The Next Dimension

Your guide to transforming your business with spatial computing, featuring real use cases and proof points of augmented reality in marketing, advertising, and sales

Ready to revolutionize your business? The Next Dimension: How to Use Augmented Reality For Business Growth In The Era of Spatial Computing, by Tom Emrich, explores the power of augmented reality (AR) to propel your business strategy into the next wave of computing. Learn how AR is reshaping the digital landscape, crafting a new marketing mix, and evolving retail into a brand-new consumer experience. Gain valuable insights on realizing success with AR across the marketing funnel, activate and engage ‘Generation AR,’ and move beyond traditional ads with immersive campaigns that are co-created with your consumer. With real-world examples from brands like LEGO, BMW, Walmart, Gucci, Diageo, and more, this guide equips you with everything you need to use AR technology for immediate and impactful results.

What's Inside? Game-Changing Benefits:

• Spatial Computing 101: Get introduced to the future of computing. Understand how spatial computing transforms our relationship with technology and uncover the new opportunities it offers for your business.
• Your 3D Wakeup Call: Learn to spatialize your business by embracing 3D. Discover the latest consumer devices and develop a 3D strategy that maximizes your investment across consumer touchpoints.
• Marketing in an Augmented World: Explore how brands seamlessly integrate AR into their marketing mix. Dive into common mobile AR use cases and see how brand pioneers are marketing with mixed reality headsets like Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3.
• Advertising in the Next Dimension: Break free from traditional banner ads with immersive AR campaigns. Learn to digitize print and out-of-home advertising and get a glimpse of future opportunities with smartglasses.
• Selling with Spatial Computing: Revolutionize e-commerce into AR-commerce by bringing showrooms to customers and making online shopping feel more tangible. Use AR to turn a trip to the store into an unforgettable experience.

Why The Next Dimension is Your Must-Have Guide:

• Groundbreaking Insights: Tom Emrich demystifies cutting-edge technology, breaking it down into simple, actionable steps that make AR accessible and exciting for everyone.
• Real-World Success Stories: Immerse yourself in inspiring case studies from pioneering brands leveraging AR platforms from Meta, Snap, TikTok, Niantic, and more. These include data points demonstrating how AR achieves results from awareness to purchase.
• Actionable Roadmaps: Receive detailed, practical guidance on effectively integrating AR, covering everything from innovative marketing tactics to measurement considerations.
• Future-Proof Your Career: Ramp up your knowledge, gain inspiration, and find out how to develop an AR-centric strategy to stay ahead in this ever-evolving tech landscape.

The Next Dimension is more than a book; it's your key to unlocking the digital frontier. Become a spatial computing champion and help take yourself and your business to the forefront of this technology.

Bonus for book owners: This book is AR-activated. Bring the cover to life with a WebAR experience created by EyeJack. PLUS, talk to an AI about this book with ‘The Next Dimension Book GPT.’

How to Use This Book xiii

Bring the Cover to Life with AR xiii

Talk to an AI About This Book xiii

Preface: The Man from the Future xv

Chapter 1 Welcome to the Era of Spatial Computing 1

Chapter Cheat Sheet Powered by AI 1

We Are All Digital Flat Earthers 2

I Sense, Therefore I Am 3

Mind the Gap 5

A Leap in Dimension 6

Our Post-Smartphone Future 8

The Age of Experience 11

Sparking Spatial Strategies 13

Chapter 2 Spatial Computing 101 15

Chapter Cheat Sheet Powered by AI 15

40 Years in the Making 16

The Spatial Computing Tech Stack 19

The Eyes and Ears of Spatial Computing 21

If Computers Only Had a BrAIn 23

Merging Our Body with Bytes 24

Software Development for AR/VR 27

Sparking Spatial Strategies 30

Chapter 3 Your 3D Wake-Up Call 31

Chapter Cheat Sheet Powered by AI 31

A New Device Ecosystem 32

It All Starts with 3D 33

Spatializing 2D Content 35

Gaming and the Metaverse 36

The State of AR Today 37

The Market Readiness for AR 41

Societal Considerations 42

The Year Is 2035 45

Sparking Spatial Strategies 50

Chapter 4 Marketing in an Augmented World 51

Chapter Cheat Sheet Powered by AI 51

You Can’t Spell “Brand” without the “A” and “R” 52

Jumping the Immersive Innovation Chasm 54

Proving Value Along the Marketing Funnel 56

Collapsing and Twisting the Marketing Funnel 59

The New “P” in Marketing 61

Generation AR 62

Sparking Spatial Strategies 63

Chapter 5 Redefining Mobile Marketing 65

Chapter Cheat Sheet Powered by AI 65

Integrating AR as Part of Your Marketing mix 66

Make Consumers the Main Character 68

Open a Portal to Your Brand World 70

Bring Content into the Consumers’ World 71

Awaken Your Product So It Can Sell 73

Add a Talking Twist to Your Packaging 75

Let Your Packaging Entertain Your Consumer 77

Gamify the In-Store Experience 79

Measuring Success with AR 81

Sparking Spatial Strategies 82

Chapter 6 Marketing in the Era of Spatial Computing 85

Chapter Cheat Sheet Powered by AI 85

AR Headworn Wearables Are Already Here 86

Meet the MR Marketing Pioneers 88

Key Principles in MR Headset Marketing 93

Looking into the MR Crystal Ball 98

Sparking Spatial Strategies 104

Chapter 7 Advertising in the Next Dimension 107

Chapter Cheat Sheet Powered by AI 107

Moving Beyond the Banner Ad 108

A Massive Opportunity for Advertisers 111

AR Ads That Go Snap, Insta, and Tok 113

AR Ads outside the Walled Garden 119

Augmenting Billboards and Bus Shelters 122

Make Your Ad Jump Off the Page 124

Key Principles for AR Ad Success 126

Measurement and the Importance of Standards 129

MR Headsets—A New Frontier for Advertisers 131

Advertising in a World with AR Glasses 132

Sparking Spatial Strategies 134

Chapter 8 Selling with Spatial Computing 135

Chapter Cheat Sheet Powered by AI 135

AR Sales Opportunities Today 136

Consumer Demand and Early Insights 138

Transforming E- Commerce into AR-Commerce 139

Using AR as a Physical Product Perk 145

The Rise of Virtual-Only Sales 146

Turn Catalogs into Retail Experiences 148

Bring the Showroom to the Consumers 150

Augmenting the Retail Space 150

Principles for AR Commerce 153

Measuring AR-Driven Sales Performance 155

Shopping in Mixed Reality 157

Looking at Retail Through AR Glasses 161

On the Horizon for Spatial Sales 164

Sparking Spatial Strategies 167

Chapter 9 Becoming a Spatial Computing Champion 169

Chapter Cheat Sheet Powered by AI 169

Spatial Computing Needs You 170

Embrace Experimentation Enthusiastically and Eagerly 171

Commit to Lifelong Learning 173

Crafting an AR–Centric Strategy 175

Go Forth and Be Spatial 178

Sparking Spatial Strategies 179

Endnotes 181

Acknowledgments 209

About the Author 211

Index 213

TOM EMRICH has over 15 years of experience in spatial computing as a journalist, investor, and product leader. Sometimes called the “man from the future,” Tom is recognized as a pioneer in augmented reality, virtual reality, and wearable technology. His opinions on this space have been featured in CNN, BBC, Forbes, and The New York Times.

New opportunities have always emerged with the advent of new media, but none have heralded a transformation as profound as spatial computing and its breakthrough medium—augmented reality (AR). AR is set to redefine engagement, empowering products to tell their stories and turning the world into a canvas for meaningful advertising. Are you and your business ready to step into the next dimension?

In The Next Dimension, Tom Emrich, a leading expert in augmented and virtual reality, explores how AR is not just another digital tool but a fundamental shift in how businesses operate, communicate, and innovate. This book reveals AR’s potential to create immersive experiences that forge deeper customer connections, enhance brand loyalty, and drive consumer engagement to new heights.

What sets this book apart is its sharp focus on augmented reality rather than a broad overview of emerging technologies. It zeroes in on AR’s specific marketing, advertising, and sales applications, providing a clear, actionable roadmap for business leaders and executives. At a time when digital transformation is essential, this book highlights the strategic advantages of integrating AR into your business model, offering a competitive edge in an increasingly immersive world.

Packed with groundbreaking insights, real-world examples from innovative brands, and practical roadmaps, The Next Dimension equips you to not only keep pace with change but to lead it. Emrich’s expertise equips you with the knowledge to understand and apply this revolutionary technology, propelling your business forward. Future-proof your career and stay ahead in an increasingly immersive world. With The Next Dimension, you’ll be ahead of the curve, equipped to unlock the digital frontier and leave competitors wondering what just happened.

Bonus for book owners: This book is AI and AR activated. Bring the cover to life with a WebAR experience created by EyeJack, and dive deeper into the content with ‘The Next Dimension Book GPT.’

The definitive guide to using augmented reality in marketing, advertising, and sales

Ready to revolutionize your business? In The Next Dimension, acclaimed expert Tom Emrich reveals how augmented reality (AR) is the next evolution of digital transformation, empowering your business with the tools to succeed in the era of spatial computing. Discover how mobile AR and mixed reality headsets are reshaping the digital advertising landscape, crafting a new marketing mix, and transforming retail into a brand-new consumer experience.

Learn how AR is revolutionizing sales by turning e-commerce into AR-commerce, bringing immersive showrooms to customers, and making online shopping more tangible. Gain valuable insights on realizing success with AR across the entire marketing funnel and effectively engaging ‘Generation AR.’ Packed with actionable insights, real-world examples, and a roadmap to leverage AR, this book provides everything you need for immediate, impactful results.

Whether you’re in marketing, advertising, or sales, The Next Dimension is an indispensable resource for business leaders, executives, marketers, and agencies committed to leading in the age of AR-driven innovation. The time is now—transform your business today and set a new standard in your industry.