Augmented Reality Isn't Coming--It's Already Here

Yesterday, someone texted me an article saying that AMC Theaters thought that the virally popular $10/month MoviePass wasn't sustainable. My immediate response was, "AMC Theaters thinks like a dinosaur." They are looking at the price tag on unlimited movies (one per day), and then looking backwards at how things have always been done. It costs anywhere from $8-12 to see a movie at most theaters, so how on earth can a company make any money selling the same service at a seemingly 95+% discount?

I won't answer that question here, but I'm sure a quick Google search will help you figure out their plan. But that's not the point here. What AMC should be saying is "Why didn't we think of that first? Why are we still doing things the same way they have always been done? What will turn the market on its head and change the way people fundamentally approach a night at the movies?" Unfortunately, most movie theater chains will likely sit back and watch to see what happens with MoviePass, hoping for and expecting it to fail.

Many companies, all too often, only look at proven methods, the ways things have always been done. Some venture out to test the boundaries, but far too many are unimaginative and try to get better results by slightly tweaking their same old tactics, changing course only by a matter of a degree or two in order to play it safe. I'm here to tell you that if you aren't already deep into discussions and even plans related to augmented reality and your brand, then you are already late to the game.

Apple, Google, Snapchat, Facebook, and so many more companies have already built incredible infrastructures upon which tens of thousands of people are building right now. Billions of posts have been shared with augmented reality already, and we are still just at the beginning. Augmented reality is mostly utilized on phones at this point, but there will be so many other far-reaching applications for AR. Anything you can see through can have a camera attached to it and be turned into an AR device--your car's windshield, your glasses, your kitchen sink window, and so much more. The implications of augmented reality are so far reaching, I believe most people haven't even begun to consider the applications.

If you are sitting around waiting to see what is going to happen with augmented reality, then you'll be playing catch up, following others. Augmented reality is here to stay, and will be a $150B+ industry in 3 years. I believe that will be easily achieved. Take some time and look through some YouTube channels at the types of demos coming out with ARKit, many of which will be available on the iPhone 8 in a few months. AR is not a fad, it is the next evolution in technology. Tim Cook and Mark Zuckerberg have each devoted thousands of employees to creating this technology and both are extremely bullish on its implications.

There is so much opportunity out there right now to innovate, to stay ahead of the competition, and to use creativity and bring things to life you never thought possible. Every day at Seek, my team creates something that didn't exist the day before. We plan to continue to innovate--to not look at what people are already doing with AR, but to dream up what people haven't considered can be done with AR.

For anyone taking the time to read this article, I invite you to consider what AR can do for your company--marketing and engagement, branding, enhanced functionality, expanded platforms, more creative environments for employees, more efficient training, etc. The possibilities are endless, and quite frankly, they're usually more fun than the alternatives. The younger and upcoming generations want to engage, and AR is an incredible conduit in which to connect with them. Augmented reality opens the doors to unlimited creativity, so don't hold back. Dream big, and make it happen.