AR for Product Labels and Interactive Packaging

AR Labels Applications in Various Industries

As you’ve already realized, AR is no longer a futuristic technology but a practical tool that is changing the way we interact with consumers in many different areas. Each industry is finding unique ways to use AR labels and AR packaging. We’ll share some cases below that might inspire your own ideas or convince you to use AR in your industry.

Food and beverage 

Heinz is one of the leaders in keeping up with the times. The food company has brought things impossible to fit on a conventional label together, via Augmented Reality, on a multi-page virtual label that allows customers to read recipes and watch videos of food preparation.

Meanwhile, Pure Origin Coffee has turned ordinary coffee packaging into an immersive journey. When a customer points their smartphone at the AR label, the amazing world of coffee plantations opens up before them. 

Augmented Reality technology allows customers to look beyond the regular label. They can watch a video about the people who grow coffee beans, learn their stories, and see the very fields where the coffee was ripened. What’s more, the brand uses the AR label as a platform for its social mission. Here customers can also learn about projects to support local coffee communities.

An interactive map of the region shows the exact origin of the coffee beans, while professional roasting and brewing recommendations help turn each cup into a true gastronomic experience. 

Wine and spirits

As the technology is still expensive to implement, Augmented Reality on labels is mainly created in limited editions. Market realities are such that it is most common in the beverage industry, especially alcoholic beverages. Advertising of these products is strictly controlled and often restricted by legislative frameworks, so manufacturers have to apply non-standard marketing solutions and try new marketing tools.

For its 150th anniversary, the whiskey maker Jack Daniel’s launched a promotional project using AR. The image on the label ‘comes to life’ in the form of pages of a black and white book. It educates consumers about the history of the brand, the process of distillation and all the stages of production. It also introduces the man behind the brand, Jack Daniel.

The AR label was an opportunity for the Jack Daniel’s brand to delight loyal customers, attract new ones, gain an advantage over competitors and generally resonate with the target audience.

Australian wine brand 19 Crimes has managed to surprise its customers with AR labels. What is so unusual about them? Each bottle depicts an 18th century convict, whose story is animated by an app. When customers scan the label with their smartphone, the character on the bottle comes to life and tells a compelling story. 

Bogle Vineyards’ AR wine label for their “Phantom” line is also very impressive. When customers scan the label with their smartphone using the appropriate app, the label “comes to life” with an interactive ghost-themed experience that fits the “Phantom” branding.

Pharmaceuticals

AR labels in pharmaceuticals solve several critical tasks at once. The buyer can instantly receive detailed instructions on how to use the drug, see an animated diagram of the correct way to take it, and receive warnings about side effects. Moreover, such labels help fight counterfeiting, as each package has a unique digital passport that can be checked with a single scan.

Eternivit is one of the leading brands in the field of children’s healthcare. It produces a range of supplements specifically for children. Knowing how difficult it can be to persuade little kids to take supplements, the manufacturer has turned to Augmented Reality technology. Eternivit uses AR packaging to convince children to take supplements and provide parents with all the information about each product.

Retail and consumer goods

AR labels are becoming more common in retail and fashion, enabling features like virtual fitting and 3D product displays. For example, Zara introduced an AR experience in 2018, allowing customers to scan codes to see virtual models wearing clothes from its latest collection. 

LEGO continues to innovate with AR, offering interactive ways for customers to engage with its products. The company has developed AR-powered apps and packaging experiences. 

In the past, the company came up with an idea to create the LEGO Digital Box. It was a large screen located in Lego shops that allowed customers to scan a box containing a Lego set and see a 3D animated version of the model on the screen. This was a great way for shoppers to see what the finished model would look like before they bought it. The Lego Digital Box was also very helpful for children, who usually have a hard time visualizing the finished model from the instructions alone.