AR Technology – A Magnet for Customers

Augmented reality, or AR, is a technology that enables people to insert digital objects into a real-life setting, creating a truly phygital experience. It’s used in a plethora of industries, including gaming and retail. Why?

AR enhances the user/customer experience, making it more immersive. As such, it can act as a magnet for new customers, driving sales in a given business. Let’s look at this in more detail to better portray AR’s impact.

Product Visualization

A 2D photo of a pair of shoes, a chair, or a new phone is… just a photo – there’s plenty of that available on the Internet. Yet, customers still often opt to visit physical stores to see what the products really look like. What if this didn’t need to happen?

With augmented reality, you can attract customers by providing them with the convenience of online shopping combined with the perks of brick-and-mortar stores. Your potential customers will just need to download the app (which is also beneficial for your marketing team since you get information on which you can base your personalization!), choose a product, and… they can view it in 3D, just as if they were in a real store.

Comparing the Products with Real-Life Settings

In the end, each product customers buy needs to fit them in real life. This is why certain clothes shops set up virtual fitting rooms in VR. However, this can also be achieved with AR, though only in certain industries.

Let’s take a furniture company, for example. With an AR app, your customer can see what particular pieces of furniture will look like in comparison to the rest of their decor. What is more, this is something that they wouldn’t be able to do at a physical store – they’d need to order the product first to actually compare it. The results? Customers are more likely to purchase your products since they are sure that they will be a good fit.

Building More Immersive, Engaging Customer Experience

AR also helps attract customers to businesses by delivering more engaging experiences. Just look at Pokemon GO. This game does not fall far apart from the traditional Pokemon trope, but it has one advantage – you can feel like a true Pokemon trainer since you catch the pocket monsters in AR. The same can be applied to other fields and industries.

The Takeaway

The above are just examples of the direct impact of AR on attracting customers. You might also use it indirectly. For instance, by utilizing augmented reality when designing your store display, you can find the optimal one, while the users don’t know that you used AR in the process. There are a plethora of options – it is time you invest in this technology.

You might also read: How Augmented Reality Can Support Industry 4.0

The metaverse is full of different subcultures and demographics that creatives can use to customize their brands and reach people they might not have reached before. It is a community-based commerce platform for the online world. Brand awareness is brought about by avatars acquiring and changing different skins or items of clothing, which allows brands to avoid the need to actively place product advertisements.

The fashion industry and the Metaverse

The growing number of fashion brands entering the metaverse platform is one of the key factors driving growth in the fashion market. The Metaverse platform can change the way people shop online. Fashion brands, especially clothing brands, rely on attractive labels and branding to sell their products. Launching products online will boost brand recognition and client interaction. The escalating presence of fashion brands on the metaverse will propel the expansion of the market in focus.

What is digital clothing?

Digital clothing is a computer picture created to resemble real-world original apparel. It’s worth mentioning an interesting fact: there are situations where digital clothing cannot be reproduced in the real world. For example, the Adidas Virtual Gear collection. There are no tangible materials in digital clothing. Instead of utilizing fabrics, these garments are fabricated using computer technology and 3D software. The objective of digital fashion designers is to develop, exhibit, and evaluate the attributes of clothing in a virtual environment. Knowledge of materials, manufacturing techniques, ergonomics, and anthropometric measurements is required for digital fashion design, as well as the use of specialized software and equipment.

Blockchain technology has already had a significant impact on numerous aspects of human existence, and this is equally valid for the fashion industry. Since the year 2020, digital fashion has progressed from an unrecognized notion to a rapidly expanding industry. The first Metaverse fashion week took place in March 2022. Some of the most innovative brands are Adidas AG, LVMH, H&M Group, Dolce & Gabbana, and NIKE.

Digital clothing market’s pros and challenges

Privacy and security concerns

Privacy and security concerns regarding the metaverse will pose a significant obstacle for the metaverse in the fashion industry. Even though tech giants are redefining IT security protocols, data protection, and safety remain perennial concerns for those who traverse the virtual realm. There are vast amounts of information about users collected and processed by Metaverse. Therefore, privacy concerns are a major challenge to the global fashion market’s global metaverse. Metaverse possesses the capability to access the personal data of users and may pose a potential threat to their privacy. If hackers get access to a user’s device, their privacy can also be threatened. The way headsets monitor and process the users’ environment is infringing on their privacy and that of those around them.

Environmental friendliness

The ability to experience clothing digitally is more environmentally friendly than the current way of buying clothes. Advertising may also prove to be more environmentally sustainable, as brands collaborate with influencers to promote digital fashion without the necessity of distributing actual products.

Employment opportunities for creative professionals

The enticing propositions could lead to lucrative employment opportunities for graphic designers and 3D artists, who would be required to create digital replicas of actual fashion items and cosmetics. It may also provide an opportunity for designers to work on diverse digital fashion items and enhancements of appearance, such as sunglasses, clothing, jewelry, and other related products. Also, people who make software and computer programs for augmented and virtual reality might get more requests for their services.

Fashion companies have the option to acquire virtual land within the metaverse to establish digital stores that users can interact with through virtual and augmented reality technologies.

Field for experimentation

The metaverse takes away a lot of the friction associated with dressing in what you want to wear or worrying about what people might say. Your online identity becomes more important the more time you spend in this virtual space. There is data that needs to be analyzed to implement new and better designs to meet the demand.

Virtual fitting rooms

A Virtual Try-on (or Virtual Fitting Room) is an innovative digital tool that allows customers to virtually “try on” and test products online, such as clothing, footwear, jewelry, eyewear, or cosmetics. This enables online shoppers to view specific products without leaving their homes, find the right size, and even see how the item looks on them. At Mazer, we have a case study with a virtual try-on for one of the largest brands in Poland.

You may also read: Top 10 Brands in the Metaverse

Are you considering implementing innovations or new technologies in your company? Are you interested in using VR, metaverse, or AR?

Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO told that “Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing. Built upon decades of Apple innovation, Vision Pro is years ahead and unlike anything created before — with a revolutionary new input system and thousands of groundbreaking innovations. It unlocks incredible experiences for our users and exciting new opportunities for our developers.”

Apple Vision Pro Revolutionizing App Interaction

According to information provided by Apple – with the assistance of Vision Pro, you have access to an endless canvas that transforms the way you utilize your cherished applications. You can spread your apps wherever you want, and then resize them to the exact perfect size. Create the workspace of your dreams while staying connected to the outside world. Featuring groundbreaking apps developed for visionOS, as well as compatible iPad and iPhone apps, Vision Pro launches with a brand new App Store. It may turn out that it is just a regular smartphone applications, and it’s in the hands of developers to provide tailored solutions to demonstrate objectivity. Mazer will be one of the platforms leveraging the capabilities of Vision Pro.

Exceptional New Experiences with Apple Vision Pro 3D Camera

Environments change your surroundings like magic. They create amazing scenes that go beyond what you can see in your room and make the perfect place to focus. Apple Vision Pro makes it easier for people to work more efficiently. It has lots of space on the screen, lets them use their favorite apps, and gives them new ways to do many things at once. Users can set up the perfect workspace with the support of Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad.

Apple Vision Pro enables you to visualize objects as 3D models. You can grab a 3D object from an app and take a look at it from all angles like it’s right in front of you.

Engaging Entertainment Moments

Apple Vision Pro packs two super-high-definition screens that make any room feel like a movie theater, and it’s equipped with an advanced spatial audio system and a screen that feels 100 feet wide. Users have the option to view movies and television shows, or indulge in breathtaking three-dimensional movies.

With the introduction of Environments, users can expand their world beyond the confines of a physical room by incorporating dynamic and exquisite landscapes that can aid in focusing or reducing clutter in crowded areas.

Every spherical image or video takes viewers back to a specific moment. Users can browse their entire photo collection on the cloud, and see their pictures and videos in a life-size format with vibrant hues and dazzling details. Every time you take a Panorama picture on your iPhone, it makes you feel like you’re standing right where it was taken.

Apple Vision Pro Persona

With Apple Vision Pro, FaceTime calls sound as if participants are speaking right from where they are positioned. During a FaceTime call, users wearing Vision Pro see a Persona, a digital representation of themselves made with Apple’s most advanced machine-learning techniques. This Persona shows their face and hand movements in real-time.

A strong foundation of privacy and security keeps users in control of their data with Apple Vision Pro.

Summary: Apple Vision Pro

Apple Vision Pro ushers in a new era of spatial computing, seamlessly integrating the digital and physical worlds. It redefines how we interact with virtual and augmented reality, offering an expansive canvas for applications and a revolutionary 3D user interface. Controlled by intuitive inputs such as eyes, hands, and voice, and powered by visionOS, the Vision Pro provides an immersive experience with its 23 million-pixel display and Apple’s custom silicon chip. With a strong commitment to privacy and security, Apple Vision Pro ensures user data is protected, marking a significant step forward in the world of spatial computing. Stay updated on the latest in VR, AR, and AI by following Mazer on LinkedIn and subscribing to their newsletter.

You may also read: Top 10 Brands in the Metaverse

Do you want to stay updated on the latest news about VR, Metaverse, AR, or AI?

10 Essential Facts about the Metaverse

What is the Metaverse?

The Metaverse is a virtual world that incorporates elements of reality, including digital components found in the real world. It’s similar to being able to explore Google Maps in 3D. You can enter your home through the Internet. You can be a completely different person. To provide a deeper experience, we could add an internal currency (cryptocurrency) that we could exchange with real money. 

It is a digital world that intersects with our own, the real world. This means that elements of our world are present in the digital one and vice versa.

The VR Metaverse is a Virtual Universe Created by a Computer

A three-dimensional experience helps people interact in a more immersive way when talking about the metaverse.

Even though you won’t be physically present in the virtual world, you might get the same vibes when wearing a VR headset. Many companies are using things like VR headsets to attend business events or conferences without having to travel.

Metaverse is a Place for Everyone

Some people think that the Metaverse is only for rich people or certain kinds of companies. However, this is not the case at all. It’s easy to get into the metaverse, especially once you understand what it is.

The Multiverse Can Be Used for a Variety of Things

If you don’t play games, there are still many ways to use the metaverse, and some are even better than games. If you like to go to concerts but can’t go to many of them, you can use the Metaverse. It is also possible to travel through the Metaverse. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, many people have started to travel online via virtual tours. The metaverse and virtual reality make it easy to take virtual trips to historic spots, museums, and more. If you operate an online-only enterprise, it is worth noting that utilizing the metaverse will not only encourage staff participation but also enable them to have a greater sense of connection with their peers and the environment.

VR and Augmented Reality are the Most Popular Choices

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are gaining prominence, despite the fact that the metaverse is primarily conducted online, the majority of individuals involved in the metaverse strive to render it as authentic as possible. That means using VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality). The realness of those connections would be enhanced by the players’ involvement in the game.

You Can Make Money in the Metaverse

You can make money in the metaverse, and some people even make a regular income from it. Metaverse avatars, NFTs, event tickets, and virtual clothing can be bought, sold, and exchanged in the metaverse world. The metaverse can be used to purchase tickets for events and perform actions like advertising, digital events, and online transactions.

It is Possible to Own and Sell Land in the Metaverse

People don’t know that there is a thing called digital ownership. Most people believe that it is an asset that can be appreciated and make you more money over time. Metaverse coins are also experiencing a steady growth rate and are expected to eventually become lucrative in due course. These can also give you a chance to make money back on your investment.

The Metaverse is No One’s Property

The Metaverse is nobody’s property, and that makes it one of the few things in the world that you can participate in without worrying about the owner or anything else. Almost everyone in the Metaverse decides who gets to use their private data, and no one tells you what you can and can’t do with it.

The Metaverse is a Safe Place to Explore

Metaverse is extremely secure because it uses a special Metaverse blockchain technology that makes the virtual world public. It also implies that all transactions can be tracked, ensuring your security when making a purchase.

The Metaverse Will Soon Affect Work

As individuals increasingly engage in online work and refrain from visiting the office, it is anticipated that employers will seek to engage their employees more frequently, leading to the adoption of metaverse solutions such as Horizon Workrooms, which is a subsidiary of Facebook. A growing number of individuals are expressing their belief that their workplaces are beginning to utilize virtual reality while working remotely or even in the office for individuals who are unable to attend specific conferences or other company events.

Summary: Essential Facts about the Metaverse

By 2030, it is possible that we will spend more time in the metaverse than in the physical world. People may apply for jobs, earn a living, socialize with friends, shop, and even get married using the virtual capabilities of the metaverse. Your competition is already here, gathering more customers.

Are you considering implementing innovations or new technologies in your company? Are you interested in using VR, metaverse, or AR? Schedule a 30-minute call with us at Mazer – we will tell you how to get started, what conditions need to be met, and suggest the best solutions tailored to your needs.

Exploring journalism with extended reality

The field of journalism is continually evolving, with XR technology at the forefront, driving the shift towards immersive storytelling that seeks to engage readers directly in news events and narratives.

XR empowers journalists to craft interactive settings that draw readers deep into the core of a story. A notable instance is The Guardian’s “6×9: A Virtual Experience of Solitary Confinement”. This immersive encounter enables users to inhabit the tight confines of a 6×9-foot cell, fostering a sense of empathy for the difficulties faced by those in such conditions.

XR’s transformation of storytelling

Extended Reality (XR) technologies have brought about a profound transformation in the realm of storytelling, enabling people to actively participate in stories set within captivating and interactive worlds.

Through XR, narratives take on an interactive nature, allowing readers to submerge themselves within the storyline. They can engage with characters, objects, and settings, creating an unparalleled sense of presence that enriches the storytelling experience. XR empowers creators to fashion fresh, limitless universes that transcend the limitations of the physical world.

Traditional storytelling has often followed linear narratives, but XR encourages non-linear storytelling. This grants readers the liberty to explore narratives in open-ended ways, resulting in personal and unique experiences.

Educational narratives, in particular, flourish within XR environments, enabling learners to delve into subjects through immersive and interactive arenas.

Opportunities and challenges in XR journalism

Extended Reality, encompassing Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), has brought both prospects and challenges to the arena of news and feature reporting. 

In journalism, XR provides the opportunity to create engaging and interactive narratives that resonate with audiences. By harnessing these immersive technologies, journalists can convey stories that may be difficult to tell through traditional mediums. For instance, VR can recreate event environments, such as natural disasters, offering an immersive understanding of the situation. Meanwhile, AR overlays information onto real-world settings, adding depth and context to stories.

However, the integration of XR into journalism isn’t without its challenges. The production costs of XR content can be prohibitively high, and expertise is needed to navigate this technology effectively. Additionally, not all consumers have the necessary hardware, such as headsets, to access XR content. Ethical concerns also arise, including worries about privacy and data capture.

Augmented Reality’s contribution to enhanced journalism

Augmented Reality (AR) seamlessly blends digital content with real-world contexts, resulting in more captivating narratives for audiences.

Numerous AR tools and technologies expand the capabilities of journalists to craft immersive stories. Platforms like Layar, Wikitude, and Junaio enable users to overlay digital information onto physical objects, thereby providing context to stories and deepening comprehension.

Furthermore, augmented reality experiences invite readers to actively engage with stories, incorporating elements like 3D models, 360-degree videos, multimedia content, and interactive quizzes.

AR has also found its way into newsrooms, with technologies like Microsoft’s HoloLens enabling the creation of 3D holographic presentations to enhance the delivery of stories. Even on social media, AR filters add interactive elements to photos and videos, fostering more engaging and enriched forms of audience interaction.

XR storytelling and journalism: the takeaway

Extended Reality (XR) is truly transforming the landscape of journalism and storytelling, providing immersive experiences that both captivate and educate. 

In a nutshell, VR serves as a vehicle for transporting viewers directly into narratives, granting them the opportunity to engage with stories interactively. For example, VR can plunge viewers into disaster scenes, delivering an immersive experience that conventional reporting methods can’t replicate. Whether through interactive narratives or augmented realities, XR has unquestionably demonstrated its ability to revolutionize the field of news reporting. Although challenges such as high costs and ethical considerations exist, the incorporation of XR into journalism is paving the path for compelling, interactive, and impactful narratives that are poised to shape the future of storytelling.

Virtual fitting room – what is it?

Virtual fitting rooms offer a groundbreaking way to try on clothes. They allow you to compose your own outfits and prepare a list of items to be purchased as you go along without actually having to spend time putting them on. How is this possible? Virtual fitting rooms achieve this through the combination of virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. For example, with the help of webcams and artificial intelligence, a full-size 3D model of each shopper’s figure can be created so that clothes can be fit to the model rather than the individual trying them. In this way, virtual fitting rooms simplify the process of choosing and buying clothes

How does a virtual fitting room work?

The principle of the VR fitting room is quite simple, provided that these new technologies are properly used. The customer stands in front of an intelligent mirror that recognizes their pose and measurements. Using their hand as a remote control, the customer can select different clothes, which appear on the reflection in front of them. With a flick of the wrist, they can change the color of different items to create sets of clothes that match. Once they are happy with what they see, they can find the garments in the store and check how they look directly or go straight to the checkout with their shopping list. In this way, the customer can shop more quickly and efficiently, saving them from tiring shopping experiences, so the chance of them buying more products increases significantly. Similarly, virtual fitting rooms can be used by online shoppers. Through the use of a simple app, they can have the same experience at home, trying clothes on their 3D model just like they would in the shop.

Virtual fitting room – why should you use it?

Increasing customer satisfaction

Sometimes photos of clothes on websites do not reflect their actual cut and appearance. Depending on the monitor settings, colors can also come out differently. However, with a virtual fitting room, customers can try clothes on without leaving home. This can reduce the number of unsuccessful fashion choices because you can check how you look in a given color and whether a particular pattern or cut fits your figure and your tastes.

Aggregating customer data

Virtual fitting rooms can be a valuable source of information because they collect important customer data that can then be analyzed. For example, retailers can track trends and find out which garments are the most popular based on those selected. As a result, specific colors, sizes, or models can be stocked to increase the business’s profitability and minimize the risk of returns. With the help of VR fitting rooms, it is also easier to gather customer feedback on the clothes they bought or rejected through surveys.

Combining offline and online commerce

In addition to the possibilities of using virtual fitting rooms in brick-and-mortar stores, there is also the possibility to adapt similar solutions to online stores. All it takes is a selfie, some body measurements, and an app to take the shopping experience to a whole new level.

Virtual fitting rooms – discover the benefits

There are many benefits to using virtual fitting rooms. The most important thing for customers is that they always have a fitting room available if they like online shopping. Then, coming home on the subway or bus, they can launch the app, browse, and try on any products; take a photo and send it to a friend for advice, and then make a purchase. In the case of physical stores, virtual fitting rooms can enhance the shopping experience as customers do not have to try on loads of different clothes in cramped fitting rooms.

From the retailer’s perspective, virtual fitting rooms significantly reduce the number of returns of ill-fitting products, thus increasing business profitability. Moreover, customers are more satisfied with their purchases and happier to return and share their experiences with others, which promotes liquidity. So, virtual changing rooms are a great option for any store that cares about steady and resilient growth. Companies such as XR Wizards are already creating solutions for brick-and-mortar stores and online shops, with their Mazer platform.

Read also: The Music Industry In The Metaverse

The benefits of Virtual Reality for business

Through the use of VR, stores can test an almost infinite number of layouts to see which will be best for their business. There are numerous advantages to using a VR environment rather than experimenting in an actual physical space. You don’t have to move around heavy shelves from spot to spot. Your employees and products are safe from possible accidents. Finally, less time is required to transition to a new layout.

On top of that, Virtual Reality in retail goes beyond its inclusion in-store. You can use it for research purposes and for the planning phase. Displaying (and presenting to clients) various products and services through VR tools can let you understand whether your ideas will be successful before they are released into physical stores. It is a great way to understand what your customers expect and how they want to interact with your brand. Virtual Reality retail stores offer competitive advantages of appealing to customers in new and high-end ways.

Thanks to Virtual Reality in retail, you can unleash the potential to create unique brand experiences that drive conversions and repeat visits. The only thing you need to remember is that the user must stay as immersed as possible to get the most out of the experience. Currently, the most popular ways VR is used in retail are the following:

• Personalized products – due to vr for business, you can create a custom order based on a customer’s imagination. You can easily produce virtual versions of the desired products.
• Personalized marketing and product discovery – you can personalize your marketing activities by coupling them with your in-store navigation. You display personalized offers on products through VR based on the purchase history. It is proved that personalized offers have higher conversion rates and improve the shopper experience. With VR, online retailers can simulate an immersive environment customers wouldn’t otherwise experience. It’s a compelling real-time experience akin to real life.
• Reduced returns – virtual reality in retail gives customers the ability to more accurately visualize products which usually leads to confidence in their purchasing decision.
• Online marketing activities – launching new products might be a challenge today. Many brands rely on the physical touch and feel of products and Virtual Reality is a great solution for those who cannot visit stores to examine products physically. VR experience can be a digitally enhanced experience of the product with which a customer can interact from their homes. Such VR in retail increases brand loyalty and advocates for the brand.
• Collecting customer analytics – VR platforms allow store owners to collect data on how customers interact with products. Such Virtual Reality in retail gives retailers valuable insight into their marketing efforts.

Summing up, Virtual Reality in retail is a great opportunity for businesses. It allows you to optimize the costs – the VR store doesn’t require a physical location. You don’t need to worry about electricity bills etc. No interior design, no fancy accessories, and gadgets – it’s all about the virtual world. You can make the most of both a traditional and online store. No more boring online stores with their silly banners. VR stores enable you to create a design from scratch, everything is fully customized. And you can adjust every single element based on your needs. Last but not least, using VR for business can help you avoid the costs of possible damage. Your virtual products cannot be damaged in any way, no cleaning staff is needed and problems with physical users are eliminated. Literally, 100% eliminated.

Train the best and work with the best

Behind the scenes is equally important as what the user sees. Virtual Reality should make the store operate like a well-oiled machine. It’s a great way to increase productivity and efficiency, e.g. during the training and onboarding stage. You can train new employees on proper procedures easier than ever. You can identify any possible redundancies without impeding customers, as well as perform collaborative assessments while experimenting with new workflow possibilities. Training becomes a snap – you just place your new employees in scenarios so that they quickly become familiar with their roles, they get a sense of company setting and culture.

Finally, they begin acclimating to their new positions. They land into a situation where they must navigate how to appropriately deal with a disgruntled or difficult customer. What is interesting, Virtual Reality is believed to be one of the most efficient learning methods. Learning new products and their specifications has become easier than ever. And so are conflict resolution and empathy / an understanding of the customer. A really cool thing is that a VR salesperson is always impeccable. They have perfect hair, fresh clothes etc. On top of employee training, VR in retail also enables you to train your customers. They learn how to get familiar with the company and its products and they check them before purchasing.

Virtual Reality in retail – user experience

It turns out that Virtual Reality retail stores can provide customers with a unique in-store experience that they can get at home. Around 80% of retail customers declare they are eager to use VR and AR apps to enhance their shopping experience. While online shopping has been taking up an ever-increasing share of the retail market, companies are forced to adapt and accommodate the trend. More and more often we see them offering VR goggles so that the customers can interact with a virtual recreation of the store.

Here is how VR in retailrevolutionizes user experience .

• It allows customers to get familiar with the products without even leaving the house. Have you heard of North Face that allows customers to virtually climb the peaks of Yosemite while testing out their new outdoor gear? This is a unique experience that aligns with their products. For a car purchase, VR might mean exploring the cockpit or taking a virtual test drive. Visualizing products online with an added element of personalization lets them fully engage in shopping. Customers get more of a feel for what your business is about.
• It’s a visual guide for customers to select the products they want and be led to the in-store location. Customers can explore a virtual store. They can pick up and examine items in 3D before deciding to purchase them with just a look. Especially now, during the pandemic, consumers are (and will be for a long time) highly alert and particularly conscious about how they interact with products in bricks-and-mortar stores. For example, they may be reluctant to try out clothes that might have possibly come into contact with others. Virtual stores help prioritize consumers’ safety, establishing trust and offering the convenience of use.
• It enables users to receive and send customer feedback regarding products from other customers.

Conclusion

Virtual Reality offers a unique shopping experience to customers It helps them make better decisions while saving their time. Also, VR reduces contact in stores or enables an immersive experience while shopping from home which means the technology keeps them safe. As the development of VR has become more and more sophisticated, it is high time that you prepare your business for the increasing adoption of the technology that will both radically impact future customer experience and help you increase profits.

What is Virtual Reality and how is it used in marketing?

Virtual Reality is a form of interactive software that immerses a user in a completely virtual environment. It usually requires a VR headset with special lenses. The most modern VR software makes it possible for users to immerse totally in the experience. By totally we mean 360 degrees. For those who still cannot get it – Virtual Reality brings you to the virtual world that doesn’t exist. This might be an office, a cosmic space or a sea bottom – imagination is all that limits you. Now you can imagine how VR in marketing can be used to demonstrate and promote products to potential customers, cannot you? VR marketing can be visual or multi-sensory, depending on the device. In order to provide users with a completely immersive experience, a full VR headset is necessary. With VR, you can craft user experiences, engage them and encourage conversions in interesting and innovative ways.

The hardware of VR

There are various types of hardware within VR technology. For decades, Virtual Reality has been considered a futuristic and extremely expensive dream. However, it turns out that it’s different. VR refers to immersing a user in a virtual world using sophisticated software, that’s true. A few years later, the technology still relied on clunky headsets and expensive computers, that is also true. The technology has been evolving and now the VR experience that inspires both providers and customers is quite achievable and affordable. Virtual Reality applies to different media so it is crucial to choose the one that will let you design the right content and make good decisions when planning a VR experience for your customers. Currently, there are three top players in Virtual Reality headsets – Sony, Facebook and HTC.

Head-mounted displays

The simplest solution when it comes to Virtual Reality in marketing and product showcasing. It is the primary way users access Virtual Reality. The first VR head-mounted display was the Oculus Rift. It became the cutting-edge machine once Facebook bought it from a private company. Head-mounted displays use 360-degree positional tracking and OLED (usually) displays to prevent eye strain. The latest head-mounted solutions also utilize laser positioning and tracking technology so that a user is totally immersed in a virtual world and can interact with it seamlessly. Head-mounted displays require a computer to run. However, they are just perfect for marketing, branding and product showcasing. For example, they can give you a major advantage over the competition for trade shows. You can virtually demonstrate the car you are selling or even show customers risks experiencing while driving irresponsibly.

Mobile and standalone

We have explained what the pros and cons of head-mounted displays are. Let’s talk about mobile and standalone VR hardware now. For starters, they solve the problem of a necessary computer that is quite expensive but required to provide users with a fully immersive experience. Mobile VR hardware is something relatively cheap. The headset (Google Cardboard VR headset, the Samsung Gear VR) works with smartphones and is sold everywhere. This is a very scalable solution that allows you to communicate through VR to a large crowd. On the other hand, standalone VR hardware is viable, quite affordable and extremely scalable. Lots of people can use it at once and for now it is the best solution to capture the attention of the crowd. Available options now are e.g. Oculus Go and HTC Vive Focus.

Other VR options

Head-mounted displays, as well as mobile and standalone VR hardware, are popular, yet quite sophisticated options. However, there are other options for you to consider if you want to start your adventure with Virtual Reality. A very popular (and used for many years now) is the virtual 360-degree tour. Unfortunately, such a tour is just interactive and the user’s immersion isn’t total. A user can use their computer or mobile device to take a virtual tour with video on the website (or alternatively, on a crowd VR device).

Why Virtual Reality in marketing is the next logical step?

Virtual Reality is an emerging trend in sales and marketing strategies. Thanks to Virtual Reality, companies can bridge the gap between experience and action. Virtual Reality solutions can be used for promoting products and services showcased as a digital experience. VR technology is also a great opportunity for companies not only to promote existing products but also to showcase development. This way, your customers get interested in what you are creating. They give you instant feedback which affects the way you will develop your product or service further. The dynamic between customers and brands has been changing. No more ad blockers or clocking out of ads as quickly as possible – it is the opposite; customers crave for your new Virtual Reality ads to immerse in a new experience. They come to you instead of you needing to attract them. They want to see and try products before they buy them, from testing a new hairstyle, through driving a possible new car, ending at checking next travel destinations. Virtual Reality creates experiences that no other software product is capable of. A user gets a unique experience, a chance to test a product before buying it and, what might be the most important, they get an unparalleled sensation of the product leaving long-term memories. And this is something that builds brand identity and customer loyalty and makes you stand out amongst your competitors. Here is a quick summary of how Virtual Reality rocks in brand marketing campaigns and product showcasing:

You can model users’ behavior by showing them how your product or service is developed in real-time. Customers have a unique opportunity to see all development phases and deliver feedback you will utilize in the next phases. Creating awareness is much more successful when you build chemistry with the users. Feelings and emotions are much more powerful than badges and attractive visuals. Instead of using a ‘Product of the year’ certificate, invite users to the virtual world when they can test the product themselves. It really works.

You can present your values and unique selling points straightforwardly. Developing an eco-friendly product? Instead of presenting numerous certificates everywhere, invite potential customers to your eco-world. Show them what production looks like, what makes it so unique and special. This will be much more understandable for customers who often don’t get all those certifications.

You can (almost) forget about your logo. Thanks to Virtual Reality, you have a unique opportunity to build a real connection with users and potential customers. The brand is not just a logo. The brand is the history of the company, the experience it delivers to the users, the feelings it evokes etc. If you decide to use Virtual Reality in your brand marketing strategy, you will be able to switch to more an emotional approach that will pay dividends in the future (customer loyalty ratio etc.).

When you present your VR materials, you get feedback in real-time. This increases your brand exposure and, at the same time, gives you some relevant user insights.

See? Virtual Reality is going to further revolutionize brand marketing and product showcasing strategies. Soon, it may replace the traditional forms of advertising. For you and your brand, it may be key to become the pioneer in this market.

Read aslo: How Can Virtual Reality Enhance B2B Sales