Google Launches AR Beauty Ads for Lip and Eye Products via TechCrunch

Google sees augmented reality (AR) as a new, potentially quite effective advertising medium.

Today, the search giant announced the launch of AR Beauty ads, a new smartphone ad type that allows brands to promote lip and eye products (and soon foundation) through “virtual try-on” experiences.

In place of a product image in a standard Google Shopping ad, AR Beauty ads offer a tool that lets consumers preview what different products might look like on themselves or a model that “resonates” with them. The tool is paired with a product description and pricing information, along with a simplified checkout flow designed to streamline the purchasing process.

AR Beauty ads will show up in the mobile-specific channels Google Shopping ads typically do, including the Shopping tab on Google.com, Search and Google Images.