Virtual Insanity

Insanity you say?! Oh there is nothing insane about AR/VR technology at all. These are not simply the next new fads in tech. We are witnessing the beginning of an entirely new user interface revolution. This will change how we interact with the world and with each other. It will also change the way we work, the way we play and how we consume media and content.

Does your company have an updated and effective website? Can I download your company’s mobile app? Are you properly utilizing social media, like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, to help increase brand awareness? Hopefully the answer is yes! If the answer is no, then I’m sorry to tell you this, but we are about to throw yet another question into the mix. That question: Does your company offer an immersive AR/VR brand experience? Technology is changing at an ever increasing rate. It’s getting harder and harder to wow people these days too; to capture their attention and entertain them. Your company must be able to keep pace, especially with new technologies like AR/VR starting to emerge. 

According to YouVisit’s Virtual Reality Brand Power Index, 75% of Forbes World’s Most Valuable Brands have used VR or AR in an activation with customers or employees, or are interested in developing the technology. Big players like Google, Facebook, Sony, Intel, Samsung and Microsoft have pieces in place to push the hardware. While companies like Boeing, Caterpillar, Coke, Disney, Ford, Lowe’s, Marriott and Volvo are already using this technology for applications on the consumer & enterprise side. Tech prophet, Robert Scoble, claims that Apple is also about to make its AR/VR presence known in a very big way. Scoble predicts that, “Apple will sell more VR by the end of next year than all others combined.” That’ a bold claim, but Scoble’s sources lead him to believe that Apple will introduce an iPhone with some form of mixed reality capabilities by the end of 2017. The world has been waiting for further innovation from Apple, and a move like this would only help legitimize AR/VR as much more than just another glorified “3D TV feature.”

The possibilities for this technology are endless . . . education, healthcare, journalism, manufacturing, real estate, shopping, tourism and of course, video games. But for you marketers out there, if you are not already looking at ways to take advantage of this shift in technology, then it’s time you sit up and take notice. Yes, we are still in the early stages of this revolution but make no mistake about it . . . early adopters who are willing to pump some of their marketing spend into AR/VR experiences, will be rewarded. This ROI reward will come in the form of “buzz factor” that helps lead to increased social media awareness, brand affinity and loyalty, repeat business . . . MORE REVENUE!

TLDR version: According to TechCrunch, AR/VR is a potential $150B industry by the year 2020. This will prove to be more than just the next new tech fad. Websites, apps, and social media are all pretty much requirements for companies looking for relevance in 2016 . . . AR/VR brand experiences are next in line. These experiences are already starting to be utilized by companies like Zaxby’s. The time to explore AR/VR applications for your company is now.

The time is also NOW for companies and organizations to explore Yalo’s new Virtual Events service – a new way to market and present your brand and messaging when your audience can’t be there with you in-person. Allow us to walk you through our virtual events process, won’t you? Feel free to contact Yalo’s Scott Efferson directly too if you’re really eager to get started – [email protected].