Is Augmented Reality an effective Tool in Brand Management?
(A2019-9305)

AUTHORS

Philipp Rauschnabel, Digital Marketing and Media Innovation; Reto Felix, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; Chris Hinsch, Grand Valley State University

KEYWORDS

Augmented Reality; Brand Management; Inspiration

ABSTRACT

Augmented Reality (AR) is a promising and growing field in marketing research and practice. Very little is known if, how, and why AR-apps can impact consumers’ perception and evaluation of brands. The following research presents and empirically tests a framework that describes how consumers evaluate AR apps, and how this evaluation drives subsequent changes in brand attitude. On a descriptive level, the study provides evidence that AR apps can improve brand attitudes (i.e. testing brand attitude both before and after using an app). On a theoretical level, the study reveals consumer inspiration as a mediating construct between the benefits consumers derive from AR apps and changes in brand attitude. Besides providing novel insights into AR marketing theory, the study also suggests that marketers should consider evaluating mobile AR apps based on the inspiration potential (and not simply based on consumer attitudes, such as star-ratings in app stores).

REFERENCES

We thank M. Assion, N. Pérez, J. Giorgi, G. Pampaloni, N. Schwab, G. Wegerin, M. Sevilla, M. Herrmann, and H. Klussmann for their help in collecting the data as part of class projects in “Online Brandig” and “Labor Medienentwicklung”.