Commercial facilities are changing! Three benefits of introducing an AR experience ~Creating new value in collaboration with physical stores

Future commercial space where virtuality accelerates with AR experience

In October 2021, Facebook announced that it had changed its name to Meta. This means that Meta has turned to building a virtual space called "Metaverse" in addition to the conventional SNS business. The Metaverse is beginning to spread in Japan, and various companies are using the Metaverse space to sell their products. Precisely because of such an era, as someone who works for a company whose business is space creation, I deeply think about what is good about shopping at real stores.

ARexperienceWhat is it?
AR experience refers to "Augmented Reality experience". This is an experience based on technology that overlays digital information onto the real world. Using a smartphone, tablet, or special AR glasses, you can display virtual objects and information in the real environment.
For example, AR experiences allow customers to view products in 3D and virtually try on products while shopping. Additionally, in the education field, 3D models of historical places and creatures can be displayed overlaid on real environments to enrich the learning experience. This technology is a new experience that provides users with a more interactive and immersive experience, expanding their perception of the real world.

From things to things. What is the value of brick-and-mortar stores in the era of coronavirus?

What do readers of this article consider important when shopping at a commercial facility? I think the purpose is various, but I think that there are many people who enjoy communicating with the staff, taking a break at a coffee shop, and actually trying out a lot of products.
The number of stores that only try on clothes and stores that offer showrooms is increasing.
In this way, not only purchasing "things" but "various experiences including purchasing" have come to be emphasized. This is probably because the development of EC and SNS has made it possible "anytime, anywhere", and we are seeking more value in "experience".

AR experience is also included in "things". This time, we will introduce three benefits of introducing AR experiences into commercial facilities, using the example of "The Secret of the Forest and Footprints" produced by NOMURA Co., Ltd. NOMLAB.

3 benefits of introducing AR experiences to commercial facilities

Advantages of introducing an AR experience in commercial facilities 1 Personal experience that allows contactless and avoidance of close contact

Commercial facilities that have been hit by the corona have been unable to organize events where many people gather closely, and highly personal experiences such as non-contact and avoidance of crowds have come to be emphasized.
​Customers can participate in the AR experience with their own smartphones, and safety can be guaranteed because they can experience it at their own timing while avoiding crowds. We encourage those who have been hesitant to participate in events due to concerns about the environment where people gather, to encourage them to come to the store.

“Jizu no Mori and the Secret of Footprints” is a highly entertaining content that allows you to visit each area at your own timing and meet unique characters. With character settings that are easy to get attached to, we will approach a wide range of people from children to adults.

Merit 2 of introducing AR experiences to commercial facilities Increases the ability to move around the facility

In a space, there are areas where it is difficult for people to gather and areas where it is difficult for people to move. For example, in a human flow analysis experiment conducted at NOMURA Co., Ltd. 's office RESET SPACE, we found that people were concentrated in the area from the entrance to the vending machine area.

In other spaces, there was little movement of people, so we changed the interior plan, such as moving furniture, to encourage movement of people and revitalize the space. In the case of RESET SPACE, we used the physical method of interior to enhance the ease of movement in the space, but I think it would be difficult to easily adjust the interior in a commercial facility. AR spots, which are not physical objects, are set up in such areas where it is difficult for people to gather, increasing the ability to move around the facility and extending the length of stay.

“Jizu no Mori to Footprint Secrets” has multiple AR spots set up according to the characteristics of the commercial facility, such as fashion floors and dining floors, creating a system that encourages visitors to visit each area. In addition, commercial facility operators can customize the dialogue function to promote the tenants and products of the facility. By appealing to customers new ways to enjoy shopping through AR, we will connect the experience to sales promotion.

Merit 3: Diffusion of introducing AR experiences to commercial facilities

​AR experiences create excellent visuals by synthesizing CG images in a real space, and since it is easy to record the visuals with photos and videos, it creates a situation where users can easily spread to SNS. By linking facility names and event names with hashtags, it is possible to effectively spread to many people.

"Jizu's Forest and Footprint Secrets" prepares photogenic spots and incorporates measures that will make you want to upload them on SNS. is also available.

Approaching the digital native generation
A new store experience with AR

In this way, incorporating AR experiences into commercial facilities has various benefits. In particular, the generation Z, which is a digital native generation, uses SNS for self-expression and information gathering. In the future, it will become important to incorporate digital into the store experience even at physical stores. Furthermore, in recent years, the SDGs have become popular, and the word “ethical consumption” has also appeared.

For example, they purchase products based on not only the appeal of the product, but also the background and story of how the products and brands communicate to solve social issues, such as "environmentally friendly recycled materials" and "fair trade chocolate." consumption. Gen Z shows great interest in these societal issues. However, I think that there are some aspects that are difficult to understand just by looking at a store in a commercial facility.

AR can express things that cannot be seen in reality and things that are difficult to convey. By expressing the SDGs initiatives of commercial facilities and tenant shops in AR, we will approach customers directly.

The value of shopping at physical stores = encounters with experiences

This time, we introduced the benefits of incorporating AR experiences into commercial facilities. There are various other benefits, but I would be happy if you could visit the commercial facility and experience it for yourself.

Creating valuable spaces by using AR in physical stores

The greatest value of physical stores is the creation of serendipity (=unexpected encounters) through such experiences. The fun of spending time while feeling the sounds and scents, the atmosphere of the space, and the warmth of the people.
When you make an unexpected discovery, your heart will move, you will buy the product, and you will become a fan of the facility. The appeal of commercial facilities is the wide range of options and the large number of encounters.
The experience demanded by customers is also diversifying, and in addition to AR content, the development of various apps that can be used at real stores is progressing. The important thing in any content is not to focus on either real or digital, but to think and develop together. Thinking about how they are intertwined and fused in daily life to maximize the customer experience. I feel that real stores need to change along with the advancement of technology.

When I was talking to a customer in the past, I heard him say, "Digital has a cold image. Face-to-face contact is the best."
As a space creator, I would be happy if I could create a warm digital experience that connects people and spaces, rather than just using digital as a function.

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