In today’s ever-changing tech world, companies from around the world and from all different industries have started to incorporate VR into their marketing campaigns. VR gives them the opportunity to give their users experiences like never before.
But wait a minute. What is VR?
VR stands for Virtual Reality, and a brief introduction for Virtual Reality can be found in our Innovated Uses of VR for Businesses.
If you are already aware of the basics of VR and are more interested in incorporating this new impressive technology into your marketing strategy, stick around to see what 5 innovative companies have already done!
How VR has been used for Marketing
1. Volvo
Volvo, a worldwide car manufacturer, began the virtual vehicle tour. As shown above, their new car, the XC90, has the ability to be accessed by anyone in the world with a computer. They designed a virtual tour of the car where one can interact and see all the features without ever having to leave his/her home. The idea itself may be simple yet nobody had done it before. Shortly after Volvo premiered this new feature, other companies followed. Mercedes-Benz now does the same as Volvo, allowing customers from anywhere in the world to tour its cars virtually. This marketing strategy has also spread to other transportation companies such as KLM and other airlines. As the VR industry becomes bigger, companies such as Volvo will continue to provide excellent and detailed displays of their products to improve consumer experience.
2. Coca-Cola Sleigh Ride in Winter
Coca-Cola, a massive and well-known international company, has always been at the forefront of innovation, from their products to their marketing teams. Within the last few years, Coca-Cola has started to implement VR into their marketing strategy. This past winter, Coke put together a sleigh ride VR experience that gave customers, and more importantly children, an opportunity they will never forget, Santa’s sleigh ride. They have also started a creative project to turn recycled Coke boxes into DIY VR glasses. Coke’s marketing team truly moves with innovation, coming up with impressive ways to maintain such high customer satisfaction through the services they provide outside their products.
3. How Patron is Made
Patron, unlike the rest of the other companies we looked at, has more of a challenge when it comes to marketing. Really, what can you say? Drink this for a good time? It took a very creative turn to make its VR experience one that their customers were sure to enjoy. It looked past its product and looked at more of the process behind the company. It was able to capture the process from start to finish, highlighting things that made its company look good, such as recycling its used products, and showing that its finished product ends up in places where most people are having a great time. Patron really thought outside the box, taking the drinking experience to another level.
4. Marriott Teleporter
Marriott Hotels, much like the others we have talked about, provided a new and innovative way for customers to view its brand. It created sites where individuals have the opportunity to travel the world from essentially inside a phone booth. These experiences brought them from NY to Hong Kong, and along the way they were always reminded that there was a Marriott location in each city. This showed the customers Marriott’s vast reach and that they could always find a place to call home no matter what corner of the world they wished to travel.
5. Discovery VR for Environmental Education
Discovery, my personal favorite, has further advanced the way we educate our world citizens through virtual reality. It has created a learning environment like no other. Discovery found the value in virtual reality in that it is so versatile. It took 360-degree cameras from the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space. It put these incredible experiences online where customers could interact by actually moving the camera in the direction they pleased, giving the user the best experience possible. A brand that is willing to spend so much time and innovation on its customers, like Discovery, creates valuable customer retention through these marketing strategies. It also provides a service to the public that is so innovative and captivating.
Marketing With VR
While these companies are the early adopters, other big companies are soon to follow. The future of VR is here, in the now. Companies from around the globe are transforming the way virtual reality is used to provide the best customer services and experiences through marketing strategies.
From startups to international corporations, VR is changing customer experience and service. It is taking a new form, allowing individuals to travel the world from the convenience of their home or simply letting their imagination run wild. VR is the paving the way for businesses to once again focus on the customer bringing to life experiences that were once thought of a thing of the future.