Virtual reality, the brand is all around you!

Virtual reality. Is it a gimmick? Or are brands starting to believe they can use these pretty cool looking 360 degree videos to bring consumers closer to their brand? The platform is being used to promote fantasy worlds like the brand new Star Wars film and the Warcraft film. Bands such as Fort Minor are using virtual reality to bring a new dimension to their music videos. Of course we’re now seeing brands using virtual reality Mountain Due, GoPro and Vice Sports to name a few.

I’m not going lie, when I watched the 360 degree Star Wars video my only thought was “shit, that’s cool”. Is this what the brands want us to think though? Our only afterthought is ‘cool’? Or is there more?

Where we want virtual reality to go.

With the Star Wars and Warcraft virtual reality videos maybe this is all they want us to think! But with brands there has to be something more, whether it’s showing us a product in a new way or in GoPros case basically showing us the product in action. Facebook bought virtual reality leaders Oculus Rift in an acquistion worth $2 billion. However right now what Facebook can do with the technology is limited. The impressive virtual reality videos are only being used in organically posted content. What we want to see is the format being used in paid advertising. This will show what effects virtual reality can have from a marketing standpoint.

Ideas, we’ve got some!

Ideas? Well we’re full of them here at Rogue! Take Apple for example, a leader in innovation so the format would suit them perfectly. We would use the virtual reality technology to basically showcase their range of products. Bringing the viewer around a minimalistic (obviously, it is Apple) office space. Nosing around and inspecting the wide variety of products. It’s so simple, but it will give the consumer a new, unique way to view products. We can look at the iMac on the desk, turn around and then inspect the iWatch which is resting in the bin on the side table. With Facebook and Youtube offering similar experiences there’s a choice for brands as to who to go with. Yes, the outcomes have been great so far. We’re just waiting for something really smart to come out from a marketing point of view!