8 out of 10 people think that Virtual Reality (VR) services would be a great idea for advertising campaigns. This is because the advertising world is too familiar with the notion of twisting reality in such a way that it makes it more palatable for consumers.
Advertisers are constantly looking for new gimmicks to make their products and services more eye-catching, immersive and clear. Currently, the trick is to catch their customers with annoying pop-ups, auto-playing videos which are hard to locate on the page, and other annoying tactics that should retain the audience for some time.
In our times, perhaps AR and VR provide a better alternative for advertising campaigns.
AR- and VR-based campaigns
According to Forbes, some of key requirements for an effective advertising campaign is that it should be memorable, it should speak to the consumers, and it should be immersive. Many brands have turned to AR and VR for this purpose.
Ikea was one of the first companies to use the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) in its advertisements. With an iOS AR mobile app, customers were able to show virtual pieces of Ikea furniture by pointing their mobile phones to the catalog and scanning the specific product. This allows users to see the virtual furniture placed in their home or real space, so they can select the most suitable color for it according to the environment.
In 2013, Coca-Cola and WWF created an AR Arctic Home. The goal was to create awareness and raise funds to preserve the Arctic and to avoid the extinction of polar bears. Visitors could interact with a family of polar bears and feel that emotional experience of their loss when they fell through the cracks between the ice. This advertisement gained a lot of attention, appearing on media about 400 times and receiving thousands of comments.
2014, Pizza Hut managed to create an AR Menu with the help of the Oggle app. By downloading it, users could scan their pizza boxes and play a trivia game.
The promotion of Walking Dead, season 5 came with its own award-winning VR stunt, in which Vienna’s 7th district was turned into a “Scary Shelter” and zombies were augmented into the environment in order to make things appear more realistic.
We can find several examples in the Virtual Reality arena too. The most awesome use 360-degree video technology for their development. Some examples can be [1]:
- The British Columbia tourism office has a YouTube channel that offers VR experiences through 360° videos to promote its greatest attractions.
- The Infiniti car brand created a virtual experience drive of the Infiniti Q60. It uses 360° video to simulate the sound of the car’s engine, the driving experience along desert roads, the speed feeling and the car performance in hairpin turns.
- Netflix created an advertisement for its show “Ultimate Beastmaster” , an obstacle course. In the virtual advertisement, users can feel and review every obstacle, see more information about them and feeling as if being inside this scenario.
Product sales with built-in AR and VR
E-commerce is a booming industry, with only one major flaw that stops people from using it to the max: the inability to see the contents of the products. With VR and AR, this flaw can be easily overcome.
Obsessar has created an e-commerce platform that enables retailers and brands to create an AR shopping experience. The world of online shopping includes a 3D-based feature to compare products side by side –something previously unavailable.
According to a research, about 60% of consumers want to see the real size and shape of the products they buy online, i.e., virtual fitting rooms. In fact, the beauty and clothing industry is increasingly reliant on VR and AR.
In 2011, the AXE company introduced AR-based angels in the middle of crowded streets to promote its products. This glorious display was nominated to the Outdoor Hall of Fame and won two Bronze Canners Lion awards.
Why AR/VR ads are here to stay
The world is becoming increasingly digital. According to Statista, a significant growth of global spending in digital advertising will take place.
This is due to the latest technology innovations, so they become more accessible and close to the final user. Head mounted displays available in family homes, smartphones with further functionalities, apps for all kind of needs, etc. are changing also the way for brands to create their advertisements.
Moreover, there are some important reasons that make AR and VR a relevant technology to develop their ads:
1. AR/VR are immersive and interactive, making possible a real connection with the final customer.
2. They can save a lot of money if compared to the paper version of advertisements.
3. It is possible to develop virtual with them try-ons of specific products, allowing a very important increase in product sales.
4. This technology enables a new advanced, mobile-based navigation system that boosts the real information of the area with advertisements about certain shops close to the users and special offers for them.
The combination of AR & VR Tracking Systems will provide a new way to promote certain products in a real shop, or enhance the user interaction with virtual shops. The user location related to certain areas in the shop can guide advertisements about products or offers according to the user’s tastes.
Conclusion
It is clear just how effective campaigning can be when VR and AR are implemented, since it makes the entire advertising experience more interactive, immersive, and retentive as a result.
https://medium.com/iotforall/retailers-beware-ar-vr-is-coming-to-change-shopping-d207f9e5be63
References
[2] Infinity test-drive experience video https://www.omnivirt.com/view/5261/Experience+Infiniti+Q60
[3] Augmented Reality in Advertising https://rubygarage.org/blog/augmented-reality-in-advertising
