With constant updates and new releases of mobile devices such as the iPhone and the growing popularity of the Droid smart phone, augmented reality advertising is becoming more prevalent—and more immediately, more profitable. A wide range of real-world navigation applications make it possible. But what does it look like? How does it work?
It starts with something as simple as a map, or a real-world representation of an environment. It can be as simple as a Google map overlay, or as complicated as the iPhone’s new series of apps that allow a user to hold up their device in a physical space to receive real-time information on their screens. Advertising enters the picture as interspersed messages alongside data. Think of a customer, holding her phone up to a restaurant to read the menu—and receiving that restaurant’s pitch at the same time. And a coupon. And a link to their website.
Of course, like any emerging technology, there are drawbacks. As it stands now, augmented reality advertising is almost exclusively the domain of brick and mortar shops. To work, there has to be a physical location that a customer either has already traveled to, or who knows enough about the terrain that they can find it on a map. But as virtual reality becomes more actual, expect to see augmented reality solutions and even new outlets for your brand, your message, and your marketing.