With the world around us changing dramatically in the last few months, brands and businesses have been forced to innovate not only their core products and services, but also how they engage with their audience.
One of the most interesting features that select brands have experimented with is Instagram’s Augmented Reality Filter. The tech which was once restricted only for developers of the app itself, is now democratised and is an open playing field for brands to engage with their audience.
Marriott on Wheels, the food delivery service by Marriott International hotels in India, which brings the joy of your favourite Marriott restaurant food to the comfort of our homes, created a fun game using AR Filters, which is themed around our love for food – an emotion we can all relate to. This is also the first time a brand in the hospitality space has experimented with AR Filters.
This is a very fun and interactive way to reach new users, build brand awareness, and at the same time building a brand connect with the audience. In the first month of launch, Marriot on Wheels’ AR Filter received 16.3k impressions, 6.4k opens, and 2.4k captures.
The filter launch also contributed to an increase in social engagement for the brand. The engagement on their Instagram page increased by 78%, with a 100% growth in followers as compared to last year. Since the launch in August 2020, their website has seen 280k+ visits and 190k active users. This has also translated into a growth in revenue by 14.2% week over week.
There are various reasons why this works.
Firstly, AR Filters are very sticky in nature and are highly sharable. But what really works for this particular filter is the fact that it engages two friends at the same time to guess popular dishes across India! Food is an experience you enjoy with your friends and family. So the brand created a filter which you can enjoy with your friends and family as well.
You can head over the brand’s Instagram page to play with a friend, or simply click on the image below :
“Marriott on Wheels is our food delivery platform and we are consistently adapting, looking for ways to keep the momentum going on our engagement levels with customers and guests alike. We believe food is a great initiator to conversations and connections, so why not have fun while doing so? Hence, we decided to showcase some of our best dishes through the medium of this filter. This fun filter allows our guests/customers to enjoy the app through a challenge or a game with their loved ones, while they recall the sheer pleasure of tucking into their favorite foods. Through our content & communication, we aim to give food a fun, innovative twist, while we bring Marriott on Wheels a little closer to home” – Khushnooma Kapadia – Senior Area Director of Marketing, South Asia, Marriott International.
