On November 9, 2022, we talked live with our great speakers about how we can stay in the minds of our customers and turn them into fans in times of Tiktok challenges, Instagram reels and influencers. For all those who couldn't be there, or for those who want to read up on it again, here's a small but nice summary: we hope you enjoy reading it!

If you have any questions, please contact us via hello@sensape.com or simply use our contact form.

Your Sensape Team

Is the Metaverse ready for us yet?

Everyone is talking about the metaverse. Rightly so, we think. But are we ready for the metaverse yet? Or is it even ready for us, for our marketing strategy? Large agencies and brands have already presented their dazzling virtual worlds, which are located on various platforms such as decentraland or roblox. The possibilities are sheer impossible and range from live concerts, virtual stores to digital products and accessories for the avatars.

We find this really exciting and see a lot of potential, but the hype seems to have flattened out somehow and the user numbers are currently still too low. The enormous effort and high marketing budgets unfortunately only led to a lower outcome than expected. Therefore, we think: Currently, the metaverse does not offer the possibilities we need for our marketing strategy. We see real alternatives for interaction with customers in the already established channels such as TikTok, Instagram, events, festivals or quite simply the POS. So, besides investing in the metaverse, we need to focus on concepts, strategies, approaches that manage to address potential customers immersively, interact with the brand and create a benefit.

Augmented reality at the POS or on social media can be used to create unique brand experiences, as our speaker:inside have already proven. It differs from traditional advertising formats in that it is active, not passive. You're not just watching, you're part of it. The average interaction rate of an AR experience varies depending on the campaign, but often reaches up to one minute, which is four times longer than an average TV commercial. We the brands and agencies should therefore not only redefine the way we engage with customers, but also use immersive experiences to catapult us into the future, and do it now, not when the metaverse has attracted enough users:inside.

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Gamification! - How do you set new impulses at the POS with AR & AI?

Ann-Kathrin Böker from Royal5 of the Brandfit Group shows how Telekom worked with them to develop a campaign to promote the World Cup streaming service. Those who dare can put their skills to the test in the Telekom Stores and crack a high score in a game using their heads to hit the ball. In addition, an immersive fan world rounds off the brand experience with lots of fun.

The key benefits of gamification with AR:

✅Arouse emotions and engage multiple senses!

✅Immersively engage Telekom customers in a digital interaction experience.

✅Increase engagement with the product & enable intense customer loyalty.

✅Create user-generated content for social media.

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Big Events, big Data - How can we intensify fan experiences?

Felix Herrmann from MEWA Textilsharing talked about how MEWA as a sponsor uses augmented reality to make fan engagement even more interactive and immersive. One example is the current fan experience at the MEWA Arena in Mainz.

The key benefits of the AR fan experience:

✅More than just visibility as a sponsor

✅Great experience and memory associated with the brand

✅Creation of UGC for social media

✅High interaction conversion rate

Individual Merchandising in mass markets- The world is unique!

Benedikt Schäfer from beyounic showed how to create merchandising that not everyone has - with the special use case at the Wacken Open Air 2022. At the Krombacher booth, artificial intelligence paired with augmented reality whisked visitors away to various AR worlds. The photos could be ordered on merchandise items such as a mug or a shirt directly via API to beyounic. Of course, the solution is not only suitable for festivals. From personalized fan articles such as T-shirts and mugs to means of employer branding, there are no limits.

The key benefits of the AR festival merch:

✅Immersive experience and unique take-away

✅Lasting memory

Podium discussion: The stage is yours! What does user-centric strategy mean for fashion and entertainment?

Almost all major broadcasters now offer streaming services. The market is expected to grow to 1.6 billion users and nearly $200 billion in revenue by 2025, making it a strong competitor for the stationary market with cinemas. The situation is similar in the fashion sector, with online fashion retail sales expected to increase by 50% to EUR 178 billion in Europe by 2025, but brick-and-mortar retailers are still struggling with the transformation. Together with expert Alexander Kratz from akagency, our Commercial Director Michael talked about the development of the industries. When all fashion shows were cancelled in the pandemic, there was an attempt to introduce a digital catwalk. Also solution approaches with AR were developed many, but then unfortunately also crushed. AR trials are already known with glasses and accessories or makeup. The all-important feeling of wearing clothes cannot yet be reproduced with AR.

One thing is certain, however: retailers must offer more experiences in order to keep up with the online world. The situation is already different in the entertainment sector. The show Shoppingqueen celebrated its 10th anniversary at the beginning of 2022 with a WebAR application. The unique solution brought star designer Guido Maria Kretschmer to the fans' homes.

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How can we use AR to strengthen the emotional connection to a visit to the cinema or for the start of a new season?  Current examples from Disney and Sky show: AR interaction that is fun and immersive in the world of the movie or series can get visitors excited.

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What are the ideas that should be implemented immediately?

1. creating a good feeling among customers is extremely important given the current wealth of information.

2. keep it simple, keep it fast, have fun!

3. authenticity is key!