How are Brands using AR Filters?
AR Filters have come a long way since Snapchat’s infamous dog tongue. With the launch of Instagram’s Spark AR in 2019, the world of filters got a lot bigger and much, much more creative.
In this blog we’ll be looking at how famous brands have used these filters and why they are so practical in marketing campaigns.
First off, what is an AR Filter?
An AR Filter is a computer-generated effect that appears over real-life objects (most often your own face) on your camera. Filters can be anything from simple beauty enhancements to intricate designs and effects. The important thing is that the filter somehow interacts with the real world – follows the contour of your face, recognizes the floor from the wall or animates when you open your mouth.
What can you actually do?
The possibilities of AR filters are almost endless. You want to see yourself in space? You want to look like a giant ice cream cone? You want sound effects, animation, interaction? AR Filters got you covered. And new ideas are being developed every day. For example, AR Game filters have recently started to appear on both Instagram and Facebook platforms. Although most are simple, like two player tic-tac-toe or a retro basket catch game, the world of AR gaming is becoming more and more complex, leading to interesting and exciting opportunities for brands and marketers.
So where do brands come in?
One of the biggest advantages of an AR Filter is its shareability and possibility of customization. Imagine hundreds and thousands of people sharing personal messages, videos and pictures with your brand’s logo floating around their faces. Sounds too good to be true, right? But that’s exactly the type of simple and effective marketing AR Filters can provide. By combining design creativity and simplicity of use, the filter becomes something that users can engage with and not even think twice about.
Ok, just give me the numbers...
Instagram and Snapchat metrics are very handy in showing the scope and exact type of engagement that AR Filters bring. And boy, do they bring it. There was the famous Gatorade AR Filter which got a staggering 160 million impressions or the Taco Bell filter which garnered 224 Million views…in one day. Maybe it’s the ease of use or the diversity of options, but for whatever reason, users seem to readily engage with this type of media.
So how can I make this work for my brand?
As we’ve mentioned, the possibilities of engaging users through AR Filters are almost endless. The most important thing is to understand your unique brand attributes and, of course, the specific target audience. The most successful AR Filters have capitalized on simple consumer needs. In 2019 a relatively unknown German influencer amassed 140 thousand extra followers and billions (yes, billions) of views with the use of personalized AR filters. And if filters can boost views for ordinary users, imagine the potential that bigger accounts hold to leverage that type of social reach. Adidas, Disney and the NBA are just a few brands that have taken advantage of the power of viral social marketing.
What are you waiting for?
We hope we’ve convinced you about the advantages of AR Filters and why every brand should look into incorporating them into their marketing processes. Let us know your thoughts on the topic!
And if you want your own filter, shoot us a message so we can get to work! 🙂