Augmented Reality in Advertising

Try on sunglasses without a store. See a sofa in your living room before you buy it. Point your phone at a billboard and watch it come to life. AR advertising blends digital and physical, turning ads into experiences people want to play with.

This guide is part of our marketing trends series.

Types of AR experiences

Type	Example	Best for
Virtual try-on	Glasses, makeup, clothing, watches	Retail and beauty
Product preview	Furniture or appliances in your room	Home and décor
Social filters and effects	Branded camera effects	Awareness and sharing
Interactive print and packaging	Scan a label for a story or recipe	Consumer products
AR billboards and transit	Scan to see an animation or offer	Out-of-home (OOH calls to action)
Location-based AR	Clues or content at real places	Events and tourism

Why AR works

• It's interactive, so people spend more time with your brand
• It reduces uncertainty ("Will this fit? Will it suit me?")
• It's shareable
• It connects offline and online media

Ideas for local businesses

• A Calgary furniture store letting shoppers preview pieces at home
• A salon offering a hair colour try-on filter
• A restaurant with a menu that shows dishes in 3D
• A Stampede-themed filter for a festival sponsor (Stampede marketing)
• A transit shelter ad that animates when scanned (transit advertising)

Start simple

1. Pick one clear purpose: try-on, preview or fun
2. Use social platforms' AR creation tools or a web-based AR provider
3. Launch with a QR code or social post
4. Measure use and actions

Measure it

• Opens and time spent
• Shares and screenshots
• Clicks to product pages
• Sales or bookings from AR users

See interactive content and gamification.

Accessibility and privacy

Not everyone can or wants to use AR. Offer the same information in simple formats. If AR uses the camera or face tracking, explain what data is collected and follow privacy rules (privacy laws).

Mistakes to avoid

• Tech for its own sake. If AR doesn't help people decide or have fun, it's a gimmick.
• Slow experiences. If it takes too long to load, people leave.
• Hidden launch. People need a clear reason and easy way to start, such as a QR code with a benefit.
• No next step. End every experience with a clear action, like "Book now" or "Shop this look."

Example: AR on a billboard (illustrative)

A Calgary outdoor gear shop runs a winter billboard near a C-Train station with a QR code: "Scan to see how warm this jacket really is." The AR experience shows the jacket in a snowstorm with temperature ratings and a store link. Scans and store visits are tracked with a unique code.

AR checklist

• [ ] Clear purpose
• [ ] Simple launch (QR or social)
• [ ] Fast, mobile-friendly experience
• [ ] Clear next step
• [ ] Measurement set up

AR is one way brands are making ads more interactive. Pair it with digital billboards and experiential marketing.