Digital Reality, Real Results: Your Business Can't Afford to Miss the VR/AR Marketing Wave

Greetings SalesEra Fam!

When someone mentions Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality we all think of the same buzzwords. Video games, entertainment, and other forms of leisure of the sort. But what if I told you that these evolving technologies are spreading beyond those limits and into the world of marketing and advertising?

That’s right! As technology advances and consumers engage with these new experiences, they want brands and businesses to utilize these new marketing technology tools and provide fresh ways of engaging with them. With the recent launch of Apple’s Vision Pro headset and similar devices, taking advantage of these new forms of technology and embracing change in your digital marketing practices could give your business the key to a refreshing new approach to advertising!

As a quick summary, AR is a technology that places digital elements like images or 3D models in our physical environment through our phones or other devices. VR takes it up a level by creating a whole virtual world that you can interact with and explore. Here, we’ll go into how virtual and augmented reality in marketing can become the new best tools in your arsenal to better engage with customers and enhance their experience with you, and even look at a few examples of businesses that have successfully put them into practice!?

To start, here are only a few of the many industries that have implemented VR and AR to some degree to help maximize their potential:?

• Education
• Healthcare
• Real estate
• Tourism
• Automotive
• Construction
• Retail

?Now, let’s explore the reasoning behind this trend!

?Augmented Reality (AR) in Marketing

1. Interactive Elements: What if you saw a product or service that you liked while shopping and, with a quick scan using your camera, you could find out more about said product or be redirected to interactive videos or even games?
2. Try-ons: With the help of AR, fashion and make-up industries can use this technology to allow users to try on looks before they commit to purchasing them. It turns the buying experience into a game that enriches and informs the customer’s outlook.?

Virtual Reality (VR) in Marketing

1. Accessibility: All the customer wants is convenience, because who doesn’t like it when things are simple? This makes the technology so enticing for users, as they can download and interact with the elements remotely and at their leisure.
2. Training and Demonstrations: These virtual environments are perfect for educating and training employees and consumers alike. It allows for an innovative way of learning through visuals that will keep them engaged and provide a clearer message.

?Case Studies

And what better way to see the strong and positive impact that Augmented and Virtual Reality have been having in the modern world of marketing than by looking at some companies and their successful social media and marketing campaigns that have embraced this empowering technology and used it to connect with their customers successfully:

?Ikea

This home store Goliath has taken this technology and implemented it on their IKEA Home app. Through it, customers can select the furniture they wish to have and, with AR, place said furniture in their own homes to get a glimpse at its potential placement and coordination with the rest of their space. It not only makes the experience more interactive than it already is, but it completely erases the risk of regret and leads to a more confident and assured purchase.

Coca-Cola

?In 2023, the company launched “#TakeATasteNow” across several locations in the UK. The campaign consisted of large screens that people could interact with by changing the visuals displayed in real-time simply by using their phones. On top of that, a scan granted them promotions for their drinks. It is a fun, free experience for the customer that ends with a positive note and an encouragement to purchase the products.

Facebook

Facebook is an example of a company that, by embracing these new forms of technology, has, in turn, become a platform for marketing opportunities that anyone can use. Through the implementation of their 360-degree video, they opened the door for companies and users alike to dive into this immersive new content.?

Visualize the Future with Virtual and Augmented Reality Technology

Yes, indeed, they are still a relatively new form of technology that continues to grow and expand with time, so it’s important to be mindful of the challenges that come along with it and know when it’s time to take that leap. However, the benefits and effectiveness have been more than proven already, and virtual and augmented reality in marketing are quickly becoming essential tools that allow companies to take their branding and customer engagement to new heights in a way that permits them to stand out when compared to their competitors.?

It’s clear that, despite the challenges that implementing this technology might bring, with careful planning and strategies, keeping your target audience as well as their needs in mind at all times, and maintaining your message clear and consistent you can turn these technologies into a fascinating new avenue that leads to benefits for all sides.

Our advice? Stay ahead of the curve. It is crucial to remain updated with any advancements in these rapidly evolving technologies to maximize their uses and potentials, as well as use case studies to inform and learn of different ways to do so. To put it in perspective, VR alone is predicted to be one of the fastest-growing entertainment and media technologies by 2025, and in 2024 the AR and VR market is expected to bring in a revenue of US$40.4bn. Crazy!

To conclude, these digital worlds are only in their infancy, and, as they continue to grow, it’s more than likely that we’ll see more and more of them all around us, so why not hop on the bandwagon now and seize the opportunities it brings?

If you’d like to know and read more about these digital trends you should check out our other blog posts by SalesEra on the topic.

?Read about How to Harness the Potential of VR

?Follow SalesEra, a top marketing management company, as we explore and venture into these new digital realms while telling you all about it! Make sure to explore our services and reach out for a partnership that could take your digital marketing to the next level.