It can be said with a degree of certainty that in the future
of advertising and digital marketing, there will no longer be a divide that
separates consumer from product. Rather, advances in technology have already
spawned the virtual reality movement
that completely immerses the consumer in the advertisement itself. Contrary to
the traditional and non-traditional channels of advertising where companies
present their products in an intriguing, yet removed manner to prompt a
purchase, virtual reality gives consumers and companies alike the ability to
both showcase and experience what
the product has to offer.
Laura Carrick aptly explains the concept in an article
published by the Digital Marketing Institute by referring to virtual reality
marketing as an “experience that essentially places the user ‘in’ another world
or dimension.” (2019) Succinctly defined, virtual reality is just that: the use
of technology to make a consumer feel as though he or she is somewhere else,
experiencing a completely different reality. Basically, a consumer can be
sitting on his couch in boxers in snowy Calgary, while the virtual reality experience transports him to a dusty
road in Death Valley, travelling 200 miles per hour in a top-of-the-line
Porsche Audi A8. While typical advertisements tell you how happy you could be
after purchasing their product, virtual reality marketing shows you.
Present-Day
Virtual Reality Marketing
According to a recent article in Forbes (Bershtein, 2018), the
future of cementing virtual reality’s innovative
role in digital marketing is already underway as the automotive industry has
begun utilizing its unprecedented features. By allowing a potential customer to
sit inside a lavishly upholstered Audi or feel the force of acceleration of a
Porsche, these car manufacturers are able to give consumers a first-hand
experience at driving one of their luxury vehicles. Instead of relying on their
brand awareness associated to both luxury and extravagance, these corporations
have found the benefit of showcasing their expensive product in the most
tangible way possible- other than actually taking one of the cars for a test
drive. By doing this, Audi and Porsche are capitalizing on innovative technology to not only reach prospective customers, but
to implant the desire to buy one of their luxury cars after feeling as though
the customer had been at the wheel him or herself.
Future of Virtual
Reality Marketing
Just as Audi and Porsche have already discovered, a
flattering image or exhilarating video are no match for an immersive and realistic advertising experience. Moreover, it
extends from mere advertisement to activity. Although virtual reality in digital marketing seems like a no-brainer and
should be introduced across all industries regardless of prestige or affluence,
our current- somewhat unfortunate- reality contains one apparent flaw.
Firstly, the cost of a virtual reality apparatus that
facilitates the uncanny transportation to a new and exciting dimension comes at
a steep price. In the 2018 Forbes article mentioned above, Bershtein suggests
the price of a virtual reality machine currently sits on the shelf between
$300-$600, which may exceed current demand based on the availability of
compatible content. However, just as Bershtein states, it is only a matter of
time before the price tag of virtual reality comes down, similar to other
technological advances in the past, such as the PC or the revolutionary VCR.
Endless Virtual
Reality Possibilities
Looking to the automotive industry as the innovators in the
virtual reality market, the capacity to introduce this innovative virtual experience knows no bounds. Particularly useful
to market products and services that would benefit from allowing the consumer
to catch a glimpse of an unfamiliar environment or experience, Laura Carrick
(Digital Marketing Institute, 2019) explores the opportunities that await
virtual reality digital marketing by suggesting that it would be a game changer
to have travel agencies and food/beverage companies use virtual reality to
showcase the very real benefits of their product or service. Imagine being able
to swim along the Hawaiian and Jamaican coasts before deciding which
all-inclusive vacation to purchase or walk through the grape vines of a Napa
Valley winery before choosing which tour to book. The possibilities are truly
endless and will only be stunted by our willingness to accept the innovative- not to mention presently
expensive- digital channel.
Sources:
Bershtein, Ruslan. “Digital Marketing In The Age Of Virtual
And Augmented Reality.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 21
Mar.2018,www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2018/03/21/digit al-marketing-in the-age-of-virtual-and-augmented-reality/#1015c5c866e8.
Carrick, Laura. “7 Examples of Successful Virtual Reality
Marketing.” Digital Marketing Institute 2019, https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/en-ca/blog/2018-01-19-7-examples-of-successful-virtual- reality-marketing.
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