How exciting does Virtual Reality sound?

I had the pleasure of trying on a pair of Oculus VR headsets last week at Facebook HQ here in Dublin. The experience was mind blowing (to be polite). I was face to face with a female alien from Farlands who stood right in front of me mumbling alien speak. Beside the fact that I passionately dislike aliens, I couldn’t shake off how real the experience was. I felt like I was part of the alien story, she was just talking to me as she would her other alien peoples! I suppose this is the essence of virtual reality, you are part of every dimension of the story.

So as you figured the alien is not what excited me but more so the thought of what brands could do with this technology to give us unforgettable experiences. How we (audiences) could be woven into the brand stories as if they are our own. It’s pretty scary exciting right!? Its storytelling on steroids, it’s that real!

What do we know about VR and how can marketers use this technology to engage consumers?

1. VR is here to stay – as it turns out VR is not a fad, it’s here to stay. Deloitte Global estimate sales of VR hardware to reach $700 million this year and a further $300 million will come from content. This translates as 2.5 million headsets and 10 million game copies sold this year. Therefore marketers need to find a way to connect with consumers through these devices.

2. VR market will soon outpace the TV market – what!? Yes, according to Deloitte Global, the VR market will overtake the TV market by 2025, that’s in less than 10 years. VR is expected to generate $110 billion versus TV’s $99 billion in the next 10 years.

3. VR gear for Christmas – imagine being gifted with a VR gear for Christmas? Yep this is going to be reality. John Lewis is expected to stock the gear in time for Christmas. No doubt other retailers will follow suit as consumers become more familiar with the VR experiences.

4. VR offers deep storytelling opportunities – yes that’s story telling on steroids. The opportunities VR offers are endless. By immersing consumers in unforgettable experiences, VR will have a massive impact on brand recall and affiliation. As consumers become part of the brand story they block out the real world and get lost in the virtual world making deeper connections with your brand.

5. VR is about engaging consumers – versus just broadcasting which TV does. The right creative idea will deliver strong engagements so it’s important that brands get this right as opposed to forcing an idea that does not work into VR. In other words, don’t do VR for the sake of it!

We have been encouraging brands to think digital first with their marketing communications and create digital content that’s designed for digital platforms in order to connect with consumers. Beyond thinking digital first, we have emphasised thinking Mobile first in order to reach consumers at key moments that matter. Now is the time to move away from a linear storytelling mind-set and consider engaging consumers in much richer experiences.

Sources: 

Oculus

TheDrum

statingthedigitallyobvious

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