What are the top virtual reality platforms for creating engaging marketing campaigns?

What a difference a year makes! In 2023 a few leading platforms dominated social VR and gaming, with other commercial platforms betting big on the future of cryptocurrency. Since then, much has changed. Today, brands continue to explore VR spaces. Some are creating unique browser-based experiences on their website. Others are hosting events on well-populated gaming platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, and also Meta Horizons. Apple Vision Pro is the latest contender in the field. With a narrow, older user base and only a few expert developers for the Vision Pro, however, brands are using it mainly as a platform for experimentation as Apple continues to evolve the device. 3D worlds and gaming are here to stay, so experimenting is key.

Marketing campaigns are always made for a specific audience. Either you go to very populated platforms such as Roblox or Fortnite, or your marketing campaign focuses more on the broadcast, then you do a qualitative world and broadcast in VRChat. There's plenty of experts in the field to help you make the best choice :)

Apple Vision Pro is still evolving, it presents an opportunity for brands to experiment with VR experiences, especially considering Apple's large user base. While its user base may be narrower compared to other platforms, brands can still use it for experimentation and to stay ahead of the curve as the platform evolves. Moreover Roblox and Fortnite like gaming platforms offer large, engaged user bases, making them ideal for marketing campaigns targeting a younger demographic or those interested in gaming. Brands can host events, create branded experiences, or run advertisements within these virtual worlds to reach their audience effectively.

Platforms have specific characteristics which can be more or less adapted depending on the creator of the experience, the targeted audience, the message to be communicated, the type of experience envisaged, and the context of diffusion. We often forget that in the context of training or a demonstration, it's better to have a little less detailed interaction, in favor of better appropriation of the VR environment and the interface for interact there. For example: with our platform explorations360 no matter whether public is at home, a trade show, training room or VR showroom, it doesn't matter. We also eliminate use of controllers, everything is done by aiming with the headset, everything is pre-configured and deployable in a few seconds.

The younger generations are quick to use VR chat as a place where they can interact directly, playing games with avatars from all over the world, chatting, conducting interviews that are broadcast in the real world on social networks, influencing virtual fashion, performing live concerts, improvising plays and creating real neighborhoods and cities. Using virtual cameras, complete documentaries are made in VR Chat for social networks, festivals and TV. A true VR culture is born, far from territorial considerations and borders. VR chat is the oldest and freest platform for mainstream VR, and is ideally suited as a marketing medium.

Due to the VR market small size, cross-platform reach doesn't rely on the VR platform's adaptability to a range of devices. The key is to choose the right platform for the best possible and immersive social experience, and then to share it to the largest number of people via the highest traffic traditional platforms (social media or TV channels). Produced in VRChat, the Jean-Michel Jarre VR concert in Notre Dame at NYE 2021 broke the world record of the most streamed event with 75M views because it was also shot and broadcast on the top 5 global social media platforms, and on a number of TV channels around the world. A smart virtual product placement could have reached that huge audience at a fraction of the cost of a TV ad.

It' s preferable to develop a VR experience and then distribute it in the form of adapted 2D videos. Virtual shooting algorithms allow for the creation of dynamic films distributed on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and TV. Integrating VR into traditional media is seamless (virtual cameras can film within immersive worlds), whereas the reverse requires meticulous adaptation. Traditional media is passive, necessitating the recreation of content with 3D assets for interaction. Starting with VR and enabling users to share on traditional media fosters social sharing, thereby stimulating interest and engagement.

Platforms have characteristics which can be more/less adapted depending on creator, audience, message, type of experience, context of diffusion. In 2007 I was using Second Life to create training tools to get PADI divers to enroll in online courses. Interactions were rich, but required coders and was difficult to deploy outside home (and no VR headset). People often forget that in some context it's better to have immediate appropriation of the VR environment and its interface. In 2024, with explorations360 we have chosen to allow content creators to build experiences that can be broadcast via headsets or web pages, focusing on the ease of creation and deployment, wherever the audience is. We eliminate controllers by aiming with the headset.