The industry is being driven by the increasing utilization of virtual reality in fields such as education, healthcare, gaming, and entertainment.
Source: safalta
The VR hardware sector, particularly head-mounted displays, holds the largest share of the industry, followed by VR suits and content. This piece will explore the reason for VR's popularity in marketing, provide a few examples, and discuss the most effective methods to utilize it.What Is Virtual Reality?
Top 20+ Virtual Reality Education Companies
In virtual reality, you can select objects, throw them, build things, crouch down to examine something up close, or lay back and observe the stars. You can even look behind you, while still keeping your focus straight ahead like you would with a traditional monitor or television, providing a unique experience.This is achieved by using a virtual reality headset, various types of controllers, and different types of trackers so that the game or experience can track your location and actions.
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Table of Contents:
1. What is VR marketing?2. Benefits of Virtual Reality for Marketing
1. Product demos
2. Immersive experiences
3. Emotional Engagement
4. Gamified fun
5. Offer virtual products
6. Interactive touchpoints
7. Remote showcasing
8. Enhanced Storytelling
3. Examples of VR marketing
1. IKEA: Shop for new furniture
2. Volvo: Virtual Reality Test Drive
3. McDonald’s: Happy Goggles
4. Lensekart
5. Merrell: Trails cape
6. Interactive touchpoints
7. L’Oreal Paris: Makeup Genius
8. Gucci Town
4. Disadvantages of VR in marketing
5. What the future holds for VR marketing
What is VR marketing?
Utilizing virtual reality headsets, 3D settings, and interactive content, VR marketing aims to captivate and engage viewers with a brand's message or products. Unlike traditional marketing methods such as TV or print, virtual reality allows consumers to actively participate in the campaign, resulting in a highly personalized and impactful experience.
Benefits of Virtual Reality for Marketing
1.
Product demos
Marketers can utilize VR to create detailed 3D demonstrations of devices, providing customers with a lifelike and immersive experience. This allows customers to examine features and capabilities without having to leave the comfort of their room. This technology makes it simpler for potential buyers to examine cosmetics up close before deciding to make a purchase. It will be especially beneficial for those in remote areas who wish to try a product before going to a physical store.
Virtual product demonstrations are advantageous for salespeople who have limited access to the actual product they are selling. This is especially true for car dealerships, who may only have small models and limited color options available on their lot. By offering virtual demos, customers can get a sense of the car's appearance before making a purchase.
Best Example:
flipkart also provides a VR setup so that before buying anything like a TV or any other decorative items, Customers can Check or feel whether it is suitable or not.
2. Immersive experiences
• Travel promoters provide digital tours of locations to encourage audiences to plan a trip.
• Retailers offer a digital retail experience, allowing customers to access the store from any location in the world.
• Sports team promoters provide supporters with online gatherings featuring their favorite athletes.
• Architecture firms showcase their building projects to major investors with great practicality.
An enhanced feeling of being fully engaged makes it simpler for consumers to discover brands. If executed successfully, a high-quality virtual reality experience could lead to increased sales and customer devotion over time.
3. Emotional Engagement
4. Gamified fun
Exm.1: For some time, Ferrari has been using its F1 racing team to promote car sales. However, budget car companies can now imitate Ferrari's approach by creating racing video games. This allows car enthusiasts to spend hours driving virtual cars while being exposed to the company's branding.
Exm2: " The game "VR Warzone Showdown" is a high-energy virtual reality battle game that takes players to advanced battlefields for exhilarating and all-encompassing fighting experiences. With the use of VR headsets, players are transported to a virtual warzone where they engage in exciting battles, tactical gameplay, and team-based action”.
5. Offer virtual products
6.
Interactive touchpoints
7. Remote showcasing
8. Enhanced Storytelling
Examples of VR marketing
In 2019, the popular furniture company IKEA released a new mobile application called IKEA Place which enables users to visualize how furniture will look in their homes before placing an order. The use of VR technology by IKEA allows customers to build and visualize kitchens and other spaces before making a purchase. This entertaining feature allows customers to envision the appearance of their home.
2. Volvo: Virtual Reality Test Drive
Volvo used virtual reality technology to offer users the opportunity to test drive the XC90 using their phone and enjoy a simulated "weekend getaway" through an app. The virtual test drive gives users the feeling of being behind the wheel as they journey through a mountainous landscape. This feature allows users to embark on a virtual adventure and immerse themselves in stunning 360-degree scenery. Additionally, the technology allows users to explore the car's interior using Google Cardboard.
First and foremost, even if individuals do not possess a Google Cardboard headset, they still have the option to enjoy the app's features. Primarily, individuals can still experience the app's features even without owning a Google Cardboard headset.
3. McDonald’s: Happy Goggles
McDonald's has utilized the power of virtual reality to engage its youthful audience by transforming a content-packed meal box into a VR viewer similar to Google Cardboard. These "Content Goggles" allow kids to play an entertaining and educational game called Slope Stars, immersing them in the world of virtual reality. This strategy has made VR more accessible to the general public, as the viewer can be created at home by repurposing small editions of the content meal boxes.
4. Lensekart
Lensekart, an eyewear company based in India, aimed to offer customers an easier way to engage with their products and services. To achieve this, they opted to use a virtual reality (VR) approach in their retail strategy. Program-Ace was tasked with developing a Google Cardboard application, featuring a lifelike virtual storefront with a wide range of products.
5. Merrell: Trails cape
The Trailscape by Merrell takes users to a challenging landscape and allows them to embark on a hiking journey through the mountains. It uses motion capture technology to create an immersive 4D experience while navigating a virtual world.
Through the use of a well-known virtual reality headset called Rift, users can immerse themselves in a simulated environment complete with tangible features such as rope bridges and various challenges including landslides. Merrell utilized this technology in their Trailscape campaign to promote their new Capra hiking boots. By tapping into the excitement of their adventurous audience, Merrell brought cutting-edge experiences directly to them.
6. Oreo: Discover the 3D world filled with cupcakes
By using virtual reality, individuals can enter Oreo's 'Wonder Vault', a location brimming with towering cocoa hills, flowing milk streams, and fresh variations of Oreo cookies. The mere thought of it makes our appetites ravenous.
7. L’Oreal Paris: Makeup Genius
With the use of virtual reality technology, L’Oréal offers customers the opportunity to experiment with various makeup looks through its Makeup Genius app. The app enables users to partially try on and explore pre-selected makeup looks. This also serves as a safe alternative for testing makeup during the pandemic, as it eliminates the need to physically go to a store to try out cosmetics. The application is easily accessible and compatible with both mobile and desktop devices. Makeup Genius allows users to receive personalized recommendations and notifications for new L’Oréal beauty products.
8. Gucci Town
The fashion brand Gucci launched a virtual world on the Roblox metaverse, catering to fashion enthusiasts worldwide. Users were able to engage with other fashion aficionados, explore artwork, purchase virtual identity items, and participate in mini-games.
Disadvantages of VR in marketing
• Lack of shared experiences: Virtual reality headsets are limited to single use, making group experiences a competition for advertisers.
• User experience: Despite being widely used, there remain various issues associated with VR headsets, such as motion sickness caused by the combination of movement and visual effects.
• Lack of mainstream appeal: Currently, primarily early adopters are the most likely to embrace VR technology.
• Lack of standards: Content that is compatible with one headset may not necessarily be compatible with another, making it difficult for marketers to ensure their content is viewed by as many people as possible.
What the future holds for VR marketing
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What industries use VR?
• Automotive
• Logistics
• Construction
• Retail
• Education
• Healthcare
• Real estate
• Manufacturing
• Tourism
• Gaming