Shaping the Customer Journeys from Awareness to Advocacy with Immersive Technology

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the bond between brands and consumers is profoundly transformed. Immersive technology for marketing stands at the forefront of this revolution. This innovation merges the digital and physical realms, crafting unparalleled experiences that redefine the digital customer journey.

How can your brand harness immersive technology to enrich the customer journey?

The key lies in integrating technologies like AR, and immersive web experiences strategically throughout each phase of the customer's journey.

Awareness Phase: 3D Animations & Artistic Imagery

The Genesis of Immersive Engagement

3D animations and artistic product imagery, birthed from advanced 3D technology, provide a canvas for showcasing products in meticulously designed digital environments. Strategically employing these visuals across various channels, especially social media ads, sets the stage for immersive engagement.

For localized or event-driven marketing endeavors, infuse the customer's experience with AR. Offline materials like posters or banners can feature QR codes or images to track via mobile phones, inviting audiences into spellbinding AR realms. This phase aims to ignite curiosity, anchoring the brand's presence in mixed reality through offline site engagement.

Consideration Phase: Interactive Digital World & Gamification

Delving Deeper into Engagement

As the digital customer journey progresses to the Consideration Phase, the depth of interaction magnifies. Introducing an Interactive Digital World coupled with gamification techniques is transformative. This virtual domain becomes an exclusive playground, featuring rewards through NFT memberships and gamified events. Beyond the virtual domain, unique offerings exclusive to physical stores encourage in-store visits, elevating the omnichannel experience.

Moreover, immersive digital realms can significantly uplift e-commerce, guiding customers through captivating experiences leading to online purchases.

Purchase Phase: Crafting Extraordinary Coherence

The Pinnacle of Immersive Purchase Experiences

Arriving at the Purchase Phase entails crafting a cohesive experience across digital touchpoints, in-store ambiance, and product displays. The harmonious blend of the digital and physical worlds can profoundly sway a customer's purchasing decision. AR is paramount here, enabling virtual try-ons or product placement previews through digital devices in either stores, or available try- ons right from your home.

A study from snap inc. found that sales increased by 95% when some form of AR was used to interact with a product, while only 65% of brands felt ready to provide AR, and 85% consumers felt more engaged when interacting with a brand through AR.

Advocacy Phase: AR Filters

Transforming Customers into Brand Evangelists

The journey persists post-purchase. The Advocacy Phase capitalizes on Hologram Technology and AR Filters, enabling customers to share their distinctive experiences. This technological word-of-mouth metamorphoses customers into brand advocates, nurturing community and bolstering brand allegiance.

1. Gucci: Gucci, always ahead of the curve, integrated AR try-on capabilities within its mobile app. Users could virtually try on shoes and eyewear. More importantly, these experiences were made shareable, turning each user's trial into a potential promotional moment on social platforms.
2. Louis Vuitton: Louis Vuitton crafted an AR experience where users could take selfies with a virtual mascot, Vivienne. These images, when shared, create organic buzz and word-of-mouth promotion for the brand.
3. MAC Cosmetics: Collaborating with ModiFace, MAC introduced an AR try-on mirror, allowing users to experiment with different makeup looks. The results, often shared on social media, generated significant organic visibility for the brand.

Loyalty Phase: The Enchantment of Immersion

Immersive Technology's Role in Cultivating Brand Loyalty

The Loyalty Phase is where enchantment truly unfolds. By leveraging immersive technologies throughout the digital customer journey, brands experience heightened engagement, amplified satisfaction, and steadfast brand loyalty. The goal? Consistently mesmerize customers, stimulate repeated business, and fortify enduring bonds.

Sephora's Virtual Artist and Visual Artist Tools:

Sephora introduced the "Virtual Artist" tool within its app, leveraging AR technology. This tool allows users to try on thousands of shades of lipsticks, eyeshadows, false lashes, and many other products virtually. By doing so, Sephora not only provided a solution to the common problem of purchasing the wrong shade online but also created an engaging and fun experience for its users.

Here's how it impacted the loyalty phase:

1. Personalized Experiences: The tool remembers the user's choices and recommends products based on past interactions. Over time, these recommendations become more tailored, providing a personalized shopping experience.
2. Exclusive Access: Sephora often gives its Beauty Insider community (its loyalty program members) exclusive access to new product launches or brand collaborations. Integrating these with the Virtual Artist tool means loyal customers can be the first to virtually try on new products.
3. Community Building: Sephora encourages users to share their virtual looks on social media, fostering a community of beauty enthusiasts who showcase and discuss Sephora products. This further solidifies the bond between brand and customer.
4. Continuous Innovation: Sephora has consistently updated and expanded the Virtual Artist tool, introducing new features like virtual tutorials that guide users step-by-step in applying makeup. This ensures that the experience remains fresh and engaging.

Closing Thoughts:

Mastering immersive technology for luxury marketing is not just about tool integration; it's akin to creating a digital magnum opus. It entails tuning into your brand's unique frequency, discerning your audience's heartbeat, and weaving an evocative narrative that resonates, captivates, and lasts.

Eager to dive deeper into immersive technology's potential for your brand?

Connect with me, and let's explore further...