How can you create a more immersive brand experience with AR?

Defining my AR story involves identifying the core message, emotion, or value I want to communicate through augmented reality. This should align with the brand identity, mission, or vision. The key is to use AR to enhance or complement existing marketing strategies, ensuring that the AR content is not only technologically impressive but also coherent with the brand’s voice and personality. It’s about creating an immersive experience that resonates with the audience while staying true to the brand’s essence.

A story and its emotion are most important, even more than realism. This assumes tracking technology works well Story - Effectively, story drives engagement, flow, and UX. Users don’t engage in a weak and unclear experience that makes them lost. Professionally, I seen this take the form of linear stories with few barriers. I’ve also seen effects to subtly guide users in open worlds Emotion - One of the most memorable XR experiences I observed was by a student: a Zen garden. The music and visuals truly transported me to a new place emotionally, despite non-realistic graphics. It was designed perfectly for invoking tranquil emotions. Professionally, I see development start with 2D and 3D art as that is critical for guiding emotion

One thing to remember … it’s not about the nuts and bolts of AR but how these interactive outputs enhance engagement. Think brand storytelling while using AR and VR. If you crack that you will increase dwell time, retention and NPS.

Having worked in this field since 1999, I've witnessed many promising companies fail because they were a solution in search of a problem. Introducing customers to VR often results in a flood of ideas, but the challenge is to distill these ideas into a few valuable applications. Once a general application is identified, it's crucial to consult professionals in that field for insights. Allowing the VR development team time to research and immerse themselves in the subject matter is essential as well. This approach yields more effective, sensible solutions. It also enhances customer service, fosters team learning, and boosts team morale and unity.

Leveraging technology in brand experiences can be transformative, turning ordinary interactions into captivating, memorable moments. When aligned with a brand's vision and goals, technology becomes a powerful storyteller, deepening connections and enchanting customers. It's not just about the tools, but the stories they can tell and the experiences they can create. When used with purpose and creativity, technology transcends its functional role, becoming a catalyst for inspiration and innovation in the brand experience.

I use three AR platforms, each tailored for specific needs: 1. Meta Spark Studio: Great for Facebook and Instagram AR effects, perfect for wide-reaching social media campaigns. It's easy to use and helps create engaging filters. 2. Lens Studio: Ideal for Snapchat, allowing more interactive AR experiences. It's suited for targeting a younger audience and for creative storytelling. 3. Unity: Best for complex, multi-platform AR projects. It's versatile, perfect for wearables and smart displays, offering high customization. Each platform is chosen based on the project's audience and complexity: Meta Spark for social media engagement, Lens Studio for Snapchat creativity, and Unity for advanced, diverse AR experiences.

Incorporating platforms like Effect House and Lens Studio is indeed beneficial. Both offer robust features for AR content creation. Effect House is known for its integration with TikTok, enabling creators to reach a vast audience with engaging AR effects. Lens Studio, on the other hand, offers a wide range of functionalities for creating immersive AR experiences. Each platform has its unique advantages, catering to different aspects of AR content development and audience engagement. Choosing between them depends on the specific requirements of the AR story and the intended user experience.

Selecting the development tools is crucial, as is prioritizing those familiar to the developers for quick adaptation. While exotic options exist, it's wiser to opt for high-quality, user-friendly tools over complex ones. Cost considerations should factor in both VR tool and customer distribution costs. Tools that are accessible to both developers and non-developers are advantageous. For example, using a low-code solution with extensive coding capabilities and external code integration allows beginners and experienced developers to create diverse simulations, fostering skill development. Lastly, ensuring compatibility across various modalities (2D, 3D, VR, projection) and platforms (Windows, LINUX, Apple, Android) is of utmost importance.

For technology to truly enrich the brand experience, it must be universally accessible, catering to users with different devices and preferences. This inclusivity means designing tech solutions that are not exclusive to a single type of device or user group. Whether through mobile apps, responsive web design, or cross-platform compatibility, the technology should be easy to access and interact with, regardless of the device used. This approach not only broadens your reach but also ensures that every customer, regardless of their tech capabilities or preferences, can enjoy a seamless and engaging experience with your brand.

In crafting my AR experiences, I strategically utilize potent tools like Meta Spark Studio, Unity, and PlayCanvas. These platforms provide a solid foundation for developing immersive and interactive narratives aligned with my creative vision. Meta Spark's advanced capabilities, Unity's versatility, and PlayCanvas' flexibility contribute to the creation of cutting-edge AR content. Recognizing the need to stay at the forefront of technology, I also explore platforms that support developing experiences for the new Apple Vision Pro. This ensures that my AR narratives not only meet current industry standards but also capitalize on the innovative features offered by emerging hardware.

Designing AR content in Lens Studio requires a balance of creativity and adherence to guidelines. The content should be relevant to the brand's story and identity, engaging and immersive to create a realistic presence. It's important to consider the target audience and the Snapchat platform, inviting users to interact through various gestures. The use of realistic graphics, sounds, and animations is crucial to blend the AR content seamlessly with the real world, enhancing the user experience on Snapchat.

When you show a customer VR (perhaps it is their first experience), ideas seem to flow to them (and hopefully you) like water from a firehose, and EVERYTHING becomes a possibility. What worked for us was to take that “water hose of ideas”, and take from it a few valuable drops representing a general application. Once you have identified a general application, seek out subject matter experts to provide knowledge and insights in how to address a need. Another aspect to consider is allowing the VR development team time to research and immerse themselves in the subject matter area. You will find that approaching Sims and VR in this way will be effective in developing usable solutions that not only “make sense” but are great.

Leveraging the fact that 90% of people have visual memory, creating impactful and visually engaging content is key. Each element should weave into your brand's story, making the experience memorable. In a world saturated with content, visually striking, story-driven experiences stand out, leaving a lasting impression on your audience.

Design - plays a crucial role in AR development. Design is what makes users feel more connected. You should have to be more creative and unique while creating the designs. Remember The design should carry an emotion between the brand and the user.

When designing AR content and interactions, it’s valuable to consider real-world equivalents and analogs. It’s also critical for accessibility to consider multiple interaction mechanisms AR merges virtual and physical. The virtual might be a very unique effect. The physical must mirror what people are familiar with in the real world. When discussing AR, I always find myself referencing analogs in the real world, which leads to relatable and easy-to-understand interactions However, not everyone can perform every interaction. Whether this is because of environment or a physical limitation, it’s critical to provide 2 or 3 ways of experiencing the same AR interactions and effects. I continue to advocate for accessibility in XR experiences

Getting analytics right is so important because it informs experience creators on whether (1) they told the right story (2) they invoked the right emotions (3) the experience worked technically (4) the experience was memorable There are many analytics services out there, mostly offering 2D based metrics such as conversion rates and counts. We actually prefer to use Metalitix for XR analytics because it allows you to play back your experience’s sessions and view heatmaps in 3D space! There are hardware performance metrics and others that are unique to XR and designed around 3D spaces. We’ve found that it’s really accelerated our understanding of how others interact with our experiences, and it’s led to impactful improvements!

Testing and optimizing AR content is vital. It's important to ensure the AR works across various devices and environments. Performance metrics like impressions, views, interactions, and user feedback are key for measuring success. This data helps in refining the AR content, making it more effective and aligned with objectives. Remember, AR is a potent tool for immersive brand experiences. By adhering to these storytelling principles, a captivating and interactive AR campaign can be crafted, highlighting the brand's story and value.

Irrespective of the task's complexity, precision is paramount in simulations, spanning from K-12 education to nuclear industry equipment. The solution must be consistently bug-free and function flawlessly. This entails internal QA with predefined test cases and real usage tests, including instruction verification and other functional checks. Customer involvement throughout design, development, and testing ensures compliance with the specifications.

Effective testing is vital to ensure a flawless brand experience. It's essential to test across different devices and with a diverse audience to guarantee universal accessibility and ease of use. This step ensures your message is communicated effectively and the experience is seamless for every user, preventing frustration and enhancing engagement.

For a successful brand experience, start by investigating and clearly defining your aim and narrative. Then, design and create your concept with these goals in mind. Rigorous testing is essential to refine the experience, followed by regular updates and measurement to ensure ongoing relevance and effectiveness. This structured approach ensures that your brand experience remains dynamic, engaging, and aligned with your objectives.

In this space, I'd highlight the importance of staying updated with AR technology trends and community insights. Engaging with the AR developer community, sharing knowledge, and learning from others' experiences can provide valuable perspectives. It's also crucial to experiment with new features and techniques in AR development to push creative boundaries. Finally, considering user feedback and adapting to changing user preferences is key for continued success in AR storytelling and content creation.

Here are a few: * Invest up-front for success; adequate startup costs are essential and can be steep. * Staffing is critical; identify available workforce and plan for ongoing needs. * Efficient pipelining is vital; 3D elements often require longer development than coding. * Ensure modelers and compositors grasp sim tool constraints and preparation of export models. * Proximity fosters effective communication; locate staff nearby each other. * Consider partnering with local education for interns and work study opportunities.

In addition to the crucial considerations outlined, staying abreast of the latest AR discoveries is paramount. Continuous research into updates, whether in terms of hardware advancements or new development tools, ensures that my AR experiences remain at the forefront of innovation. With the anticipated release of Apple's headset in 2024, I emphasize the importance of keeping a keen eye on learning its development intricacies. Similarly, closely monitoring Meta's next moves is essential, given their influential position in the AR landscape. Exploring competitors' investments unveils valuable insights into industry trends and informs strategic decisions. Furthermore, finding an intersection between AI and AR is a compelling avenue.