How brands are using virtual and augmented reality in the real world

With both virtual reality and augmented reality being the headline grabbing attraction at MWC16, its appeal as a marketing tool to drive desire and innovation with any brand is potentially its immediate use, rather than the product itself.

With the exception of the brands who manufacture the products themselves, none use the technology for marketing purposes. Travel, hotel, and adventure clothing companies however are embracing it and seeing positive returns in some cases.

There are of course the odd examples, like Samsung rolling out Zuckerberg for the S7 launch and providing Gear VRs for all the delegates to use which created a media frenzy and a reaction to a photo which will be cemented in history for many years that provoked an odd sense of alarm. However I suspect Mr Zuckerberg was just enjoying the moment seeing several hundred unsuspecting journalists wearing his product, and relishing its third party marketing potential to bolster Facebook’s modest profits.

The clever driver here seems to be how all AR & VR brands have taken the opportunity to raise the profile of their products for their own gain, creating marketing opportunities through brand association, including more recently Coca Cola with Google cardboard and many others as they seek the next cool marketing tool.

Read the full article here