Cover story :
SWINDON VIRTUAL REALITY FIRM
HITS VEGAS WITH THE ULTIMATE FORM OF ‘ IMMERSIVE MARKETING ’
Is the future of marketing virtual ? One South West based business has found itself at the cutting edge of applying VR technology to the challenge of marketing B2B products – including helicopters , aeroplanes and spacecraft . But the applications , they say , could penetrate any sector …
BUSINESS NEWS
Virtual Reality ( VR ) made some of the biggest headlines at the recent Consumer Electronics Show CES show in Las Vegas . Already a staple of the games industry , everybody is looking for new ways to apply the technology … but does it have its brightest future in the world of marketing ?
Rendermedia think so , and they were one of the stars on the HTC stand at CES , showcasing their Virtual Reality ( VR ) experience developed for Airbus .
Helicopter Mission Showcase in development for CES Show
Visitors to HTC ’ s booth were able to immerse themselves in the experience of taking part in a helicopter rescue mission following an earthquake , flying an Airbus A400M through the Brecon Beacons in Wales , and landing an Airbus A350 . You can see a short video here :
www . youtube . com / watch ? v = lIjOVC0RR8U
“ Quite simply , we were able to take Airbus customers on an experience that allowed them to really engage with the products ,” said Rendermedia founder Mark Miles .
Leaders in the VR sector are also recognising that this direction of travel offers exciting new ways for the technology . “ Rendermedia provided a critical component to delivering an immersive VR experience and building out the ever-growing Vive ecosystem ,” added Dan O ’ Brien , VP Virtual Reality , HTC VIVE .
“ We built Vive to deliver the most immersive , roomscale VR experience on the market today . Companies like Rendermedia are helping us meet this vision .”
Mark said :“ VR ’ s use within the advertising and marketing industry is obvious . After all , it is the ultimate manifestation of ‘ immersion ’ – physically and emotionally engaging with a brand through virtual reality . This technology could blow apart how we currently market products .”
VR has been around since the late 70s , but it ’ s only now that the technology is starting to offer up a rich seam of possibilities in the worlds beyond gaming and architecture . That ’ s because it ’ s not just a technical stage on from its predecessors , but a giant leap in terms of emotional engagement and customer response .
“ Virtual Reality is changing how businesses experience and showcase their USP ”
“ VR is about taking the user on an immersive journey and telling them a story that they feel part of ,” argues Mark . “ And every marketer will know that engaging with a brand is the Holy Grail .”
Paul Hannah , Creative director of Future Concepts at Airbus , said :“ At Airbus we are always looking for innovative new ways to communicate with our customers . VR gives us a chance to engage with them directly and to experience the Airbus story .”
“ Engage ”, “ experience ”, “ story ”… these are three of the primary concepts that brand gurus will weave into their presentations when they make a pitch , and this is what VR delivers by the truckload .
Want to try out the latest top end motorcar without leaving your chair ? Strap in . If you like the experience , you
can stay where you are and customise the vehicle interior to your precise requirements . Boat and yacht makers have a constant issue around building vessels to the spec their customers provide – only to find them changing what they ’ ve built when delivery day arrives . With VR , you are infinitely closer to the end product , so fewer changes and happier customers .
Looking to sell an apartment or house off plan ? Take your prospective purchaser on a VR tour around their new home ... check out the view from the balcony , see just how large the rooms are , choose your fixtures and fittings even before the builders have got the foundations in . Put the “ sold ” sticker on those property details .
Mark Miles : Managing Director at Rendermedia Keynote speaker at VR & AR World , London , Oct 2016
The possibilities are endless , from choosing clothes online and seeing yourself wearing them in a mirror through to checking out how your dream kitchen will really look when you walk around it – and everything in between .
With costs coming down all the time , this technology can now be applied to products and services way less expensive than a plane , boat or automobile .
Mark said : “ If you want to stand out from the crowd , virtual reality will be the place to be in the next couple of years .”
For more info : www . rendermedia . co . uk
@ rendermedia
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2017 5