Augmented Reality And What It Means For You
Augmented reality (AR) is undeniably still in its infancy as a tool. And yet, the technology has already opened up a Pandora’s Box of opportunities for consumers, business, health professionals and universities.
To understand the tool’s progression and accessibility, Facebook head of tech, entertainment and connectivity Jason Juma-Ross sat down with experts in the field of AR at Advertising Week to discuss how AR is maturing, rewriting the way we tell stories and shaking up human interaction.
Speaking with Facebook partner engineer manager of platforms Emmanuel Lusinchi, Speed 3D Inc art director Ray Chung, Rapid director of technology Dan White and Shadow Factory partner Devin Ehrig, Juma-Ross and the panelists explained the radical developments taking place at Facebook’s AR Studio, the production of AR and the importance of distribution.
First up, Lusinchi took to the stage to discuss AR Studio, explaining how the how the tool is both extremely intricate and well developed, and yet, able to be used incredibly easily by the 1.5 billion Facebook users who have access to the Facebook Camera, where AR effects are consumed.
Using a real-time demonstration, Lusinchi showed the audience how easily a user can plug demands into AR Studio to create a personalised AR filter. “Facebook is attempting to put the tool in the hands of as many creatives as possible and as many users as possible,” Lusinchi said. In doing so, the Facebook team can give users more freedom to express themselves with AR Studio.
He added, “There’s a lot of room for innovation, what we have really done with all this innovation is take tech aspect out of it and, instead, we’re getting users to find their own creativity using the tools”. Speaking about cameras and how they are developing alongside the tools, Lusinshi said, “The camera is getting intelligent enough to understand what it is seeing, machine learning is great!”
Chung, Ehrig and White then jumped on stage to speak about their own AR projects and applaud the way Facebook has helped AR development as a whole. Talking about Facebook, Chung said, “Facebook brought me technology which has allowed me to be able to see how things look and hear in an unreal way”. Adding to this, Ehrig said Facebook has been crucial for introducing new technology.
For White, the brilliance of AR Studio is its ability to “Create a physical surface that’s grounded in reality, that allows you to visualise experiences. It’s taking AR beyond being simply ‘look at this entertaining thing’ to a tool of real value”.
For the panellists, one of the biggest barriers to overcome in AR is distribution, and getting the public to understand the simplicity of the tool. Speaking on the challenge, Lusinchi said, “There are some great independent apps and tools to bring AR experiences into people’s lives, but the challenge is getting people to download a new app.”
He added, “This is why having these experiences in an app like Facebook, that has such broad reach already, is a great way of bringing the experience to as many people as possible”.
For Ehrig, the integration of AR into our everyday lives will happen much like that of the iPad. “It’ll be like before and after you had an iPad. All of sudden you have a device that’s so easy it changes the way you’re enjoying your time, so no one will be asking ‘why do we need this’. I think this is the year people will stop asking its point”.
Chung added to this, “What we’re doing is trying to push users to realise they can make transformations with AR within their lives, as opposed to just using it to create a funny face. In the future, if I want to know something, if I want to pay my bills, if I want to chat with someone, we will use AR, it’s time to stop thinking of it just as a way to change our faces.
“In the next year everyone will think of AR as part of the way they use media daily – when I think of 12 months from now, people will not still be surprised by AR as a tool, but instead surprised by the incredible creative thinking happening within AR.”
Talking about Facebook’s own progression in the field, Juma-Ross said, “The AR space is the next step in the evolution of communication that has been advancing since writing. It’s continuing that development from text, to images, through video and now AR”.
Speaking of Facebook’s own advances, Juma-Ross said, “The newspapers in Harry Potter were the original inspiration behind how some of the engineering teams saw video auto-playing in News Feed”.
“This began to evolve into Live and 360 Capture, for us another step in that progression involves AR,” said Juma-Ross. “Right from the early days of experimenting with AR and VR we’ve seen it create enormous empathy. A VR film centering on a Syrian refugee camp was a ground-breaking project that made consumers realise you could experience other people’s reality, and as a result UNICEF donations went up significantly.”
Looking ahead, Juma-Ross is excited about what’s to come. “I think that right now we’ve been in the novelty stage, where we’ve seen the first application of this technology. Over the next 12 to 24 months we’ll see significant adoption by brands as they figure out how AR will be used,” he said. Specifically, Juma-Ross is excited about one upcoming period. “Christmas is such a great time for brands to be thinking about how they can bring a little magic into their customers’ lives with AR.”
Latest News
TV Ratings (18/04/2024): I’m A Celebrity Wins Prime Time And Key Demos
Aussie viewers can be a harsh lot at times. Only days after Ellie Cole bled her heart out, she has been sent packing.
Effie&co Launches New ConnectAsia Division To Help Aussie Brands Market To Asian Consumers Overseas & At Home
Not provided is advice on using chopsticks and not spilling ramen down your shirt.
Cashrewards Sets Out Stall For New CMO
Thinking of applying for the Cashrewards CMO gig? Here are some insider tips that, yes, are tantamount to cheating.
‘I Ask For The TV Industry To Stand Up And Defend Itself’ – Seven Boss James Warburton Steps Down
The Seven supremo heads for the exits after five years. Here's hoping the Spotlight team organised the farewell bash.
Poh! Jamie! Adriano! Paramount ANZ reveals its tasty plans for this year’s MasterChef
It's your fan's guide to this year's MasterChef! Although no tips on how to pronounce crudités or use a un fait-tout.
Dentsu’s iProspect Partners With MOOD Tea Ahead Of May Campaign Launch
We love a Mood Tea here at B&T. Although we do store old screws and nails in the International Roast caterer's tin.
Opinion: When Culture Starts Eating Itself: Navigating The Age Of Self-eating Nostalgia
Born boss David Coupland asks is adland going through a nostalgia period? But please, no repeats of Best Of Red Faces.
Who’s Going To Cannes?! The TikTok Young Lions Winners!
It's Aussie adland's next gen! They're off to Cannes with high hopes of bringing back a Lion & a foot-long Toblerone.
Adobe Launches Express Mobile App With Firefly AI
Want to be the coolest kid at Friday staff drinks but forgot your retro Nikes? This new Adobe wizardry may do the trick.
ThinkNewsBrands & IMAA Extend News Publishing Education In Brisbane
Industry duo takes its publishing roadshow to Brisbane. Was disappointed no male attendees were wearing walk socks.
B&T Chats With Wavemaker’s Provocative Pioneers On Their Cross-Pacific Sojourn
B&T TV heads to Wavemaker's Sydney digs to interview two staffers from its New York & LA digs. If that makes sense?
HoMie & Champion Launch “Give One. Get One” Campaign Supporting Youth Homelessness Via Town Square
Much like the fête's prized chutney wears a blue winners sash, so too should this top initiative from HoMie & Champion.
Thinkerbell Takes Us Back To Summer In Latest Work For XXXX
This beer ad wants to take you back to summer! Just minus any chance of a shark attack on your morning bus commute.
Cannes Lions Unveils 2024 Programme Featuring Queen Latifah, Jay Shetty & P&G’s Mark Pritchard
Are you one of the lucky ducks heading to Cannes in June? Check out the headliner acts you'll be queueing hours to see.
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Costa Panagos set to bring South American flair to the Scroll offices. Assuming that he is, indeed, South American.
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
Born around the 2000s? Need to amp up your AI creds? This guide's for you (although it's not really that age specific).
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
Do you rage about oversized American cars on our roads? You need to bail up Heath Walker at parties & industry events.
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.