Getting Real: Interactive Training for Interactive Print

Are customers going to be more enticed to purchase from you if they can see a 3D image on your printed piece?

Actually, according to numerous new studies like one from Nellymoser, novel linking technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) are really gaining momentum in the integrated print marketing universe thanks to the extended uses of mobile phones. No longer a futuristic fantasy of overzealous marketers, AR, image recognition, and invisible water marking are quickly growing in popularity. Although customization and QR codes are still being used successfully, consumers’ desire for more realistic experiences is creating viable applications for these new technologies.

How to Apply AR in the Real World

So how can printers implement AR and other ever-increasing linking tools and start seeing the ROI? At events like Integrated Print Forum 2013, you will see, step-by-step, how to create AR pieces in real time with hands-on lab sessions that effectively link print to digital content and engage customers.

Joe Marin, Senior Instructor/Manager, Training Programs (whom you may know if you have ever attended a training workshop or attended a webinar for Printing Industries of America), leads this IPF session and has also authored several white papers and blogs on the subject. His skill and enthusiasm get you involved in your learning.

If you are not quite sure how to begin to apply AR, here is Joe to fill in some of the details:

When AR is integrated with print, it can link the consumer to online, relevant content or offers. Combining print with an AR scene is typically accomplished by using a marker. A marker is a specialized barcode that is mapped and linked to the digital AR application. The marker is the “trigger” that is placed in front of the smartphone camera or webcam where an AR software application is installed. It is this marker that retrieves the data via an application or Internet connection and becomes the reference point for the AR scene that is displayed on the monitor or smartphone. Click here to see a video where I demonstrate the use of AR.