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AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY - MARKETING IN THE MULTIVERSE

With the advancements in technology, consumers are also advancing. This means that they are no longer so easily captured by traditional marketing. Digital marketing has started to welcome the next technological era- Augmented and Virtual Reality. So what place do AR and VR have in marketing?

      Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is the creation of a technological world created over the real world. Computer-generated content like sounds, graphics and texts will appear as an overlay in front of you. You can bring this dimension into your world by holding your phone while the app runs. For example, IKEA created an app called “IKEA Place”, which allows you to choose your new furniture based on how it looks in your living space. Can’t decide what colour sofa suits your beige walls? Augmented reality can help. See how IKEA Place works below.

      Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is when you enter into the virtual world. Your sight and your auditory perception are replaced with a computer-generated environment. You could be transported to planet mars and engaging with aliens or at a grocery store conversing with the cashier. This is done by submerging you in 360-degree video and three dimensions, so you are completely enveloped in another universe. In this reality, you can navigate and handle objects using your hands! Oreo created a virtual experience for consumers to see how their new product, “Filled Cupcake”, was made. Watch the fun campaign below.

      The Digital Marketing Upgrade

 The economic impact of this upgrade is estimated to be $1.5 trillion by 2030. If a potential customer has your product or service right there in front of them, imagine how much quicker the buying process will be. Customers can interact with the product and immerse themselves in the service, receiving a personal experience.

      1.  Personalised Ad Experience

 Human beings live for experiences. What better way to sell your product or service than involving the customer in a unique personalised interactive experiences? Like the Oreo ad you watched earlier, the customer is taken through the journey of developing the new flavour. After that experience, who wouldn’t run to the closest convenience store? They put the customer in the middle of the magic and gave them a personal experience of the ins and outs. AR and VR can provide this personalised experience to every customer, immersing them in whatever your business offers.

      2.  Elevated Shopping Experience

 Continuing to provide customers with interactive experiences, AR and VR have created a landscape where you can provide your customers with an elevated shopping experience while providing an augmented experiences. Social Media platforms are already running with this idea and making some serious investments. “IKEA Place” is only one of its kind, multinational retailer Sephora has also incorporated AR to take their customers’ shopping experience to the next level. The app uses facial recognition software to detect your features and match you with the products best suited for you. So you can immediately select and purchase them online.

      3.  Virtual Experiential Marketing

Experiential marketing refers to the personalised test run or sampling you can provide your customer. You are allowing them a personalised interactive experience to get familiar with your brand using hands immersive advertising. Much like taking a car for a test drive, now the test drive can be done from the comfort of your couch. VR can make this possible. A virtual experience unlike anything the consumer world has ever seen or, more so, felt before this technological development.

      4.  Empowered Pre-decision-Making

 AR and VR have made an impact on the natural world already as it influences where consumer sentiment is placed. A consumer’s decision-making process can be impacted by the data-driven strategies implemented by AR and VR. The key is creating AR or VR experiences with the perfect balance of EQ and IQ to capture audiences. For example, shoe company TOMS created a VR experience that took the customer through their charity campaign- employees were travelling worldwide to donate shoes to children in need.

The landscape of advertising and marketing has been changing slowly for a long time now, and it is clear that AR and VR will soon be all around us. It’s time to adapt or get left behind.