Geometry Global and Blippar Announce Global Partnership to Create 'Augmented Retail'

Geometry Global, award-winning shopper marketing and brand activation agency network, and Blippar, a technology company specialising in augmented reality (AR), computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI), have announced a global strategic partnership. The purpose? To deliver added value to clients by capitalising on opportunities offered by AR in both physical and digital retail space.

Client brands will gain immediate access to 'augmented retail,' helping their shoppers overcome purchase barriers. Geometry, meanwhile, gains strategic advantage as employees are trained on how to create and deliver AR content, and, Blippar extends reach, with its platform becoming the base for more retail activations.

Commenting on this strategic step, Jon Hamm, Global Chief Creative Officer of Geometry Global has said: "This partnership provides Geometry’s clients around the world the opportunity to engage in AR marketing that makes the most impact for their brand. Partnering with Blippar gives Geometry a distinctive advantage in forging a link for brands in the digital and physical retail environments, creating engagement in-store, and ultimately driving a positive product experience."

Using Blippar’s AR creation tools Blippbuilder and Blippbuilder Script, Geometry will create best-in-class Augmented Reality in-house that can support the shopping journey in and around retail environments with product specific, relevant digital content. Both companies will cross-refer business opportunities and collaborate on joint projects.

The partnership launches in the UK which will act as a hub for continental Europe, and will roll out in the U.S. Debbie Ellison, Head of Digital Geometry UK and recent winner of the Women of Tomorrow award, leads the partnership and the global rollout.

Omaid Hiwaizi, Global Head of Experience Strategy at Blippar added, "Augmented Reality is a critical new frontier for retail since it can help brands overcome purchase barriers by providing shoppers with information and engaging experiences at the point of sale. Given Geometry's activation and shopping behaviour transformation sweet spot, this partnership creates the perfect context to define the rules on AR in retail, shopper and brand storytelling

According to predictions in the Digi-Capital’s Augmented/Virtual Reality Report 2017, mobile AR could be an $83 billion market by 2021.