MARKETING
Both of the brands above have held historic and authentic ties to patriotic values . The augmented reality experiences flowed as a natural extension of this brand narrative . It ’ s critical for brands entering AR and VR to start with your established brand narrative and then lean into the technology to create new opportunities as an extension of that narrative . When you start with the existing story , you ’ ll find remarkable new ways to surprise and delight your audience .
3 . AR & VR IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES App innovators are going for significant impact , creating more engaging and immersive experiences through augmented and virtual reality . This leads to brands gobbling up new opportunities to build connections with consumers .
Tim Hortons , Canada ’ s biggest coffee house , is also a longtime supporter of Independence Day celebrations in Canada . They tapped into artificial reality this year to fill the gap for canceled firework celebrations across Canada . Thanks to Tim Hortons , Canadians experienced fireworks this year with an all-new twist . Canadians who visited a special website or downloaded the app , pointing their smartphone camera to the sky on July 1 at 10 pm . There they were treated to a virtual firework display that included all of their patriotic favorites , as well as some exciting new expressions .
In the US , the stand-by all-American beer maker , Budweiser , created their patriotic celebration for American Independence Day . Budweiser developed an augmented reality where people everywhere could view themselves as Uncle Sam using a creative visual overlay .
4 . MOBILE SHOPPING In Q1 of 2020 , mobile e-commerce traffic grew by 25 % across all industries . The pandemic only enhanced our reliance on mobile for community and connection . Sources reported up to a 53 % spike in mobile usage , and not all the time was used for fun and games . Mobile phones represented 56 % of the total order share , according to one study reported by CIO . We can expect to see more of this , so take note – now ’ s the time to optimize for mobile shopping .
MORE COMPETITION Soon , we ’ ll be looking back wistfully at the early 2010s , remembering when cheap social media marketing plus the right influencers could successfully launch a brand . “ Today ’ s environment suggests that that model is no longer sustainable ,” says Len Schlesinger , professor at Harvard Business School . “ Success today requires an understanding of both evergreen business basics .”
Times are changing . Are you taking advantage of these powerful marketing trends ? If not , what would it look like to adopt just one of these trends to grow your agency ?
Chrissey Breault joined KAIA as the marketing manager in 2019 , after over six years as the Director of Marketing & Education Services of the American Association of Private Lenders . Before entering the association world , Chrissey worked in local government as a communications expert . Her almost 20 years in communications and marketing started in the hospitality industry with Hilton and Marriott brands . She managed midmarket hotels along the East Coast and Deep South . Chrissey holds an associates degree in hospitality and travel , and certificates in Adobe Web Design and Volunteer Management .
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