How to use WebAR to Activate the Great Outdoors

In the Digital Age, our lives have become inundated with a constant stream of social media and work notifications. More than ever, as we work and educate at home, outdoor activities such as going for a run, relaxing at a park or local beach, and enjoying nature is important for mental and physical health.

How can technology be positively leveraged to allow people to pause, discover and inspire connections with nature?

WebAR provides the simplest and most accessible way to launch 3D experiences via a URL. Audiences can instantly overlay digital information over the physical world to engage, transact and interact anytime from any location. No app download is required.

Activating Nature, For Nature

Despite the scorching temperatures and fires that have ravaged California these past few weeks, there is a ray of hope. Brave firefighters have protected countless communities at risk, and saved innumerable populations. At the same time, a very special bear has celebrated his 75th anniversary as a symbol of conservation and wildfire prevention.

Visit xr.camera and scan the above image to activate

A miraculous story occurred in 1950, when a bear survived a devastating wildfire in New Mexico. That bear was warmly named Smokey Bear, and became the iconic mascot to raise awareness of fire safety and fire prevention for three quarters of a century. Smokey’s face appears alongside roads, on billboards, in the news, online, and along our trails large and small. To commemorate Smokey Bear’s 75th birthday, Smokey can now be recognized and virtually animated to engage, learn, share and support conservation with hundreds of millions of people across the country.

Visit xr.camera.com, and scan Smokey Bear to launch an interactive experience today:

Image credit: Geenee

This is just one example of how a virtual character and influencer can be brought to life to interactively support a cause, educate and inspire audiences who otherwise passively consume content. While you’re here, maybe take a moment to donate to the Red Cross Fire Disaster Relief Fund or share the experiences with friends on social to drive awareness.

The power and application of spatial computing is unlimited. Together, computer vision and AR can raise awareness to support meaningful causes, inspire conservation, or promote a lifestyle brand’s products through natural call to actions (CTAs) embedded into a virtual experience.

The tragic events of 2020 have forced everyone to be more self-reflective, and seek out new ways to improve health and wellbeing. Today 60 million gym goers in the USA are seeking out alternative ways to keep fit. Peloton, an exercise equipment company focused on group workouts from home, has seen its stock soar this year as people across the nation are changing their workout routines.

This also indicates a greater movement at hand. Audiences engaged in athletic activities are investing more in their own gear, using funds that would previously have been spent on gym memberships, gas, parking, and expensive post or pre-workout nutrition or smoothies on site.

So how can your brand engage this audience who is eager to discover new products and services to keep fit at home? Nike, Adidas, Reebok, ASICS, FILA, Puma and Under Armour are just a few brands that have incredible athletes and stories that can be activated using WebAR. For example, 2D content can be brought to life on running routes that act as pop-ups around the world, reinforcing meaningful relationships to brands through contextually relevant services:

The outdoor recreation economy is also one of the nation’s largest economic sectors, with $887 billion in consumer spending annually. This includes spending on outdoor recreation products, apparel, footwear, equipment, services, and vehicle purchases ($184.5 billion), spending on airfare, fuel, lodging, groceries, lift tickets, guides, lessons and more totalling ($702.3 billion) (Source).

Today, stir crazy recreation seekers are seeking out local experiences. With retail centers declining, people are craving fun escapes from our stressful realities, and on-demand interactive experiences.

Photo by transparent house/mountain hardware– a new way for customers to shop for gear

One of the best ways to do this is to allow people to envision their adventures before it even begins. Immersive WebAR content allows consumers to interact virtually with products to get a sense of scale, color and compatibility. People with wanderlust can set-up a virtual tent in their backyard with a click of a button, and match colors of sleeping bags with an enhanced shopping experience that enhances the sales process.

Using WebAR, buyers are more informed, and place checkout items in their virtual shopping cart with more conviction, increasing post-purchase satisfaction.

Increasingly virtual influencers, such as Lil Miquela, are showing off activewear to their engaged community, and applying AR can connect and inspire social sharing. Now it is possible to snap a pic with your virtual friend, and even virtually try-on the same gear. The spatial web enables incredible things to happen, which are indistinguishable from magic (Clark’s three laws).

As the physical world becomes an interface and passport to the digital world, AR can reach your audience as they enjoy and prepare for some of their favorite pastimes.

Whether running, hiking, camping, or fishing, WebAR can bring the store to your audience. With the changing of seasons around the corner, there’s a new opportunity to engage in outdoor activities through interactive content that encourages product selection, purchase preference, satisfaction and social sharing.

Reach out anytime if you would like to discuss how to use WebAR to develop an immersive fall campaign. [email protected]