Virtual reality has recently entered the mainstream, aided by game apps developed for the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Sony PlayStation VR platforms.
Additionally, considering these interactions are fresh and unfamiliar to people who have never dipped a toe into the technology, companies are now complex at work devising ways for VR to go beyond gaming and into other spheres of daily life VR Marketing.
This surge in VR development is excellent news for marketers. New advertising platforms and tactics do not materialize regularly.
If you want to thrive, you should be one of the first companies to get on board.
What Is Virtual Reality Marketing and How Does It Work?
Virtual reality marketing is a technique in which companies use virtual and augmented reality technologies to promote themselves and their goods. The technology simulates yet realistically recreates an area. Depending on the device, virtual reality marketing may be visual or multi-sensory. While a full virtual reality gear provides an immersive experience, a virtual reality Instagram filter merely superimposes objects or images over the camera view.
These filters are an example of augmented reality marketing (AR). AR is a subset of virtual reality in which a picture from the virtual world is superimposed on the actual world.
The most prevalent kind of virtual reality marketing is augmented reality marketing. It is more practical and cost-effective than developing a headset experience for many businesses. Because augmented reality needs just a smartphone or desktop application, it is also more accessible to customers.
The emergence of augmented reality began with popular apps such as Pokemon Go. However, companies soon began using technology in their marketing. With its Virtual Artist app, Sephora was one of the first companies to promote augmented reality marketing.
Collaboration on Current Applications
For most marketers, using augmented and virtual reality to demonstrate their value proposition is a must-do application. When new technologies are introduced, marketers often wonder, “How can we utilize this technology to promote our brand?” For example, the QR code introduced a new method for marketers to communicate links and promotional material with customers.
Giving customers a visual representation of a business’s value is undoubtedly a critical first step in marketing using AR/VR. However, this is not the only use of this technology in marketing.
It’s well-known that some sectors lend themselves more readily to virtual reality. Marketers in the entertainment, tourism, and automotive sectors will all use virtual reality’s potential to increase product sales, improve user interaction, and gain momentum with difficult-to-sell target groups.
Virtual Reality Marketing Efforts
McDonald’s has released a Happy Meal box converted into a Google cardboard virtual reality headset in Sweden. Through clever marketing, McDonald’s has successfully persuaded adults and children to order the Happy Meal box. When the meal is complete, the kid (or perhaps the adult) can put on the cardboard virtual reality headset and immerse themselves in Slope Stars’ skiing game.
To promote vacation getaways, Marriott developed “teleportation devices” that used 360-degree video streams, heaters, and wind jets to virtually transport users from a telephone booth in one city to a beach destination in the other in “90 seconds.” This marketing strategy allowed clients to experience an exotic destination without worrying about the travel time or flight cost. Marriott employees in remote locations were strategically located to assist customers in booking their holiday getaways before the sensory virtual reality experience wore off.
VR Advertising: Innovations & Insights
While every business can capitalize on the excitement for Virtual Reality at an early stage, how will marketers innovate, and how will VR influence the advertising industry as consumers get used to the experience? Apart from the fact that creatives are always coming up with new methods to captivate audiences, the analytics enabled by VR may provide truly novel insights into consumer behavior.
For years, developers have used heat maps on web pages to determine where visitors look and engage, but virtual reality may expand this idea. It monitors head movements; marketers should decide which aspects of the experience are most engaging for consumers and adapt the remainder of their campaign accordingly. Consider the example where a car manufacturer’s VR experience might place the customer in a brand-new vehicle and allow them to explore the features or gaze out the window.
It should provide the advertiser with detailed insight into the aspects of the vehicle that each user finds most intriguing or appealing. The advertiser may then use this information to retarget advertisements elsewhere. Thus, if the user is gazing at the stereo, they may see a banner advertisement for that car’s improved sound system. If they concentrate on the dashboard, you might display advertisements increasing the available choices or providing discounts.
Conclusion
As augmented and virtual reality technology becomes more integrated across the supply chain, marketers no longer have to wait for consumer-immersive promotions. Like most technology, businesses will use augmented and virtual reality long before consumers have wearables or personal AR/VR devices.
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