As augmented reality and virtual reality are taking the world by storm, especially in the current context where technologies that connect remotely are more valued than ever, a growing number of businesses are becoming aware of the benefits of using X reality in their operations.
While the customer-facing side of AR/VR in business has been limited until recently, industries are now embracing these technologies in their marketing and advertising efforts, with widespread success. From education to retail to fashion to hospitality, there are multiple industries that can greatly benefit from AR/VR marketing.
Here, 10 members of Forbes Agency Council discuss some of the sectors that are already embracing AR/VR for marketing and how this impacts their progress.
Members share insights on the industries that are most likely to benefit from augmented and virtual reality.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. E-Commerce
All industries are being changed by virtual, augmented and mixed reality. Take spatial computing, the new way of visualizing and interacting with content. If we focus on marketing, mobile-augmented reality is very promising. Looking at a watch on your wrist, or sunglasses in selfie mode, trying on shoes, and wearing make-up, all with your mobile device. E-commerce has the biggest opportunity to leverage mobile AR. – Azad Abbasi, Genius
2. Automotive
The car buying process is already shifting toward omni-commerce. Today, consumers can browse vehicles, make a purchase and secure financing, without ever stepping foot into the dealership. VR and AR will accelerate the digital transformation of the buyer’s journey, allowing customers to experience new features, understand vehicle dimensions and accessorize their vehicle. – Andrew Au, Intercept Group
3. Fashion
Leveraging AR and VR in the fashion industry is a game-changer. Many brick-and-mortar locations are closed, and of those that are open, few are allowing customers to try on clothes due to COVID-19. If apparel purchases continue to increase online, providing an AR experience (so consumers can see things in the “real world”) will offer a huge benefit to the customer and fuel confidence in purchasing. – Bernard May, National Positions
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4. Gaming
I think VR and AR will remain strongest in the gaming vertical, as there are endless applications. For AR, retail has some emerging applications that allow you to try on clothes or get additional information about products. For VR, I believe entertainment and educational verticals have the ability to grow, but are limited on VR headset adoption by consumers. – Brian Meert, AdvertiseMint
5. Hospitality And Tourism
An industry that can benefit from VR/AR marketing is the hospitality and tourism industry. Hotels offering a virtual tour of their rooms and amenities can see a boom in booking, while tour companies can offer a sample of what tourists can see when they book a tour with the company. – Hannah Trivette, NUVEW Web Solutions
6. Events
The one industry where VR and AR needs to be applied immediately is with events. Since no one can truly travel like before, the opportunity to rethink how events are handled and elevated to something far greater than a Zoom meeting is ripe for the taking. Just imagine being able to travel to far off places with VR between meeting sessions or hold entire conferences in VR. – Roger Hurni, Off Madison Ave
7. Higher Education
A sector that will be impacted is higher education. Due to the times that we’re living in, rising high school juniors and seniors aren’t able to take campus tours. Offering VR and AR tours for these potential students and their families needs to happen in the meantime in order to maintain enrollment numbers. – Spencer Hadelman, Advantage Marketing
8. Policy Advocacy And Lobbying
Policy advocacy and lobbying could see a big impact from VR and AR. It’s hard to visualize what natural lands, watersheds and the wilderness look like while you’re sitting in Congress or a state capitol. VR/AR can be amazing tools to bring these locations to life for the policymakers deciding their future. – Dan Cohen, Full Court Press Communications
9. Commercial And Residential Renovations
The commercial and residential renovations industry will see a positive impact as a result of VR and AR technology. Visualizing and materializing future projects with this tech will allow companies to have a more immersive customer experience. Bringing their prospects’ ideas to life will be easier than ever and will get the deal closed. – Alex Quin, UADV
10. Furniture And Home Goods
In addition to real estate, I think we will see more furniture and home goods industries leverage VR and AR capabilities. With the housing market being hot, millennial homebuyers will be looking to purchase items to fill their new living quarters. Being able to picture the item in your space and then order it online with contactless delivery is an awesome tool that will be used by many. – Timothy Nichols, ExactDrive, Inc
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Author: Expert Panel®, Forbes Councils Member
