We're thrilled to announce that 8th Wall has officially joined the newly formed IAB Augmented Reality Board of Directors, with our VP of Product, Tom Emrich, appointed to the board. As a board member, 8th Wall will help the IAB on its mission to unlock the value of augmented reality for brands by focusing on buyer education, creative best practices and AR ad measurement standards.

“We are extremely honored to be invited to join the IAB Augmented Reality Board of Directors,” says Erik Murphy-Chutorian, CEO and Founder of 8th Wall. “Web-based augmented reality has opened up new opportunities for agencies and brands eager to use AR without the friction of downloading an app. We have seen firsthand how WebAR is helping marketers and brands engage consumers wherever they are and achieve demonstrable results. By joining the AR Board, we are excited that WebAR will be well represented in the discussions and initiatives and to add value by bringing our years of experience to the table.”

8th Wall empowers developers, agencies and brands to create World Effects, Image Target and Face Effects augmented reality experiences that work in the browser, requiring no app to download. Since its first full year in 2019, our platform has powered over 750 commercial experiences for top-tier brands across industry verticals including sports and entertainment, CPG, retail, fashion and beauty, automotive and more.

“Advertising has always been one of the first to adopt new technologies and introduce it to consumers and we are seeing this repeat with augmented reality,” says Tom Emrich. “AR has never been more ready for marketers and brands to use as part of their marketing mix. Smartphones are now powerful AR devices, platforms are equipping developers and creators with tools to create extraordinary experiences that result in real ROI and, most importantly, the consumer is ready to engage with brands in brand new ways. I look forward to joining my fellow colleagues in the AR industry to help brands and advertisers get started with AR and shape best practices and standards aimed at accelerating the use of AR in the advertising industry.”

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) empowers the media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy. To help marketers take advantage of the possibilities afforded by immersive technologies, this year IAB launched an AR Board within its Experience Center. The AR Board brings together passionate and experienced AR leaders to help inspire and shape the future of AR in advertising and marketing. In 2021, the board will focus on initiatives which help brands get started with AR including highlighting the benefits of AR for marketers, showcasing in-market AR experience from brands and recommending measurement criteria for AR’s use in advertising and marketing. The Board of Directors also includes members from companies at the forefront of creating consumer AR products and experiences including Google, Facebook, Niantic, Snap, TikTok, Verizon, Unity, L'Oréal, P&G, Emodo, Spark Foundry, Digitas and Big Happy.

"Consumers are increasingly expecting to interact with brands in immersive ways and AR is becoming an important differentiator for marketers looking to bring their brand and products to life," said Zoe Soon, VP of Experience Center, IAB. "As an industry body, it’s important for us to have representation across the ecosystem to empower brands to leverage AR where consumers are, whether that’s in-app or on the web. We’re so excited to welcome Tom and 8th Wall to the IAB Augmented Reality Board. 8th Wall and other WebAR partners will play a key role in helping us scale AR for advertisers.”

Developers, agencies and brands looking to get started with 8th Wall WebAR can sign up for a 14-day free trial to get full access to the 8th Wall platform.