How Is VR Transforming Advertising?

 

We're still in a prototyping phase. I do expect to see more VR content within the next two years.

 

There are two significant differences that have to be acknowledged. The first is that the VR video is shot entirely with real-life cameras that are placed inside a functional 360-degree sphere. There are currently thousands of cameras out there. The result is the most accurate VR video yet. The other is that this video is used for media advertising, not commercial cinema, which means that this content has to be carefully crafted in advance. For those involved in the media world, the most impressive thing is that one video can stand on its own. The only way to experience that content is by watching the trailer on a VR headset.

 

It's remarkable. I can't see this being a disruption to advertising. This is not so much a departure from advertising, but an enhancement of the technology. I foresee a lot of ad-financed VR content.

 

Why VR Is Such A Good Ad Formaticant

 

VR is a great way of creating an ad format that's not necessarily reflected on the screen. You're able to create a completely three-dimensional space in which the ad plays. One of the best examples of this is The Matrix. You can be in the middle of a small room with the door and the room also move in a 360-degree arc around you.

 

We also use VR to make real-world elements such as entertainment performances come to life. For example, we've partnered with Cirque du Soleil on a VR show. The virtual reality makes the audience part of the spectacle. The viewer can take on a role and change what they see. What's amazing is how VR can make a celebrity performance seem as entertaining as a pop star. The performances are so detailed that you're part of the experience. It's incredibly immersive.

 

I think VR is a really great ad format and a good way to make any media content extremely immersive. It's also very good at communicating brand messaging. This form of advertising has been very effective in the cinema. It's a new innovation in advertising and one that will be taking over in the next couple of years.

 

–David Tobaczewski is the CEO and Founder of Tobaczewski Marketing + Consulting. He writes regularly for Marketing Magazine and The Drum.