Playstation VR, Nintendo Vii U or X-box X VR have long been popular among gamers for unparalleled immersive gaming experience, in which gamers walk, run or dive through gaming scripts in real 3D and with multisensory perceptions. Designer’s, bathroom and furniture studios start to routinely offer experience with virtual reality, where customers are welcome to step inside their newly decorated homes. Realtors instead of staging houses and opening doors to random visitors invite clients to walk their listings while being physically on their office premises. Virtual reality can expedite recovery after some severe medical conditions, for instant a stroke or traumatic injury. Engineers, product developers and architects could substantially streamline the development process and test their ideas almost instantly.
Virtual reality is a computer generated three-dimensional environment providing near-reality enjoyment and a possibility for further human-computer interaction. Video games, health care, engineering, live events, entertainment, real estate, and retail are the key sectors believed to benefit from the enhanced utilization of augmented and virtual reality in the near future. At the moment, there are several customer-friendly technologies competing to win over the virtual reality market. Electronic giants such as Samsung (Gear VR), HTC (Vive), or LG (360 VR) and more software- and online-driven companies such as Facebook (Oculus Rift), Microsoft (HoloLens) and Google (VR cardboard, Daydream) race to establish the new standard for businesses exploring the possibilities of virtual reality.
Some companies seek to explore possibilities of virtual reality in novel ways. Marriott Hotels have created a “Teleporter” – virtual travel experience, where customers are brought to hotels in Hawaii (where they enjoy walking on Wai’anapanapa Black Sand Beach in Maui) and in London (where they are welcome to look over the city from top of Tower 42). A shoe brand of Merrell prepared a hiking experience when launching their innovative Capra outdoor shoes. Customers wearing Oculus Rift could try walking on different surfaces and navigate through some obstacles such as rockslides. Flagship store of TOMS shoes (which are known for their extensive community engagement in developing countries) in Los Angeles is fitted with a wooden swivel chair with bears a hand painted sign “Reserved: Virtual Giving Trip.” The chair offers to each customer a virtual 4-minute trip to Central America, where they become part of a mission to donate shoes to a child in need. Japanese established an entire restaurant called First Airlines around the virtual reality theme: customers check in for their “flight”, are seated in a first-class cabin seat, exposed to a safety video, before being served a meal similar to those served in the air, all that while wearing a VR device on a virtual flight to Hawaii, Rome, Paris, or New York.
More common and main stream applications have been found in automobile as well as general retail. Car brands such as Volvo transport their design and driving experiences to customers shooting short virtual reality movies for new models; major dealerships and auto shows are at the moment primary targets for their innovative promotion. Gradually expanded to more than 19 Lowe’s department stores across North America, the Holoroom How To is a VR home improvement laboratory, where clients may touch their new kitchen cabinets and tiles. Virtual reality has the potential to change the world of advertising – going hyperlocal, providing emotional connection, more affordable than for instance print ads, and increasing sales through virtual try-ons (of jewelry, clothing, shoes, glasses among others). Real estate agents have shaved off more than three quarters of viewing time by implementing VR, whilst VR-assisted sales currently represent almost a tenth of all real estate sold in the United States.
Critics may see virtual reality technologies as a small extension to previous 3D models and 3D videos. Others claim that sales of virtual reality devices fall behind expectations and the technology may soon be forgotten as another fad (by the way first devices have been launched to the market already more than six years ago). Unaware and possibly bored consumer base may be likely to outnumber the tech-savvy market segments and limit wider proliferation.
Résumé
O využití virtuální reality: Za hranice marketingové komunikace
Stále větší nasycení trhu různými zařízeními a brýlemi pro umocnění zážitků z virtuální reality se stalo jedním z témat pro diskuse o dalším technologickém rozvoji na poli marketingové komunikace. Zatímco výrobci soupeří o to, které zařízení a softwarové řešení se nakonec stane technologickým standardem, například realitní agenti již mnohdy nevozí a nevodí klienty za prohlídkami nemovitostí, ale ukazují jim nabízené domy a byty v pohodlí jejich současných domovů nebo ve svých kancelářích. Virtuální realita zprostředkovává nový druh velmi blízkého a reálného zážitku, v němž je možno slyšet okolní ruchy či osahávat okolní povrchy. Kromě trojrozměrného obrazu tak zákazník získává i další senzorické vjemy. Širší využití technologie pro účinnější marketingovou komunikaci a dosahování vyššího prodeje lze očekávat ve videohrách, zdravotnictví, zábavním průmyslu či retailu.