AR Filters for Non-Glam Brands: A Step-by-Step Guide for Boring Industries

When you think of augmented reality (AR) filters, your mind might instantly jump to beauty brands, fashion, or entertainment. After all, AR filters have become a staple for glitzy, glamour-focused industries looking to create viral content or deliver engaging experiences. But what if your brand isn't part of the glam squad? Can a “boring” industry — like manufacturing, insurance, or even plumbing — use AR filters to connect with customers?

Absolutely! In fact, AR filters can be an incredibly powerful tool for non-glamorous brands to captivate their audience, drive engagement, and improve brand visibility. It's all about creativity and finding the right way to make your industry interesting through innovative technology.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll explore how non-glamorous industries can use AR filters to boost their marketing efforts, build stronger connections with their audience, and stand out in a crowded market.

What Are AR Filters?

Before diving into the specifics of how non-glamorous industries can use AR filters, let’s briefly cover what AR filters are. AR filters are digital overlays that users can apply to images or videos in real-time through their smartphones or social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook.

These filters often manipulate a person’s appearance, background, or even create interactive experiences. For example, they can make your face appear like an animal, add virtual sunglasses, or place a branded logo in your environment. But AR filters can also be much more, offering ways to interact with products, convey information, and create memorable experiences.

While AR filters are typically associated with social media and entertainment, their potential in other industries is vast, allowing brands to create immersive, interactive marketing campaigns.

Why Should Non-Glamorous Brands Use AR Filters?

AR filters can serve many purposes in marketing, including:

1. Enhancing Customer Engagement: With the right AR filter, you can engage your audience in ways that are fun, interactive, and unique.
2. Making Your Brand Memorable: Offering something cool and shareable makes your brand stand out and encourages users to interact and share your content, increasing brand visibility.
3. Boosting Product Awareness: You can use AR filters to showcase your products in new and exciting ways, allowing customers to interact with them virtually before purchasing.
4. Creating Emotional Connections: By incorporating AR technology, your brand can deliver experiences that resonate emotionally with users, building stronger relationships.

Now, let's look at how you can implement AR filters in industries that may not traditionally be considered glamorous.

Step 1: Identify the Core Message of Your Brand

The first step in implementing AR filters effectively is identifying the core message or value you want to communicate to your audience. What makes your brand special? What do you want customers to associate with your products or services?

For non-glamorous brands, the focus is often on functionality, quality, and customer support. For example, if you run a plumbing business, you might focus on reliability, trust, and professionalism. If you're in the insurance industry, perhaps your focus is on security, peace of mind, and protection.

Once you've defined the key message, think about how you can represent that message through an AR filter. How can you make these values visible or interactive in a virtual environment?

Example:

A plumbing company could create an AR filter that places an image of a leaking pipe in a customer's space, then uses a call-to-action to “fix” the pipe by tapping on the screen. This not only draws attention to the issue but also showcases the company’s service in a fun, interactive way.

Step 2: Make Your AR Filter Functional, Not Just Fun

For non-glamorous brands, the key is to ensure that the AR filter isn’t just a gimmick — it should also serve a functional purpose. Think about how you can use AR to solve a problem, educate your audience, or demonstrate the value of your product.

For instance, in the home improvement or real estate sectors, AR filters could allow users to visualize how certain products (e.g., paint colors, furniture) would look in their own homes. This adds a practical value that customers can appreciate, rather than just a fun but ultimately meaningless interaction.

Example:

An insurance company could create an AR filter that lets users visualize the impact of different coverage options, showing scenarios like a car accident or a home disaster and how insurance can help in those situations. This makes the process of choosing coverage more tangible and less abstract.

Step 3: Incorporate Your Brand's Visual Identity

Just because your industry may be considered "boring" doesn’t mean your AR filter can’t be fun and visually engaging. Make sure your AR filter incorporates your brand's colors, logo, or any other visual elements that define your identity. This reinforces brand recognition and helps your audience make the connection between the AR experience and your brand.

If you’re in a more practical industry, it might also be helpful to use AR to illustrate your brand’s commitment to quality, safety, or innovation. For example, you could have a construction company create an AR filter that demonstrates how your materials are built to last, showing a visual comparison of your products versus less durable options.

Example:

A tech company offering cybersecurity services could design an AR filter that creates a visual “security shield” around the user, symbolizing protection. The shield could display key benefits of their service, such as real-time threat detection and data protection.

Step 4: Make the Experience Shareable

Once you've created an engaging, functional, and branded AR filter, it’s time to make sure it’s easy for users to share their experiences. The more shareable the experience, the more exposure your brand will get.

Encourage your audience to use your filter in their social media posts, selfies, or stories. You can incentivize this by offering rewards or running a contest for those who share their AR experience with your filter.

Example:

A moving company could offer a contest where customers who use their AR filter to show how they are packing or organizing their home could win a discount or free moving service. This motivates customers to interact with the brand while also promoting the company in a fun, engaging way.

Step 5: Track Engagement and Refine Your Approach

Once your AR filter is live, it’s important to track how users are engaging with it. Use analytics to monitor which filters are getting the most interaction, shares, and engagement. This data will allow you to fine-tune your approach for future campaigns and continually improve your use of AR technology.

Pay attention to user feedback, as this will help you make your AR filter more relevant and appealing to your target audience.

By following these steps, non-glamorous brands can successfully use AR filters to enhance their marketing campaigns, engage their customers, and build stronger brand loyalty. With creativity, the possibilities for AR in even the most "boring" industries are endless.

For more information on how to effectively use innovative marketing strategies like AR filters, go to website.