Next-gen catalogs: Playing with furniture in 3D

Traditional catalogs seem to be trailing in the midst of modern technology.

Instead of receiving your customer catalog in the mail, flicking through casually until an item catches your eye, now it is possible to compare products online, take advantage of zooming and rotating functions on website pages, and can see reviews before deciding on a purchase.

It stands to reason that if companies which rely on catalogs for a fair portion of their revenue stream need to keep up-to-date with the modern business environment and consumer expectations.

Ikea is one such company.

Millions of people use the popular, affordable furniture company every year. However, in addition to the 2013 catalog many received in the post recently, a free app is now offered to allow customers to play with their piece of furniture in 3D which is connected to and advertised within the catalog.

Using your smartphone or tablet, you hover over an item -- take a coffee table for example -- and the app conjures up a floating view which contains all the features of a typical rotate-and-zoom image script on a website. However, the app goes further; you can also view how a dining table expands, or open and close cabinet doors. Madeleine Löwenborg-Frick, public relations manager for IKEA Canada noted:

"When holding a smartphone or tablet over a page, users are able to access films about IKEA products, experience 3D models, look behind closed doors with an x-ray function or change the curtains and get creative."

The new addition to Ikea's marketing strategy and information exchange is the result of a collaborative effort between Ikea globally and advertising agency McCann-Erickson.

It isn't necessarily something to be viewed as a free but pointless gimmick; instead, it provides the additional layer of information that customers now expect.

The iOS app can be downloaded here.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com