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TECHNOLOGY

Virtual reality is becoming a
mainstream marketing tool

One of the world’s most United Airlines has created a 360-degree, 3D virtual tour of the?
prestigious publications has luxury amenities available in its upcoming new business class
predicted that virtual reality PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
technology may be the ‘latest ? the technology to promote its upcoming
frontier for marketing’. We United created luxurious business class offering.
analyse the technology and a 3D tour of the
its marketing uses. luxury amenities United, the world’s largest airline,
embraced virtual reality when it
W HILE THE POPULARITY OF emerging markets where smartphone realised it would be unable to launch
the Pokémon Go game penetration is stronger than ever.” its upmarket Polaris business class
is driving greater public service within the next few months, as
awareness of augmented reality and Reporting on the Greenlight survey, the planned. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing
its marketing potential, international magazine Ad Week noted: “There’s even isn’t ready with the appropriate aircraft,
studies are indicating that the related better news for brands’ bottom lines: which are fitted with flat beds and 16-
(but not identical) technology of virtual 53% of respondents said they’d be more inch TV screens at every seat.
reality is already being increasingly likely to purchase from a brand that uses
used by global marketers. VR, than from one that doesn’t.” “So [United CEO Daniel] Cuellar’s
challenge was to impress the flying
According to Greenlight VR, a US Last year, for example, outdoor public with a product that didn’t yet
company that researches the virtual clothing brand The North Face used a exist,” reported Ad Week. The answer
reality (VR) industry, a survey of 1 300 virtual dog-sledding experience as part was to create a 360-degree, 3D virtual
adults has found that 71% of consumers of a marketing strategy to sell winter tour of the luxury amenities, both
believe using virtual reality makes brands coats in South Korea. And recently US- on board the aircraft and in airport
seem “forward-thinking and modern”. based United Airlines has been using business lounges.

Meanwhile, UK-based CCS Insight Hollywood actor Matt Damon provides
estimates that more than 12-million the voice commentary and the United
virtual reality headsets will be sold
in 2017, indicating that it “has the
potential to be one of the most
disruptive technologies” of the decade.

“Most consumers find virtual reality
a mind-blowing experience the first
time they try it. We believe it has
tremendous potential and it’s not just
about expensive high-end devices,”
said Ben Wood, the company’s Chief
of Research. “For only a few dollars,
consumers can dip their toe in the
water with an inexpensive cardboard
holder for a compatible smartphone.
We expect this democratisation of the
technology to deliver growth not just
in affluent mature markets but also in

48 strategicmarketing August–September 2016