Business
October 12, 2022
October 12, 2022

Read the AR research that’s changing the face of advertising

Read the Global report

When it comes to Augmented Reality and its full potential, brands are missing out by only seeing the tip of the iceberg. We have research to help view AR through a different lens.
We teamed up with Ipsos for our biggest Augmented Reality research study to date, covering 16 markets and speaking to over 25,000 people to uncover what consumers and brands really think about AR. Our research revealed more than just numbers – it unveiled the accelerating expectations of consumers, unearthing the significant gap between consumers and brands. The technology is here, the consumers are fluent, and the competition is onboard. But don’t just take our word for it…
The great disconnect
The AR revolution has arrived. By 2025, nearly 75% of the global population and almost all people who use social/communication apps will be frequent AR users.1 Consumers are striding ahead and brands need to catch up. AR is also a powerful tool to enrich the world around you, connect with others and fuel self-improvement.
Consumer interest is high for a broad range of AR experiences, compared to brands’ interest in delivering them.
It’s time brands take advantage of the technology available to create more immersive experiences that meet or surpass consumers expectations.
From awareness to loyalty
AR enables brands to fuel seamless experiences along the consumer journey; from building awareness through to long-term loyalty.

We AR where it matters
Thanks to its immersive “try-on” technology, AR gives consumers confidence about how a product will look and fit, enabling them to make more accurate choices. This can result in less returns, helping brands to save money and reduce their environmental impact overall. Brands and consumers already using AR see the potential.
 
79% of brands claim the number of returns a customer makes will be reduced by AR.10
 
The possibilities are endless and consumers are already exploring these new AR horizons. It’s time for brands to take a bold step forward.

0 2022 Ipsos Global Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Global results are based on aggregated results across 16 countries for Consumers and Brands: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States.| Base Consumers: Smartphone users aged 13-44 years old who use any social or communication app (n=24,849) and have used AR or would consider doing so in the future (n=20,279). Results were weighted to be representative of the overall smartphone population as well as AR usage from each country. | Base Brands: Senior decision makers from brands or agencies that have used AR or are open to doing so in the future who chose to take part (n=1,021).
1 2021 Global Deloitte Digital Study commissioned by Snap Inc. 2021 AR Consumers based on people who use AR weekly or daily from 2021 Global Deloitte Digital Study commissioned by Snap Inc. 2022 to 2025 forecasted in line with 2000-2003 growth rate of smartphone users since AR is in the Toy-launched phase of adoption; if we look at where this transition took place with mobile phones, one can argue that this was when games like 'snake started being available (e.g., 1997: Nokia 6110 device release. Global population includes people ages 13-69 (5.61B based on UN World Population Prospects 2019).
2 2022 Ipsos Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Base Global Brands: All AR Users or open to do so in the future n=1,021 | Q: Please select the main reasons you think each of these groups of people use AR (‘Fun’ NET: ‘to have fun / be silly’ and ‘to play games’)
3 2022 Ipsos Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Base Global Consumers: AR users or future users n=20,279 | Q: Please choose the main reason(s) you use / would use AR (Fun NET: ‘To have fun / be silly’ and ‘To play games’)
4 2022 Ipsos Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Base Global Consumers: AR users or future users n=20,279 | Q: Please choose the main reason(s) you use / would use AR. (NET: ‘To find out additional information about specific products or services’, ‘To make shopping experiences easier’, ‘To make shopping experiences faster’ ‘To ask friends / family for their opinions on what to buy’ - 60%).
5 2022 Ipsos Global Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Base Consumers: AR users or future users n=20,279 | Q: AR can provide many experiences. Thinking about what you can do with using AR both now and in the future, how interested, if at all, are you in each of the following? (T2B: Very interested / Somewhat interested). | Base Brands: All AR users of open to doing so in the future n=1,021 | Q: Which, if any, of the following would your Organisation be interested in providing to consumers or customers? Please select all that apply. 'Learning in an immersive way’, ‘Accessed an AR map that projects a virtual map helping to navigate a city or a store’, ‘Used AR for entertainment’
6 2022 Ipsos Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Base Global Consumers: AR users or future users n=20,279 | Q: Please tell us how much you agree or disagree that AR could assist you in the following ways. (NET: Agree 65% ‘AR makes the shopping experience easier’)
7 2022 Ipsos Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Base Global Brands = Organisations that ‘Enhanced brand presence with AR filters, lenses or effects for customers’ n=220 | Q: What value did AR bring to your organisation / key client? Please select all that apply. (Brand awareness NET: 80% ‘Increasing brand awareness’, ‘Making us stand out from competitors’)
8 2022 Ipsos Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Base Brands: Global AR users n= 700 | Q: In which, if any, of the following do you think AR could bring value to your organisation / key client] at an overall level? (NET Brand Driving Sales / Improve Metrics: ‘Drive in-store sales’, ‘Create new digital purchase channels (DTC)’, ‘Acquire new customers’, ‘Drive performance metrics (Sales, lead generation, app installations etc)’, ‘Drive return on investment (ROI)’)
9 2022 Ipsos Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Base Global Brands: All Brands AR users n=700 | Q16. In which, if any, of the following do you think AR could bring value to your organisation / key client] at an overall level? (NET Brand Loyalty: ‘Improve customer experience’, ‘Improve customer loyalty’)
10 2022 Ipsos Augmentality Shift Study commissioned by Snap Inc. | Base Global Brands: n=1,021 | Q: Thinking about the impact AR can have, which of the following do you think AR can help your organisation / key client to reduce? (NET Returns: ‘The number of returns’, ‘The amount of packaging needed’, ‘The cost of processing returns’).