OREANDA-NEWS. HP Software today announced from SXSW that its industry-leading augmented reality (AR) platform, Aurasma, has surpassed 100,000 global customers. Aurasma, a proprietary platform, has added to its patent list with its latest U.S. patent, which uses geolocation to deliver targeted augmented reality experiences.

There has been significant momentum in the AR market over the past 18 months as the demand for enhanced user experiences continues to grow at a rapid pace. According to the research firm Tractica (@tractica), mobile gaming as well as retail, information, education, marketing and industrial AR apps will create a market of \$1.6 billion for mobile AR apps by 2019.1

The Aurasma business continues to drive torrid growth itself, with more than 60,000 new customers in the past 12 months totaling over 100,000 customers world-wide. Customers in over 100 countries are now using Aurasma to create meaningful, engaging and powerful mobile AR campaigns that drive revenue and demonstrate innovation.

Office Depot, Inc. which has built several AR campaigns using Aurasma, has seen dramatic improvements to their mobile marketing strategy. The global workplace products and services provider recently won the Best Entertainment Related Marketing Campaign at the Mobile Excellence Awards for their Aurasma-powered #GottaGetINSPIR5D campaign. This win followed another highly successful campaign aimed at preventing bullying in schools. 

“Augmented reality has become one of the vehicles we use as a part of our mobile marketing efforts,” said Emery Skolfield, vice president of digital strategy & marketing at Office Depot, Inc. (@officedepot) “Aurasma technology has garnered some great results for us and we will continue to evaluate opportunities to leverage it.”

The Detroit Red Wings, which just released its Aurasma-powered app feature coined “Wingscape”, is exhilarating hockey fans with exclusive digital content.  Aurasma technology embedded in the Official Detroit Red Wings Mobile App launches augmented reality experiences across tickets, calendars, game programs, and more.

“We have worked to create a Red Wings App that delivers the content and experiences our fans want via their mobile devices,” said Laura Murray, Director of Digital Marketing and Analytics for Olympia Entertainment and the Detroit Red Wings, (@DetroitRedWings). “Red Wings fans want to connect with the players in a different way, and by introducing Aurasma augmented reality, we hope to give them that experience.”

Ford Motor Company (@Ford), a recent adopter of Aurasma, has been using the technology in show rooms to demonstrate specific alloys, colors, and body kits across vehicle models and is looking to use the Aurasma SDK to further enhance the Ford Store experience.

The Aurasma platform is delivering unique value in the form of customer engagement and digital cross-selling opportunities. Ford anticipates that augmented reality will continue to play an important role in show rooms as they continue to focus on the customer experience.

Aurasma was recently granted a US patent for using geolocation to help determine an augmented reality experience. Aurasma’s latest augmented reality patent helps to serve up more targeted digital experiences that connect with users at a local level.

“The augmented reality market continues to explode as people searching or interacting with companies demand interactive experiences tailored to their needs and expectations, not static search results and slow monolithic websites,” said Annie Weinberger (@annerstweets), GM, HP Aurasma (@aurasma). “Aurasma is focused on giving our customers the ability to create quality, engaging and innovative augmented reality experiences that help them enhance their mobile strategies and drive measurable business results.”

Weinberger adds, “The mobile market has driven a new paradigm of behavior.  We are getting closer to having AR completely replace the way we search today.  Visual AR search allows for immediate engagement with information directly from any image, object or location within the physical world. Our customers think of Aurasma ‘auras’ as the new URL.”