In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) is reshaping customer interactions. From generative AI to immersive virtual experiences, brands are leveraging these technologies to captivate their audience.
While AI encompasses a range of technologies that enable machines to perform tasks that traditionally required human intelligence, AR overlays digital content onto the real-world environment, amplifying users’ perception of reality. Together, these two immersive technologies offer exciting possibilities for brands seeking innovative and creative ways to interact with their customers.
Redefining personalised customer experience with AI
For several years now, artificial intelligence has been instrumental in helping brands revolutionise their marketing efforts by delivering highly personalised experiences to their customers. Large amounts of data, including user preferences, behaviours, and demographic information, are analysed to curate tailored content and recommendations, ensuring that each interaction resonates uniquely with the individual. However, brands are now starting to leverage AI for content creation, automating the production of diverse content types such as text, images, and videos. This approach allows for rapid and efficient content creation, particularly in situations requiring quick action or complex logistics for photoshoots. It also provides greater creative freedom during the conceptualisation process.
By harnessing generative AI, brands can generate high-quality, personalised content that enhances audience engagement and boosts brand awareness. However, human oversight remains crucial to ensure alignment with brand values and objectives. An awkwardly crafted visual can quickly damage the brand image and demonstrate a lack of attention to detail and finesse. Brands communicating on authenticity, naturality, people should be careful about the “artificial” look of generated AI visuals.
Contrasting colors in wobblers
Case study of AI use for content creation: Greenfield’s "The Perfect Match" campaign.
Greenfield wanted to launch a communication campaign with the objective of showcasing meat and side dish pairings. To manage costs and avoid lengthy food preparation, we opted to partly photograph the dishes and partly generate the images. This allowed us to have better control over the appearance of the dishes, to complement the props, and to add missing parts in some photos. After editing, both the images from the photoshoot and the generated ones blended seamlessly to produce cohesive artworks. Can you tell which parts were generated?
Bridging the physical and digital worlds through Digital Experiences
Augmented Reality (AR) is transforming customer experiences across sectors. Brands use AR to seamlessly blend digital elements into the physical world, providing immersive interactions that surpass traditional marketing. In retail, AR bridges online and offline shopping, allowing customers to visualise products and try them out virtually. This not only enhances the shopping experience but also boosts engagement, reduces the likelihood of returns and increases customer satisfaction.
In general, AR ingeniously captures the interest of consumers by providing innovative and interactive encounters, thereby fostering deeper engagement and driving sales for brands in diverse sectors. However, it is essential to acknowledge potential drawbacks in creating unique and impactful experiences without stumbling into pitfalls. These may include technical limitations such as compatibility issues, the risk of overwhelming or distracting users, and accessibility limitations, among others. By addressing these issues thoughtfully, businesses can maximise the potential of AR to enhance customer interactions effectively..
Real-world applications showcasing meaningful experiences crafted with AR: Making holidays a magical encounter.
Last Christmas, Cascavelle Shopping Mall aimed to create a magical and unique experience for their visitors with the Gingerbread Wonderland. The highlight was a full-sized Christmas tree / Advent calendar that could be brought to life by scanning a QR code and pointing any smartphone to the tree. Visitors were delighted as the festive scenes and surprises unfolded before their eyes, making their holiday experience truly memorable.
AR use in calendars
AR implementation not only modernises traditional calendars but can also strengthen brand engagement and communication for corporate entities. It helps create a dynamic and interactive experience for users by animating dates and images, providing valuable information in a captivating manner. For instance, Terra aimed to bring one of their 12 sustainability measures to life each month. This was achieved by creating animated universes for each measure, which could be viewed by scanning a QR code. Similarly, Emtel sought to showcase their ‘Fastest Mobile Network in Mauritius’ award on their calendar cover in a lively and interactive manner.
Transforming packaging into interactive experiences
The client wanted to infuse the spirit of Independence Day into Mokoko bottle packaging, which depicts an authentic local Mauritian scene. By scanning a QR code, the scenery was brought to life, accompanied by vibrant rhythmic local music.
This innovative approach not only elevated the brand’s connection to its roots but also offered consumers a memorable and engaging encounter with this popular beverage.
The final objective: Human engagement
Brands invest heavily in digital initiatives, all in pursuit of one goal: human engagement. However, it’s the crux of the issue. With so much content being produced everyday, it is hard to capture human attention, so having the most complex or innovative digital experience may not give you the expected ROI. In any marketing activity, the main question has consistently been: What’s in it for the customer?
Two essential points to keep in mind:
1. Keep it simple
2. Provide incentives!
Proper targeting of the audience and personalised experiences are crucial for achieving optimal results. Digital experiences within closed groups may tend to be more engaging than those aimed at larger audiences. For example: a game designed for employees or nature enthusiasts will drive more engagement than a game crafted for the public at large.
Our key takeaway here is that creating meaningful and personalised experiences will always be essential for achieving human engagement.
By Ashley Ittoo, Jemilla Greedharry & Chat GPT
