Meta, an innovative company focused on augmented reality (AR) advertising, announced today at the IAB’s NewFronts that they would be bringing the technology to Reels Ads and Facebook Stories, allowing brands such as Sephora, Tiffany & Co. and others to offer a more immersive experience with their marketing efforts. This development would enable them to target their younger Gen Z users. The updates will also include multiple enhancements to Reels Ads, such as a larger “call to action” button to make engagement easier and the possibility to work with third-party measurement partners.
The latest move by Meta could help the company gain advertisers’ attention and compete with rival Snap, who unveiled a number of new products earlier this week at the NewFronts including Stories and Spotlight, their version of TikTok. In terms of AR, Snap already offers several features such as AR commerce, Snapchat Lenses, AR Enterprise Services and more.
Meta had already rolled out AR ads for the Facebook Feed, Instagram Feed and Instagram Stories, claiming there was an 87% incremental ad recall amongst the 18-24 demographic when compared to non-AR-enabled ads. Therefore, the integration with Reels Ads and Facebook Stories is a welcome upgrade and potential gamechanger for the company.
Partnering businesses such as Sephora have already tested the new AR Reel Ads, making use of an “aura vibe” filter to help users pick the best fitting fragrances. This resulted in more than half of their audience being Gen Z users. On the other hand, Tiffany & Co. created an AR ad that let users explore their “Landmark” 5th Avenue store, check out the jewelry and even purchase items.
With the goal of engaging customers, a thumbnails-headlines and business details button was specially crafted to give detailed information and a website URL that would direct customers to additional services. Moreover, for shopping ads, a multi-destination product ad has been introduced so that instead of sending the customers to a retailer’s website or single product page, the customers can swipe through multiple product images from the Reel itself.
Additionally, Reels Ads introduced viewability reporting option, developed with the help of select firms such as Double Verify, IAS and MOAT, that enables marketers to get an accurate overview of the effectiveness of their campaigns.
This remarkable use of AR technology by Meta ensures that marketers and customers, especially Generation Z, can interact with each other in a more immersive and enhanced way. With this new development, Meta solidifies their position in the advertisement space.
