To keep pace with the latest innovation trends in retail and ecommerce, a lot of businesses are looking into what’s hot in 2016. Last year, Augmented Reality often appeared at the top of that list, and now more and more retailers are embracing the power of AR to create a complete omnichannel experience.

In this post we’ll reveal how a major UK retailer has benefitted from integrating AR into their mobile apps, including what steps have been taken and the results observed until now.

In-Store Experience Combined With Online and Mobile

One of the main concerns retailers are facing and what has proven to be a winning tactic if successful is merging the online digital experience with the in-store experience. Stores digital integration is the step retailers need to take but many wonder what the solution is.

To tackle the challenge House of Fraser, one of the UK’s largest retail brands, introduced shoppable windows during Black Friday last year. The initiative brought amazing results as well as valuable insights into shopping patterns.

Boosting Sales During AND Before/After Opening Hours

Another constant goal retailers have is to make it easier for customers to go through the purchasing cycle and return satisfied. Higher conversion rate, engagement and retention are important but usually tricky points of the marketing strategy.

Mobile has been the next step to keep customers’ attention on the go, and now there is even more to add. In 2015, House of Fraser added Augmented Reality to its iOS app, leveraging the Layar AR SDK integrated into the app commerce platform Poq to bring actual results and build on for the future.

What did implementing AR into their app bring to the retailer? More details on the results above and some further insights into the consumer’s mind can be found in a case study we have put together with app commerce platform Poq and House of Fraser.

Contact us to learn how your business can benefit from the full power of the Layar AR SDK.

Back in February we told you about the Scandinavian celebrity news magazine SE og HØR (“SEE and HEAR”) which had made use of the Layar SDK to bring Augmented Reality capabilities to its mobile apps.

Readers of the Danish edition of the magazine can gain access to exclusive videos, background stories, photo galleries, interactive polls, contests and much more simply by scanning the pages of the magazine.

Now we have more exciting news… SE og HØR has been given three Danish Internet Awards nominations for their unique and engaging AR integration. Here are the categories in which the project was nominated.

• Social Technology/API
The award is given to a company/organization that in the most superior way utilizes social media technology to promote engagement, sharing, publishing and/or monitoring.

• Mobile Platform
Given to the mobile app or mobile site that best exploits the mobile channel to provide users with a high degree of value when and where the user demands it.

• Branded Utility
Given to the brand that has developed a tool or service for a digital platform which gives the user a brand related added value.

“It’s nothing short of fantastic that we have been nominated so early on in our process. And not only in one but in three categories,” says the editor in chief of SE og HØR, Niels Pinborg. “Our goal has been to create loyalty between our readers, the magazine and advertisers. The fact that the industry is recognizing our work and our vision is a bonus we didn’t expect. I’m extremely proud and honored.”

The awards ceremony takes place on April 27th at the Wallmans Cirkusbygningen in Copenhagen. Best of luck to SE og HØR with their nominations!

Danish readers of SE og HØR – a television guide and celebrity news magazine – can now do far more than just “see and hear” as the publication’s name suggests.

With the easy-to-use Layar SDK, the publishers have launched Mit SE og HØR, a free mobile application for iOS and Android that brings the pages of the 75-year-old magazine to life with Augmented Reality.

Readers can gain access to exclusive videos, background stories, photo galleries, interactive polls, contests and much more simply by scanning the pages of the magazine. Extra digital content jumps off the page, providing readers with an engaging interactive experience.

“This is the next step in our development strategy to ensure that SE og HØR will continue to be the market leader in the future,” says Editor in Chief Niels Pinborg. “This means that we expand our magazine without going up in pages or price. And that means that we can pamper our most loyal customers.”

Not only is the editorial content of magazine interactive, but commercial content as well. The magazine says advertisers were eager to create more engaging digital experiences for their ads.

“It is clear that the ability to convert from print to purchase without having to leave the couch is quite interesting for our commercial partners, so here I see fairly large opportunities,” says Pinborg.

The Mit SE og HØR app is available now for free on iOS and Android in Denmark.

In a technologically advanced near future, where people upload memories onto “Thoughtshare,” Special Agent Brenda Bloodworth heads up a special FBI task force that solves crimes by diving into these memories.

At least that’s is the setting for “BLOODWORTH,” the latest comic from author Daniel Corey. And what better way for a comic book about a techy future to grab readers’ attention than with a bit of impressive tech of its own?

That’s why if you scan the cover of BLOODWORTH with the Layar App, the magic of Augmented Reality brings the cover to life with a video previewing the forthcoming series of comics.

Read more »

The Yas Marina Circuit, home of the upcoming 2015 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, has worked with Flip Media and Starcom MediaVest Group to release the YasHUB app for iOS and Android with Layar’s Augmented Reality SDK built in.

The app allows visitors to scan their tickets to view additional information about the event, including day-by-day information about events around the circuit.

The YasHUB app also allows race fans to purchase tickets and stay up-to-date on the latest F1 news and social media, but also provides an interactive map of the circuit grounds that directs visitors to key points-of-interest using the Layar Geo SDK.

The new upgrade to YasHUB allows users to scan their ticket packages, resulting in an animation of all main seating areas and venues around the island being built up in 3D on their phones. Ticket holders can then select their seating area and will be shown precisely where their seats are as the animation zooms into their seating zone – allowing the user to understand in three dimensions where exactly they will enjoy the action.

Not only that, but people can use the AR technology to check out the view from their seat through a series of images on the app. The app retains the helpful navigation function so people can use their phone to find out information on key locations at the circuit by simply holding up their mobiles and looking at the landmark through their screens. Relevant information of that location is then displayed, offering an immersive digitally enhanced experience to ticket holders.

“Each year, we aim to bring something new to racing fans that enhances their enjoyment of Yas Marina Circuit during F1 weekend,” said Nick McElwee, Director of Sales and Marketing at Yas Marina Circuit. “The new YasHUB app uses the latest app-based Augmented Reality technology from Layar to give users a new perspective of Yas Marina Circuit. Key areas of the track will come alive on users’ mobile screens with the addition of real-time information. The YasHUB app will help Yas Marina Circuit build meaningful interactions with our thousands of global fans as we transition to our new incarnation as a media brand and content publishers.”

“Starcom was very excited to continue the collaboration with Yas Marina Circuit and Layar to improve the YasHUB app by utilising Layar’s technology to further enhance race goers experience,” said Dimitri Papadimitriou, Head of LiquidThread MENA. “With Yas Marina Circuit, we have a client that understands the digital landscape and the changes in the way people are using technology and as such we are able to bring companies like Layar to the table to produce innovative and new customer experiences.”

The Geo SDK is a powerful way to create interactive, location-based AR experiences for your audience. Visit our solutions page to learn more about the Geo SDK, or contact us if you have any questions!