IAB Releases AR Buyer’s Guide for Marketers

Saying that 97% of brands on Forbes’ Most Valuable Brands list are currently using augmented reality in their advertising, the IAB Monday released its AR Buyer’s Guide to help pave the way for mid-level and senior-level marketers. The guide highlights the benefits of AR marketing, the types of experiences available to brands, recommended measurement criteria and how to get started. The IAB’s AR Marketplace Board is led by Zoë Soon, vice president of the IAB Experience Center, and its co-chairs are: Carolina Arguelles, global product marketing, AR, SnapchatChris Barbour, head of AR camera partnerships, FacebookAaron Luber, head of AR partnerships, GoogleTuan Mai, AR commercialization lead, GoogleTony Parisi, head of virtual reality/AR brand solutions, Unity Members of the IAB’s working group include: Jonathan Frohlinger, founder and CEO, Big HappyTony Gemma, head of global ad creative technology and innovation, Verizon MediaAndrew Klein, director of content innovation, Spark Foundry, Publicis MediaKeith Soljacich, vp and group director, experiential technology, Digitas North AmericaYinka Taiwo-Peters, product monetization, TikTokAharon Wasserman, deputy head of research and development, The New York Times The IAB cited data from Statista, finding that the number of AR users in the U.S. alone is expected to reach 85 million this year, and it shared reasons why AR will be a game-changer: It is immersive and multisensory, creating a deeper emotional connection with consumers and promoting brand awareness, lift and recall.It is user-initiated, making it less interruptive and more enjoyable.It provides an enhanced online shopping experience and boosts conversions. Beauty, fashion and furniture brands are seeing great success with virtual try-on experiences. Shopify saw a 200% increase in conversions after using AR for product visualization, while Overstock saw similar results, increasing conversions from 10% to 200% when using AR in its product catalog. But how are marketers tracking the success of all of their AR activity? The IAB wrote, “When considering what metrics to track to evaluate the success of your AR initiative, it is important to identify whether the goal is to drive upper-, mid- or lower-funnel engagement. We recommend tracking a combination of the following metrics to gauge success at various points in the funnel. Upper-funnel (discovery): Ad recall: Did they see the experience?Awareness (via brand lift)Brand awareness: Did they know what brand it was for?Brand favorabilityGamificationImpression: How many times was the experience displayed? Mid-funnel (engagement): Consideration (via brand lift)Engagement rateEngagement time or playtime (e.g., open mouth, walk around it, tap, swipe, talk to it)Open/enter the experience (entry-point)Purchase intentSharesSocial content Lower-funnel (outcomes): PurchaseSign-up (e.g., provide data for registration, create an account) The organization added, “Impressions, engagement rate, shares and conversions are quantitative metrics that can be tracked with the same systems and processes used for other media campaigns. Ad awareness, brand awareness, purchase intent and brand favorability are qualitative metrics that are usually measured by some form of user survey. We recommend talking to your creative team or agency about ways to measure these.” The IAB also offered the following tips for those looking to get started with AR, writing, “For marketers who are new to immersive media but want to take advantage of AR’s many benefits, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. If you know the right questions to ask, AR can strengthen a media plan for a budget as little as $10,000.” Step 1: Identify your goals. Are you trying to achieve conversions or raise brand lift and awareness? This will inform the metrics you use to measure success. How does AR fit into your overall media plan?Step 2: Determine the right media budget. For marketers who want to be sure that AR is worth their while before investing too much, using a portion of your testing budget can tell you if AR is right for your brand. $10,000 to $30,000 over three to give weeks is a good starting point, and the IAB recommends adjusting from there.Step 3: Understand the production realities and costs before you sign. AR is a new technology with many uses waiting to be uncovered. Understanding how much time and effort you’ll need relative to your brand goals and message is important. Engage with your agency and platforms early on to suss out these ideas and requirements. The earlier these conversations happen with the platforms, the better, but give them at least six weeks’ notice.Step 4: Have a measurement and attribution plan. How should you measure performance? This will depend on the goals that you determine at the onset of your campaign. Do you have the right amount of data? You will need to gather enough data points to make an objective assessment on the impact of AR to your campaign. How do you define success? Like your measurement metrics, this will be tied to the goals defined at the beginning. The IAB concluded, “AR is a powerful canvas for new ways of storytelling, as it changes the way brands connect with audiences in deeper ways with richer experiences. Users are now in the driver’s seat as they become part of the experience in real-time and extend their vantage point. As 5G network speeds become a reality and smartphones continue to increase in sophistication, the possibilities of AR will proliferate in our everyday lives. For brands, it is important to consider how AR can bolster marketing efforts to connect more meaningfully with consumers and provide a richer experience.”