Augmented Reality-based apps can bring huge increases to click-through rates and customer conversion rates, and Hewlett-Packard Co.’s Software as a Service product Aurasma is the market leader.

In her live interview with theCUBE co-hosts John Furrier and Dave Vellante, Annie Weinberger, Vice President & General Manager, Augmented Reality & Multichannel Optimization at HP, explained the marketing benefits of using this type of solution. “Marketers are really looking for SaaS products. When you look at the broader lifecycle of a customer, how you interact with them after becoming a customer, that’s where we focus most,” she said. Weinberger further elaborated on how AR could revolutionize the tech industry as a whole.

“Augmented Reality sounds like a geeky, sci-fi world, but it’s not, it’s bridging the real and digital worlds.” she said. “HP’s Augmented Reality platform, Aurasma, comes as both an app and an SDK that we provide for customers to put in their apps,” Weinberger explained. The app uses customers’ marketing materials, and “if you point a phone to an image, it pulls all the digital material available.”

Aurasma had generated a 150 percent increase in conversion rates for Office Depot Inc., who uses it in store and on their catalog. Another case study explained by Weinberger involved movie posters that would lead to the movie trailer, then allowing the AR app to direct potential customers to find the closest theater and to buy tickets. The campaign generated a 75 percent click through rate by providing “such an engaging and tailored experience.” said Weinberger.

Aurasma currently has over 18,000 customers and opportunities look promising, with reports on the Augmented Reality market estimating it will reach $1 billion by 2018. “The next generation will demand that augmented reality is part of how we sell to them.” Weinberger said.

Optimost, Aurasma and HP’s other marketing targeted A/B testing SaaS software, responds to the increasing demand of marketers for SaaS based products. “The Marketing budget this year surpassed the CIO budget. They drive the acquisition process,” Weinberger said. This change means IT stays in a very strong supporting role, but is less involved in deciding what products will be bought.

Watch the full interview here:

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