These sure are unprecedented times. COVID-19 flipped the switch from physical to virtual. Zoom’s became the new meeting rooms, drinks at a bar were replaced with online quiz nights, physical stores shut their doors and events were cancelled. It all served to accelerate the shift from real world to online experiences.
We’ve already seen that the brands who have been able to rise to the occasion, have set themselves up to engage with consumers in a more meaningful way. It shows the impact of today’s technology, in many cases proving to be a valuable lifeline for big brands and small businesses alike.
Here’s a look at how different industries are adapting:
Fashion
From virtual fitting rooms to online ‘squad shopping’, the fashion industry had been focusing on experience based innovations long before lockdown hit so it was quick to adapt to tightened restrictions.
Zeekit has developed real-time image processing technology which allows customers to see an item of clothing on their body, taking into account body dimensions, fit, size and the fabric of the garment.
A survey, published in the ‘Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management’, found 70% of clothes purchased online are returned, with obvious implications for the environment. Technology which allows consumers to have a better idea of the fit of a garment before they purchase could help to reduce returns.
70% of clothes purchased online are returned, with obvious implications for the environment.
For many people, the experience of shopping with friends has been missing from the online shopping experience. A new squad shopping tool dubbed Squadded is helping to make e-commerce social by letting users shop online in groups on popular online stores like ASOS, Boohoo, Missguided, Na-kd and Pretty Little Thing.
With a spike in online group activities like Facebook watch parties and Netflix Party, it is clear that peer-to-peer connection is important to consumers.
Furniture
Ikea has been playing in the AR space for some time. Ikea Place app lets users view true-to-scale 3D models of furniture in their own homes, allowing users to try before they buy and ensure that the colour, scale and shape of an item will suit their space.
West Elm took a different approach and decided to capitalise on the increase in Zoom meetings by offering customers a chance to “up your game for WFH meetings or show off for friends at a virtual happy hour” by downloading Zoom backgrounds which featured “chic” West Elm interiors.
Beauty
Snapchat’s desktop app, Snap Camera, allows users to add Snapchat lenses to their live streams and video chats. L’Oréal made the most of the increase in virtual hang outs by creating AR lenses for Snap Camera, the first branded beauty experience of its kind.
L’Oréal also came to play in the hair space, by broadening its AR technology to allow customers to try on the different shades of their Garnier Nutrisse hair colour ranges through its Modiface platform. To use the feature, shoppers scan boxes of Garnier hair dye with a smartphone camera, prompting the user to open Modiface to help identifying the colour and accompanying product.
Social Media Platforms
These platforms have been riding the AR wave for quite some time and global lockdowns have made this more important than ever.
Facebook Shops
In May, Facebook announced the launch of Facebook Shops, a mobile first shopping integration which allows businesses to create online stores in Facebook and Instagram for free.
According to founder, Mark Zuckerberg, their “goal is to make shopping seamless and empower anyone from a small business owner to a global brand to use our apps to connect with customers.”
Essentially this will mean bringing the entire shopping experience, from a customer seeing an ad and viewing a product to making a purchase and interacting with a brand, onto Facebook’s suite of platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and Messenger).
TikTok
Newer kid on the block, TikTok, has grown up pretty fast, improving it’s ad offering and, with the imminent launch of its “AR brand effect” offering, moving into the AR space.
This offering will allow brands to make interactive visual effects which interact with the physical filming environment available to users. An example of this might be a brand mascot dancing around the user’s room or a product floating into frame. As a platform with users who love to experiment and express creativity this could be a great way for brands to dabble in AR.
Right now, the shift to virtual experiences might seem like a temporary solution, a logical way to respond to COVID-19 restrictions. However, the ability of online experiences to give consumers more choice around how and where they interact with a brand means they are likely to play a more significant role in longer term brand strategies.
Kate Wills is a Digital Campaign Manager at Bolster
