabler for print media to evolve and stake its own position in the increasingly desirable omnichannel marketing environment. Augmented Reality provides a seamless interactive journey for customers that is far more engaging and convenient than either print or digital alone; and it’s measurable.
“When AR was incorporated [into direct mail], response rates jumped from 2-3% to 35%,” (Ryan Kiley of Ricoh – PI World May 2018)
Interacting with products in AR leads to 94% higher conversion rates (AR Insider, November 2021)
AR provides 70% higher levels of memory encoding than non-AR interactions (Source: Layered)
AR delivers 1.9 times the level of visual attention than non-AR related interactions (Source: Layered)
Augmented reality and interactive print is suitable for any business that wants to provide its customers with a more engaging, interactive experience; irrespective of their industry.
Some of the industries that are now actively using Augmented Reality in their direct mail and print marketing include:
A very few Augmented Reality platforms have focused their attention specifically on what they can do to help the print industry evolve and stay relevant and valuable in an ever-increasing digital world.
The following table provides a quick overview on the different features of WebAR vs. QR codes.
Informed Delivery® provides eligible residential customers with a digital preview of their household’s incoming mail scheduled to arrive soon. It also offers business mailers the opportunity to engage with these customers through an integrated mail and digital marketing campaign (Interactive Campaign ) that generates additional consumer impressions,
interactions, and insights.
All benefits derived from Informed Delivery® is done so from a digital version of a direct mail piece, Augmented Reality on the other hand provides the same benefits (and more) directly from the printed mail piece.
This means that Informed Delivery® is the perfect omnichannel solution for users of the technology whilst Augmented Reality is the answer for all
other mail recipients, including those in B2B lists. Augmented Reality is also perfect for engaging and tracking EDDM campaigns.
Augmented Reality & Informed Delivery® work perfectly in tandem!
Informed Delivery® can even deliver Augmented Reality
The Addressed Mail Module allows users marketers to deliver a more personalized WebAR experience to targeted mail lists whilst providing access to campaign response activity on a per recipient basis. Know exactly who did what! The Addressed Mail Module also enables personalization of splash pages, calls to action and even passing data through PURLs.
The Digital Retargeting Module allows marketers to insert Facebook pixels and Google tags into the WebAR browser for the purpose of retargeting with ads on associated platforms. Use print to initiate targeted social media ads.
The Integrated Email Module allows marketers with mail lists that contain email addresses to deliver multi-touch communications across both physical and digital mail based on predefined rules and/or time frames such as “Mail not scanned”, “Mail scanned but CTA not taken”, or “14 days after mail send” etc.
The Geotagged Content Module when available will enable campaigns with localized content and calls to action. This model will be perfect for national campaigns that require a localized area marketing output. One campaign, multiple geotargeted experiences and calls to action.
An example of what can be achieved using USPS Informed Delivery, Addressed Mail, Digital Retargeting, Geo-Content and Integrated Email Modules in parallel.
The Catalogue Module will allow users of the platform to set up multiple WebAR video or 3D campaigns that can be accessed via a single QR code that launches a web-based catalogue that includes a side menu, multiple categories and links to additional web content such as a website or online store etc.
Deliver WebAR from your print as well as TV ads. Find out how and from where your customers are engaging from and connect them with your digital advertising by retargeting them via social media and Google ads.
