AR & VR Marketing
Content Fortnightly
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Hi Everyone,
Today, we’re trying a new look and style for Content Weekly — which you may have noticed has become Content Fortnightly because we wanted to dial back the engagement in these days of content overload. Even with the reduced frequency we’re at issue #178 which is an amazing effort by the newsletter team: Tim Colman, David Austin, Michelle Cheong, Amanda Goh, Artur Akhmetzyanov and Romario Kosasih. Thanks guys. This week, instead of doing a news wrap we’re trying a deeper dive into a topic with a link to a long-form article we’ve written. Plus we’ve been doing these great internal sharing sessions with the team on Thursdays — it’s my favourite part of the week, seeing what others are watching and are into. I’ve learned a lot and I wanted to share the experience with our nearest and dearest, you guys. I hope you like the new approach.
-Simon
Upping marketing engagement with AR & VR
Augmented Reality (AR) is often conflated with Virtual Reality (VR), but they’re quite different. AR is when real-time computer-generated data is overlaid on an existing environment, whereas VR transports the user ‘into’ a computer-generated environment by using a headset.
Most of the world became aware of AR in 2016, via PokemonGo, a mobile game that allowed players to locate and capture Pokemon characters that appeared on their smartphone. Fast forward to 2021, these emerging technologies are gaining steam. In fact, the market for it will reach $766 billion by 2025, offering unique AR and VR based branding opportunities. Check out what these brands are doing.
1. National Geographic
In July 2020, National Geographic released an AR experience on Instagram that allowed users to ‘dress up’ as Everest climbers and climb the highest mountain in the world. When first launching the interactive filter, users will find themselves at 4815,84 m above sea level.
2. Kylie Cosmetics
Kylie Jenner’s cosmetics brand promoted its range of lip products by rolling out custom Instagram filters equipped with AR capabilities that allowed users to try on her lipstick products virtually. Users can try up to seven of its most popular lip colours, which can be posted to their Instagram stories, either as a selfie, video, or Boomerang video.
3. Zara
Fashion brand Zara replaced mannequins for real-life models like Lea Julian and Fran Sommers to pose, strut, and speak virtually on users’ phone screens. To experience this, users download the AR Zara application and point their camera at designated spots.
4. Virtual Concerts
With the ongoing pandemic, musicians are pivoting to virtual concerts. Partnering with Fortnite, Travis Scott successfully performed a 10-minute set of his hits in Avatar form. The event was watched by more than 12 million viewers, a record for a Fortnite event.
5. Virtual Reality Meetings
Platforms like Spatial, which enables meetings through AR or VR headsets, and Microsoft Mesh, where people meet virtually in avatar form, are offering a much more engaging experience than your average Zoom meeting.
6. Real Estate
VR technology allows potential buyers to see what it feels like to be in the house without actually being there. Sotheby’s Realty is offering virtual walkthroughs for iPhone and Android users who own VR headsets.
Dig deeper and learn more about AR and VR for your brand.
What we're looking at
IBM has created a full content marketing package in a design magazine style — definitely not what one would usually associate with cloud tech. This shows the value in creating content of a high production value — people would want to read it.
Fantastico! Multiple styles of 2D and 3D animation creating a stunning graphical journey. Imagine using this for your showreel. Spanish speakers will probably be doubly impressed.
Painstakingly created stop motion film of flowers blooming (a staggering 14,000 shots per flower) to a fireworks soundtrack. How did anyone get sleep if they had to make sure to capture every bloom?