Social media, augmented reality and the future of retail.

One of the most exciting fields in digital marketing right now is retail, which is why I'm really looking forward to speaking to 4,000 or so attendees at the Internet Retailer Conference and Expo in Chicago next Wednesday.

I'll be discussing recent case studies in how retailers — online and brick-and-mortar — are using social media to increase their reach and customer loyalty.

The format of this presentation will be pretty fun, because I'll be on stage with one of my favorite digital luminaries, Dan Shust from Resource Interactive in Columbus, Ohio. Our discussion is called "Two Thumbs Up (or Down) On Social Media Efforts."

I don't want to spoil any surprises by talking about the case studies here, so I figured I'd share a few that we actually ended up cutting from the presentation due to time constraints.

Specifically, the following three tidbits are examples of insanely innovative ideas on how the in-person shopping experience is evolving almost to science-fiction levels. Check it out:

The Diesel Cam

While it might sound a bit pervy at first to imagine a Web cam in your fitting room, the Diesel Cam is actually a really fun idea floated by an agency in Spain for the Diesel fashion line. After trying on an outfit, you can have your picture taken and uploaded to your Facebook page, where friends can help you judge the look.

Here's a video demonstration:

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Intel's Holographic Window Display

Intel admits this is "three to five years out from what we'll see in the retail space," but it's still a compelling example of how new technology is changing the nature of shopping, even in-store.

Check out the video (after a brief pre-roll ad):

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N Building: The first QR Code facade

Most examples of QR Codes — those square bar codes that you've probably noticed popping up in magazine ads — simply direct your mobile device to a promotional Web site. That's fine, but it doesn't get at the tremendous social media potential housed in those black-and-white icons.

So I was excited to see the N Building, a Japanese project that covered an entire low-rise facade with QR Codes that share information about the businesses inside — and even Twitter posts by the people inside. A little creepy, a little trippy, but undeniably interesting.

How it works:

If you're going to be at the Internet Retailer Conference, I hope we get a chance to connect. If you can't make it, Dan and I plan to post our presentation as soon as we can after the event.

David Griner is a social media strategist for Luckie and Company and contributing editor for Adweek’s blog, AdFreak.com. You can reach him by e-mail or on Twitter.

Comments

[Andrea Hill]

The Diesel Cam is interesting - yet another case where "innovation" doesn't actually give you anything really new - anyone can snap a photo on their phone and upload it to Facebook - rather, it gives you a suggestion for an activity. Assumedly, the integrated experience makes it more likely for people to do it than just a sign that says "snap a pic and post it!"

[Laura P Thomas]

It's not retail, and it still leads you to a web site for more info, but the QR example you showed reminded me of how a town here in Central Texas was using QR codes to make their historic locations a bit more interactive. Story: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/07/06/0706manor.html

[Radha]

Very impressive post. I can appreciate the amount of effort that went into it. You have a very good feel for getting the right information out to the people. I am also very impressed with the website as a whole. Keep up the good work.

[Beth]

Very interesting post. I am truly amazed by the QR code building. We are just starting to use QR codes, mostly for self promotion. It is fantastic to see such a creative application of the technology. It just shows how limitless the usage can be.

[Tori]

I love to see examples of QR Codes. Sometimes I think they can be a pain to use, so it's good to see that if the idea is smart enough the consumer will want to engage in it.

Thanks for the TX tourism example- that's great that small towns are embracing technology.

[David Griner]

Thanks for all the great comments, everyone. Andrea, you bring up a great point about duplication of capability between in-store equipment and smart phones. In fact, it makes you wonder if the digital display from Intel could just be an augmented reality app on your phone.