Weekly Insights

Michelob’s real-versus-virtual F1 race really cut through in crowded category

Winning Best AR/VR Experience at The Drum Awards for Digital Experience is AB InBev brand Michelob Ultra’s ‘Lap of Legends.’ Here is the award-winning case study from the agency behind it, FCB New York. Beer brands spend millions of dollars each year to cut through a crowded, noisy category and reach consumers.

So, to grow sales and market share, you need to consistently stand out and be top of mind in culture.

So, as a famous brand in the world of sports, we set out to address another pressing issue in sports culture: the overwhelming pressure that F1 drivers face today. This surely would deliver against our goal of growing our cultural relevance. (The Drum)

OpenAI is thinking about making its own browser

The Information has the scoop. If this happens, it wouldn’t be too surprising to me — seems like a natural next step for a company that already has its own search engine and native ChatGPT apps.

OpenAI has apparently also had discussions with Samsung about powering AI tools on its devices, The Information reports. (The Verge)

MANGO just launched another AI campaign

AI models take center stage in Mango’s teen sportswear lookbook for AW24

Following an earlier campaign in July 2024, fast fashion brand Mango is presenting its current crop of sportswear for teens using AI models. Set in a dance studio as well as outdoors, the lookbook images are marked as generated by AI. The move is part of Mango’s self-described “earn lever,” aiming to add value through better use of tech and data management. The upsides for Mango are clear: creating AI images, once technology and processes are up and running, is quicker and cheaper than hiring human talent — saving not just on models but also on bookers, photographers, make-up artists, set designers, runners... In theory, AI models also make it easier to show clothes on a more diverse cast of people. So far, Mango seems to be skipping the opportunity to explore a range of sizes and ethnicities, sticking instead to a traditionally waifish, light-skinned young woman. (Trend Watching)

Windows comes to the Meta Quest

If Windows in mixed reality sounds like your idea of a good time, rejoice. Microsoft said on Tuesday at Microsoft Ignite 2024 it’s bringing the “full capabilities” of Windows 11 to the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S in December as part of a public preview.

“Full capabilities,” in this context, means that you’ll be able to access a local Windows PC or cloud instance of Windows (via Windows 365) from a Quest headset. Microsoft says it only takes “seconds” to connect, and likens the experience to a “private, high-quality, large, multi-monitor workstation.” We’ll be the judge of that. (Tech Crunch)

The State of Fashion 2025 report by McKinsey & Company and The Business of Fashion says customers are ready to embrace AI

Customer product discovery and search is the top-ranked use case for generative AI in 2025, according to fashion executives. 82 percent of customers want AI to assist in reducing the time they spend researching what to buy. AI will help fashion brands go from a long, linear list of search results, ranked by a non-personalised algorithm to contextual searches that recognise a shopper’s intent, producing a refined list of highly personalised recommendations. (Business of Fashion)

2025 Predictions: AR Form Factors Diverge & Diversify

As we approach a new year, it’s time for our annual ritual of synthesizing the lessons from the past twelve months and formulating the outlook for the next twelve. 2024 was an incremental year for AR & VR, which both continue to gradually trudge uphill toward mainstream traction.

Highlights this year include XR’s initial convergence with AI, Apple Vision Pro’s slow traction, and some ups and downs for VR. 2024 was also defined by the rise of low-immersion smart glasses, and aspirational high-immersion AR glasses like Snap Spectacles and Meta Orion.

With that backdrop, what will 2025 look like in spatial computing? Aligned with the more extensive predictions of our research arm, ARtillery Intelligence, we’ve devised 5 predictions. We’ll break them down here weekly, starting with prediction 2: AR Form Factors Diverge & Diversify.

Prediction 1: AR & AI Collide Prediction 2: XR Form Factors Diverge & Diversify Prediction 3: Meta Orion Inspires Seethrough AR Prediction 4: Mixed Reality Development Amps Up Prediction 5: Visual Search’s Mainstream Move (AR Insider)

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