How can brands move away from marketing techniques of the past and drive more consumer engagement than ever before in the new year? Liat Sade Sternberg, CEO of Fuse.AR offers her take in this piece.
Socio-political turmoil, mass protests, and an election; a cooling U.S. economy; destructive wildfires and unpredictable weather conditions; and of course, COVID-19; while political and social events have always had an impact on advertising trends, 2020 has definitely taken this to the extreme. It is no surprise, then, that consumers are expecting brands to catch up with their marketing– penalizing those that appear to be out of touch and rewarding the brands that are getting it right.
In fact, consumers have proven that they positively react to brands responding to the current environment. According to DeloitteOpens a new window , nearly four in five people could cite a time a brand responded positively to the pandemic. Not only have consumers noted this reaction, but one in five strongly agrees that it led to increased brand loyalty on their part.
While this report from Deloitte covers seven different trends that may help executives meet anticipated challenges in 2021, two stand out in particular as they relate to incorporating immersive technology such as augmented reality (AR) in your marketing plan: agility and participation.Opens a new window
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Agility: Marketing on Your Feet
As marketers, we are always ready to go with real-time responses– but 2021 will demand more agility than ever. “The pandemic-triggered recession is not one that will reward retrenchment over imagination and innovation†is Deloitte’s strong choice of words for this matter. What does this mean for marketers? Beyond closely monitoring the news, it will also be more important than ever to stay on top of consumer behavior, understanding which platform is the right one for each chosen message, and involving them in creating content. With so much noise on social platforms, it is often difficult to break through and reach current and potential customers. Because of this, it is critical to ensure your ads and messaging are resonating with them.
Participation: Giving Consumers the Stage
User-generated content (UGC) is not a new concept. But this year, it has gone from being supplemental to the main focus. Not only do marketers understand that it is easier to create brand loyalty when a consumer experiences the brand through their peers, but consumers are also expressing their enthusiasm to participate in brands’ content. More than half of those surveyed in Deloitte’s report have engaged in at least one brand conversation in the past year, and 14% developed and posted content about a brand. Creating entertaining and easy ways for consumers to continue co-creating content with brands while maintaining their authenticity and supporting their values will be the name of the game in 2021.
According to a recent reportOpens a new window from Talkwalker, ‘remixing’ is the new UGC. Apps like TikTok continue to surge, as users take existing pieces of content and recreate them to express their own personalities. Rather than creating content from scratch, this enables co-created assets where brands and consumers become collaborators at the ease of a few clicks. In 2021, marketers who take ownership of this opportunity will be ahead of the curve, creating real engagement.
AR: The Most Agile Way To Create Participation
As marketers consider ways to drive consumers to interact and create engaging content, the tool that most readily rises for the occasion is augmented reality (AR). AR ads enable consumers to take action and build sentimental value, making the content more memorable and solidifying brand awareness. According to Nielsen’s Superdata report, 61% of users share AR ads they see online. This is unprecedented when compared to other advertising tactics for today’s media-savvy and suspicious consumers.
The emotional connection created when users feel truly immersed in the content is unmatched. Many consumers compare interacting with AR ads to playing video games – it is an experience that brings up associations of fun, playfulness, and friendly competition – rather than being solicited with ads.
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From Interaction To Participation with AR
AR tools also drive true interaction. A good example of this is virtual try-on tools, which emulate the physical experience, allowing the consumer to take action and create memories that are almost tactile.
Another example of a successful AR adoption comes from our work with Paramount Studios. The company invited fans of Sonic the Hedgehog to create their own video content using AR characters and elements from this highly-anticipated film. Fans then posted the results to social media, transforming existing content into AR experiences. The result was a flurry of TikTok and Instagram videos in which fans appeared to “dance†or otherwise interact with the characters reaching tens of millions of U.S. consumers in just a few short weeks.
As the new year approaches, the biggest question brands will need to consider will be: are you focusing on the past’s marketing techniques or empowering consumers to create your stories and drive more engagement than ever before?