Capturing a customer’s attention starts with providing an immersive experience.

Consumers’ tolerance for ads is near rock bottom: Almost nine out of 10 say they dislike or do not engage with ads. But when ads use augmented reality (AR) and 3D technology, their attitude changes: three-quarters say they would pay more attention. In a new white paper, CGTrader, the world’s leading provider of 3D models and digital content, describes its solution for brands seeking to capture the advertising audience’s limited and shifting attention.

About 89% of U.S. consumers report those negative attitudes about ads, but 75% respond positively to augmented reality, such as media where the viewer can interact with programming. The potential for advertisers is immense, CGTrader reports.

“It’s completely unheard of for consumers to be able to interact with a product in this way. Brands can utilize 3D advertising for advanced products and buying insights and engagement with the next generation of customers,” said CGTrader CEO Dalia Lasaite. CGTrader supports more than 500,000 customers globally, including 150 companies in the Fortune 500, with nearly 1.5 million 3D models from some 5.5 million creators.

Immersive 3D advertising builds on technologies that consumers may already recognize from product pages but have not yet encountered in other media or platforms, the white paper explains. It allows viewers to explore and interact with the product by virtually touching or moving the product and, in some cases, personalizing it. In that sense, AR and 3D allow consumers to build an emotional connection with the product or brand.

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The white paper outlines the unique benefits of AR and 3D advertising: consumers can actually interact with the product and improve purchase intent. The customer feels empowered and increases their brand affinity. Ecommerce brands and Amazon merchants can experience better ad performance, robust analytics, and an engaged audience to potentially retarget on other platforms.

Statistics on AR advertising, reported in the white paper, demonstrate its power. For example, the click-through rate (CTR) on a 3D ad banner increases by 300% with immersive technologies, and the average interaction time is a far greater 12 seconds. Conversion rates also increase by 40% when a product is presented in 3D versus in 2D. The interactive experience greatly improves brand loyalty and customer satisfaction, reducing returns and dissatisfied customers.

Immersive AR advertising also will be essential as consumer demographics change, such as the growth of Gen Z, a demographic raised with the internet and social media and with an estimated spending power of $143 billion and accounting for 40% of global consumers. Most of the world’s largest social platforms, popular with that generation and others, also are now providing capabilities to facilitate 3D advertising.

As mobile AR advertising is projected to increase $6.68 billion by 2025 – a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37.5% –  innovative ecommerce brands should adopt these methods to increase sales, create a better customer experience, and diversify advertising spend, the white paper recommends.

“CGTrader provides the foundation and framework of the immersive AR advertising consumers want and businesses need,” Lasaite said. “We are committed to changing the way organizations provide 3D content and how people access and even enjoy it.”

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