Are Branded VR Experiences About to Go Mainstream?

The biggest news in VR/AR recently is unquestionably Pokemon Go. The speed at which it brought augmented reality onto people’s mobile devices has been unparalleled. But does this signal that VR/AR is ready for mainstream adoption? Or is Pokemon a one-off game that speaks more to the love of the characters than the actual underlying technology?

The Numbers for VR are Looking Good

Although the Pokemon craze has been great publicity for our industry, it can be argued that we were already on the right trajectory. I read with great interest this week’s AdWeek article titled New Study Says People Are More Likely to Buy From Brands That Use Virtual Reality. In it, they cite a study by Greenlight VR that says out of 1300 adults surveyed, 71% felt that VR makes brands seem “forward-thinking and modern.” (not too surprising) And also that 53% said they’d be more likely to purchase from a brand that uses VR than one that doesn’t. (wow!)

That second number is huge. It means just by incorporating VR into their marketing mix, a company can lift their brand’s intent-to-purchase number. So no longer is VR just a novelty, it’s something actively sought out by consumers and appreciated. It can change a whole brand’s perception.

“I’m Lovin It”

The Wall Street Journal reports that shares in the Japanese unit of McDonald’s Corp reached 15 year highs today (July 21st) on leaked news of it being the first brand to partner with the Pokemon Go game. Just the possibility of partnering with the augmented reality juggernaut are enough to significantly increase the value of a company. McDonald’s changed nothing about its food offering — there’s no new burger or different type shake — just the association with AR/VR lifted its stock.

Not every AR/VR experience will be as engaging as Pokemon. It took many years of building that IP up to make the AR experience have emotional resonance. But companies, particularly ones that sell to consumers, can no longer stand on the sidelines and hope that traditional advertising will move the needle.

How InstaVR Can Help

For many companies, the thought of getting into VR is daunting. That’s where InstaVR helps. We make VR simple, quick and affordable. By combining your 3D images or video with our cloud-based authoring & publishing solution, you can get your VR experience into users’ screens quicker.

If you’re a marketing or advertising firm, that means quicker turnaround time for your clients. If you’re a brand consulting firm, that means you can go from idea to execution faster. And if you’re a company with no outside agency, that means you won’t need engineering involvement or outside help to make VR a part of your marketing mix. We’re taking VR to the masses, who seem to be embracing it like never before.