MARKETING WITH PRINT, THE INTERNET AND VIDEO: WELCOME TO AUGMENTED REALITY

Who said print was dead?

If you’re a curious marketer living in Central Florida, get your hands on the October/November 2014 issue of Lake Mary Healthy Living Magazine. In it, you’ll see print advertising transformed into a digital gateway through the use of augmented reality (AR).

AR works like this: a print ad bears an invisible watermark that your smart phone or tablet can detect once you download the free LayAR app. This “QR code on steroids” triggers an interactive version of the printed page to appear on the screen of your smart device. You then tap the screen to unlock bonus content, watch videos and shop.

Here at Mosaic Marketing, we’ve had first-hand exposure to the entire AR process, and it has been fun! On page 39 of the magazine, you’ll see our ad with an augmented reality link to our company “Welcome” video. Pretty neat stuff!

But the best part was shooting several “Behind the Scenes” videos for LMHL’s augmented reality features, including the cover shoot, fashion shoot and two editorials.

We see AR as a cutting-edge marketing tool that adds depth to print advertising. It’s a smart way to extend the reach of print advertising, upgrading the prospect’s experience with your product or service from mere awareness to education and interaction.

In fact, just this week, I noticed that one of my health magazines implemented a logo that signals its readers to visit the website for a video or other content. Augmented reality cuts out a step and allows for immediate gratification (consumption of the content) which benefits both the advertiser and the consumer.

Over 40 million people worldwide have downloaded the LayAR app—that’s lots of eyeballs hungry for spontaneous content! If the content is video, then you’ve just combined some of the most powerful marketing devices available.

Used strategically, well-executed print can still command attention and deliver a very-much-alive interactive experience.

UPDATE: WKMG Channel 6 ran a story on Lake Mary Healthy Living as one of the first publications to use augmented reality. Hear what a Rollins College professor says about “Web 3.0″ and see snippets of the videos produced by Mosaic Marketing Solutions!