When it comes to the field of marketing, the competition is so close and the pace so fast, it can be argued that all good ideas have been “used up”. Whether its traditional or viral marketing, it’s getting harder and harder to come up with an original concept that will wow the pants off of consumers and bring your brand or product to the forefront of the marketing wars.

Which is why it’s very crucial that you take advantage of each and every ace you can get to get a leg up over the competition. One way to bolster your marketing campaign is through the use of technology, which is what this website, Marketing Tech, is all about.

But enough with the preamble. We know what you’re here for, and that is to find new ways to get an edge over all the other brands.

So without further ado, here’s our list for hot new technologies you can use to boost your marketing battle plan this year.

Augmented reality

One of the most promising new innovations to date is the concept of augmented reality.

A program makes use of the camera lens of a smartphone to show the world in a different light. By aiming the phone at an ad, for instance, the viewer is treated to an animation that seemingly comes to life on the screen. Or by pointing the camera at a landmark, the screen shows information and trivia about the targeted object.

A number of companies are also making use of the technology for marketing purposes. Ben and Jerries, for example, released an app for the iPhone that, when aimed at the lids of their selected products, showed a 3D image, along with related info about the ice cream flavor and its ingredients.

All you need is a program released on the Appstore or Android Market, and a set of ads on the street, or printed on your product itself.

Laser images

It used to be that the only way to show a film was to use a projector and a giant whitescreen to project the images on.

With today’s laser projectors, however, just about anything can be used as a screen. MINI, for instance, used the side of an entire furnished apartment as a makeshift screen to showcase its newest Roadster model traversing the streets. If you want to make an impact, make use of laser projection and watch the people gawk at your oversized brand. Just make sure you secure permission from the local authorities first.