Forbes recently announced the top marketing trends of 2022, and you can guess what landed at #1. The Metaverse.
The article mentions Facebook’s official name change to “Meta”, referring to the Metaverse, as proof that the trend is growing.
According to the article, the [name] choice is what matters. Facebook is betting big on the Metaverse, which is a term for virtual and augmented experiences.
Why does this matter?
In 2022, consumers will start to expect unique shopping experiences. Retailers will need to rely on new and creative technology to capture and sustain their customers’ attention.
Augmented Reality (AR) is already the most accessible and fastest-evolving technology available to consumers, and according to a report by Statista, projections for 2023 value AR at more than $18 billion U.S. dollars.
Vice President of The Dingley Press, Jim Gibbs, says, “Dingley customers are uniquely positioned to leverage this growing trend, and many of them already do.”
READ: Why Your Next Catalog Should Incorporate Augmented Reality
In case you’re not familiar with how AR works in print, the printed catalog serves as the medium, and when the customer hovers their mobile device over the catalog, a live 3-dimensional view of a physical and real-world environment appears.
AR now supports realistic 3D images, depth, motion tracking, occlusion, and placement of multiple objects within an environment.
“AR keeps the customer engaged with the catalog for longer, thus increasing the probability of a sale.” Gibbs says.
Moreover, BuiltIn recently published 5 Ways [Brand] Marketers Can Prepare for the Metaverse:
- Parallel real-life marketing efforts.
- Offer branded collectibles.
- Invest in immersive experiences.
- Lean on existing communities.
- Embrace experimentation.
And in case you need one more reason to jump on the AR bandwagon, the U.S. Postal Service has, for several years now, given special postage discounts to catalogers who incorporate AR technology into their catalogs. The same holds true for 2022.
Read: United States Postal Service Promotions and Incentives for 2022
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