Augmented reality experiences: exploring the sensory and cognitive aspects that foster brand loyalty

Rapid advances in the development of new technologies that blend the real and virtual world are transforming the way in which consumers interact with brands. Augmented reality (AR), which overlays computer-generated objects onto the real world, provides tremendous opportunities for brands to engage consumers through sensory and cognitive processes as they interact with the technology. Due to the rapid development of AR however, there is a dearth of research to understand how the sensory and cognitive aspects of an AR brand experience influence brand loyalty. With investment in AR technology set to increase to $195 billion by 2025, and with consumer downloads of mobile AR applications set to increase to 5.5 billion by 2022 (Statista, 2020), the need for more research on this burgeoning technology is of importance to both firms and our collective knowledge in academia. This research helps to address this gap in our knowledge.