You have probably heard of Pokémon Go, the global Augmented Reality (AR) phenomenon that launched in July.

The game is simple, after downloading the app, just open your camera and GPS, and you can catch your own Pokémon by flicking your Poke Balls. Pokémon Go has become the biggest mobile game in the US, attracting more users than Twitter and rising to the top of the App Store revenue charts.

Pokémon Go has already opened up a new era of Augmented Reality. What can marketers learn from its enormous success?

1. Easy adoption

Persuading consumers to accept a new product is not easy. Pokémon Go leverages what everyone is already using: smartphones and GPS, which eliminates the adoption barrier for new players.

2. Good consumer experience 

Pokémon Go didn’t spend a lot on advertising. By designing a fantastic AR experience and easy playing method, it spread around the world overnight.

3. Good timing

The success of Pokémon Go also lies in its well-considered launch time. Firstly, it chose Summer holidays to launch, when children have enough time as well as willingness to walk around to play. Secondly, the generation that grew up watching Pokémon now constitute a large section of the total population of mobile phone users. This game gives that demographic the opportunity to revisit their childhood. Finally, it has emerged at a time when people are fascinated by geocaching.

4. Mutually beneficial marketing

Pokémon Go provides sponsored in-game content and sponsored locations to its business partners, like gyms and restaurants. This has helped them generate revenue and draw more attention to themselves. In return, it helped its partners increase footfall and sales. For example, by implementing Lure Modules, Bloomberg(New York) has increased sales by 30%, and McDonald’s (Japan), through providing Pokémon-themed Happy Meals, has increased their share price by 23%. Therefore, finding the right partners is a sustainable way for business growth.

Pokémon Go is just the beginning of a new era of augmented reality marketing. There are more and more opportunities emerging for marketers in this high-tech, fast-moving world.