Industry 4.0 is a major disruptor of manufacturing. Smart factories will use digital intelligence in real-time to optimize the manufacturing and supply chain processes. Automation and access to ever-increasing amounts of data have sped up the rate of production as well as the diversity of product. Globalization and digitization have made it easier for new players to emerge in markets, thus increasing competition. Cloud computing and micro-computing puts technology in almost everything. Complexity is hidden in micro units that drive and connect to everyday appliances making technology ubiquitous. Today, customers are less focused on product features and more on how the technology will lead them to improved outcomes. It becomes more challenging for companies to articulate their complex products’ value without defaulting to “speeds and feeds” or “feature/functionality” descriptions, according to the Marketing 4.0: Adapting to the Changing Buyers’ Experience white paper.

B2B buying models have changed, too. Manufacturers are becoming omni-channel retailers and service providers. Company-owned stores like Apple, Tesla and Nike are a testament to a trend of B2B (business-to-business) becoming D2C (direct-to-consumer), bypassing the middleman. The creation of D2C stores created a “layman” salesperson who struggles to master the corporate voice due to lack of training and distance from the company’s “core”. E-commerce has fused the B2B and B2C roles so much so that today’s buyers are users, and users are buyers.

“Industry 4.0 is essentially turning manufacturers into digital enterprises. It will take time for Industry 4.0 to become reality throughout the organization. However, as marketers, you need to assess your current digital infrastructure and how it will need to evolve to support a digital enterprise,” writes Red Javelin in their blog post, Industry 4.0 is a Game Changer for Marketing.

Recently, Transparency Market Research, a research and advisory firm, released a report titled Augmented Reality (AR) in Manufacturing Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018-2026, in which Kaon Interactive is cited as a “major vendor providing AR solutions.” The report highlights how AR is helping the manufacturing industry adjust to this fourth industrial revolution and, in turn, propelling the AR industry outlook.

By definition, AR augments the physical world with digital objects, superimposing those objects realistically into the user’s environment. A popular culture example is the mobile gaming phenomenon known as Pokémon Go. And, television NFL broadcasts have been using AR long before that to show you that first-down line or the breakdown sketches superimposed on the replay.

For marketing and sales, AR applications extend customer engagement beyond interactivity and allow them to differentiate their brand and products over the competition. Along with the virtual product, key messages are displayed to reinforce what the customer is seeing and experiencing and aid the “layman” salesperson in mastering the relevant corporate, brand, and product message. Putting virtual products into real-world environments provides a clear, unequivocal expectation of the product’s value for the customer.

Kaon Interactive follows the ancient Chinese proverb, “If you tell me, I will forget; If you show me, I will remember; If you involve me, I will understand.”

Kaon AR® is a feature of our award-winning, interactive applications, powered by our high-velocity marketing platform. The advantage of this is that our customers are not just buying an AR application; they are building a valuable, extensible sales resource and inbound marketing tool as part of their Marketing 4.0 strategy. These applications, upon launch, are ready to deployed to any and every device a sales rep, prospect, or customer uses (web, desktop/laptop, phone, tablet, touchscreen) — and are available online or offline for a reliable experience.

We believe in the power of interactivity and engagement to help buyers really comprehend the unique value that their customers deliver. Kaon has a laser focus on interactive, engaging applications that bring marketing, sales and prospects together to collaborate towards a common goal.

Schedule a demo now to learn more!