The Addictive Charm of AR Experiences Fiona van Iersel MSc Marketing — King's College London Module: E-Services Marketing (7QQMO519X) Date: 4 June 2025 https://keats.kcl.ac.uk/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=759372 The Addictive Charm of AR Experiences Submitted: 4 June 2025 11:57 PM What’s funny is just today I was in a school meeting and a university workshop and both were claiming that AR is the devil incarnate. Nevertheless….. 1. What key factors have contributed to the rapid growth and popularity of AR experiences (AREs) in the metaverse, as seen with Camera IQ’s platform? From where I stand, the growth of AR feels like something we’ve all been gently nudging into—but in the best possible way. Who hasn’t played around with an Instagram filter or used an AR tool to try on sunglasses? It’s so integrated into our digital lives now that it feels practical and useful. Part of the appeal is definitely accessibility. You don’t need VR goggles or high-tech gear—just your phone camera. And when platforms like Camera IQ come in and make AR creation as easy as dragging and dropping elements (like Canva but for AR), it suddenly becomes something anyone can do—not just developers or big brands. Many of us do it without even thinking like checking out the couch that you’re looking at on Amazon looks good in your living room. COVID-19 also played a big role. When we were all stuck indoors, AR Was a saving grace. It gave us something interactive, expressive, and even a little playful to engage with. It helped fill the social gap. In marketing terms, this shift aligns with Vargo and Lusch’s (2004) service-dominant logic, where value is co-created between consumers and brands. And that’s what AR is—interactive, shared, and memorable It personalizes to what you needed at that moment. 2. What is the business value of Camera IQ’s platform in the AR ecosystem? How does Camera IQ provide a competitive advantage for brands looking to engage in camera marketing? To me, the business value of Camera IQ is exciting. It gives marketers and creators the power to build interactive immersive campaigns without needing to speak a single line of code. I don’t know about you, but I was not very good at coding. I would block myself into a loop or spend hours looking for a bug. What I personally love is how efficient it makes everything: you can design an AR campaign, publish it across different social channels, and get feedback in real-time. It’s dynamic, measurable, and fun. And the “Show me the MONEY!” Moment are the performance stats—brands using Camera IQ’s platform have seen up to 11x boost in purchase intent and significant increases in engagement (Camera IQ, 2022). From a marketing perspective, cool pays off—it’s a serious tool for cutting through digital noise straight to the heart of the consumer You wanna reach and that wants to be reached by you. If we look at it through the lens of experiential marketing (Pine & Gilmore, 1999), AR delivers exactly what consumers crave now—personal, immersive, and story-driven interactions. It’s about inviting people to play. 3. What social impacts (both positive and negative) might arise from the widespread adoption of AR and AREs through platforms like Camera IQ? How can Camera IQ address these impacts? This is where things get even more interesting. Personally, I think AR has so much potential to be a force for good. It’s opening up cultural spaces, educational content, and creative tools to people who might otherwise be left out—especially those with physical limitations or in remote locations. I find that really powerful. But there are definitely things to watch out for. We’ve seen how beauty filters can influence self-esteem, especially in younger users. And as someone who already spends too much time on their phone, I do wonder what it means to live in a world where digital layers are constantly overlaying reality. I find it hard, keeping up with my physical world and my virtual world. I feel like a split human being, half of the time that is only giving half of myself to both living spaces. That said, I think Camera IQ is in a great position to lead by example. They could: • Set strong ethical guidelines for what types of filters and AR effects they support, • Be clear and upfront about data use and privacy, • And champion digital wellbeing—maybe even designing AR that encourages real-world interaction, not just escape. References