There is no doubt in most tech geeks’ minds that Augmented Reality (a video hologram technology that gives computer users the opportunity to interact with 3D images on their monitor, by showing a pre-specified image to their webcam) is cool. It’s been used recently by companies like GE, used to promote movies like Transformers 2 and MOST importantly, by everyone’s favorite singer/guitar god John Mayer, to give you a virtual concert in the comfort of your own home. All that said though, for all the coolness factors associated with it, many, including myself, still can’t decide if it is viable marketing option that will translate into success for the campaigns and brands that it’s used as a backbone for.
In an effort to determine what value Augmented Reality holds for them, McDonald’s and Coke have teamed up and are utilizing it as part of their advertising tied in with the upcoming movie, Avatar. Given the fact that these two brands are huge and the number of people that have webcams is fractional, it will be interesting to see what kind of interaction these AR campaigns get. I definitely give both companies kudos for taking the step into the AR world and am eager to see what the AR content they’ve had developed is like.
I guess in terms of seeing success with this, if people just don’t start running out to by a webcam so they can check out the content, maybe you’ll find one in your Happy Meal or Coke Zero 12 pack.