Is 2020 the Year of Extended Reality (XR) in Marketing? (National Science Fiction Day Special)

Modern marketers are ready to innovate, adopting disruptive tools like extended reality to reimagine their campaigns. To celebrate innovation on National Science Fiction Day 2020, we look at:

• How close are we to science fiction-like XR experiences?
• Four futuristic ways in which you could use XR
• Why National Science Fiction Day belongs on your radar
   

Consumers are eager to interact with their favorite brands in all-new ways – connecting the physical world with digital elements. This is why Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR) have emerged as key trends for the future of marketing, revolutionizing how brands can position their products.

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It’s now possible to go beyond the limits of physical “try and buy” scenarios or static digital representations. AR, VR, and MR – under the unified umbrella of Extended Reality (XR) – can power futuristic marketing campaigns that leave a lasting impression.

With National Science Fiction Day just around the corner (January 2, 2020), we take a look at XR and how marketers could leverage its potential.

Learn More: What Magic Can Marketers Make with Augmented Reality?

How Close Are We to Science Fiction-Like XR Experiences?

20 years ago, the idea of experiencing digital content as if it was part of our physical surroundings seemed truly like science fiction. Even until the last decade, VR hardware was expensive, not to mention cumbersome, with a poor user experience. Today, XR technology looks very different – 360-degree videos on YouTube, AR filters on Snapchat, and DIY VR equipment like Google Cardboard have changed our conception of immersive experiences.

That’s why in 2019, we stand very close to XR implementation in marketing that meets the high standards set by science fiction. Here are three trends to note:

• Sales and marketing/external communication is among the most common fields of VR implementation. 84.2% of respondents in a 2019-2020 report covering 750+ industry professionals mentioned this as a focus area.
• 56.6% of professionals in sales, marketing, and external communications use AR/MR technology as well, according to the same report.
• The global startup landscape in XR is heating up, and marketing technology giants are taking notice. For instance, Facebook acquired CTRL-Labs in September 2019, adding the startup’s neural monitoring wristband to Facebook’s XR capabilities.
   

Clearly, XR can no longer be relegated to the realm of science fiction! Verizon Media's Extended Reality ad format supports AR, as of September 2019. Let’s consider how leading brands are turning futuristic ideas into reality, enabling greater engagement for their customers.

Learn More: Can Virtual Reality (VR) Transform Branded Events? Q&A; With John Kaplan of Centerline Digital

4 Futuristic Ways to Use XR, With Examples

XR helps to create a powerful impression in the consumer’s minds, urging them to look at your brand from an entirely new perspective.

Here are four tips for leveraging XR in 2020, with examples from leading brands.

1. Launch a mixed reality (MR) popup
 

This is particularly relevant to B2C service industries such as hospitality and F&B.; We have all heard of AR and VR, but MR is probably less common. In MR scenarios, consumers can interact with physical elements and digital representations at the same time.

The hologram is a good example, as it superimposes a digital graphic onto a physical setup. You can use MR to create popups where customers can experience your products in ways that are impossible in a purely physical world.

Take the example of Swedish beverage brand, Rekorderlig, which opened its first MR bar in the UK this year. The bar features holographic visuals and real ambient sounds, recreating the traditions of the Swedish Midsummer.

2. Let customers experience remote and exciting terrain
 

This one applies to hospitality brands, tourism companies, and even e-commerce stores selling outdoor equipment. VR allows customers to explore remote surroundings that they might want to visit – or can only dream of!

You can create VR stores where visitors walk on the polar icecaps or explore the depths of the Grand Canyon. This puts a whole new spin on infotainment, as visitors can gain a hands-on understanding of unfamiliar terrain.

Take the example of NASA which collaborated with Samsung in 2018 to create a 4D lunar gravity experience in VR. Consumers could virtually “walk on the moon,”, actually feeling the sense of weightlessness experienced by astronauts.

3. Insert your product in a surprising virtual location
 

XR gives you the opportunity to place your product in surprising and memorable contexts. This is almost like science fiction – imagine if a futuristic pair of sneakers sold by a luxury brand appears when a consumer is playing a video game set in space. With the latest AR/VR technologies, innovations like this are already possible.

For example:

Pokemon Go brought AR ads to local businesses, and Fossil extended this to 3D video ads inside games. The company worked with Unity Technologies to ensure that its ad content seamlessly blends with a user’s virtual gaming experience.

Take a look at platforms like Admix to explore how you can convey your brand’s messaging in the virtual world in 2020.

4. Make your store entirely virtual, with no physical products
 

This strategy is right out of the science fiction playbook. You can have a physical space that’s populated by empty shelves, with nothing but a QR code embedded on shelf labels. Once customers walk in, they can use their smartphones to scan the label and view products in a virtual format.

This combines the convenience of a digital showcase (you can constantly keep changing your products) with the hands-on experience of a physical store.

Take inspiration from LEGO, which used scannable codes and Snapchat to turn its blank floor space into an immersive digital experience. This is a great example of leveraging mixed reality techniques. Customers could walk around in the store, talk to other shoppers, and ask attendants questions – but the product was accessible only in an AR format.

LEGO Wear Snapchat AR from seeper on Vimeo.

LEGO Wear Snapchat AR Video

Learn More: Augmented Reality in Google Search: Everything You Need to Know

Why National Science Fiction Day Should Be on Every Marketers’ Radar

Today, the lines between science fiction and reality are constantly getting blurred. What seemed like a futuristic device in the 60s Star Trek movies – with its location ID, voice recognition, and data storage capabilities – is now a mainstream smartphone.

It is easy to imagine that the immersive world portrayed in the 2018 sci-fi film, Ready Player One (adapted from the 2011 novel of the same name), might soon be a reality.

Marketers should keep an eye on emerging trends, check for improvement areas in their current strategies, and experiment in controlled scenarios wherever possible. This, we believe, is key to reaching new frontiers in marketing innovation and making 2020 the year that XR goes mainstream in marketing.  

Have a happy and inspiring National Science Fiction Day!

Do you think extended reality will transform the future of marketing? Tell us about your experiences on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. We would love to hear from you!