If there was one marked difference between CES 2016 vs 2017 that this attendee noticed as she perused the recent CES show floor, it was the sheer increase in the number and variety of industries’ booths using virtual reality for marketing purposes.

And why not? Aside from the newness factor, virtual reality, and even its cousin, 360 degree content, serve as excellent brand storytelling vehicles. Never before have there been more immersive tools in which to better connect with audiences and demonstrate products. There’s also some of the research behind the technologies that reveal, among other things, that virtual reality has the power to create virtual memories and positive brand associations, that the pair drive engagement and improve brand recall and that the mere use of these platforms puts a brand in a positive light. Furthermore, they increase intent to purchase and can also trigger brain states no other medium up to now has been able to.

If the mere quantity of VR experiences at CES is any indication, big brands from a vast variety of industries recognize this and are embracing the value of VR and 360 content as marketing tools. From automakers and automotive suppliers to tech and service providers, there wasn’t a shortage of VR at CES. Heck, even the MGM Lion was donning a VR headset when you entered the lobby of this Las Vegas Blvd hotel. But I’m here to sound the alarm that they can go further. It’s time that brands, advertisers and publishers alike come to the realization that more can be done with Virtual Reality and 360 degree content than experiential, headset wearing VR experiences at trade shows like the recent CES 2017 or even posting 360 videos to social media channels.

BEYOND CES: LEVERAGING VR & 360 FOR DIGITAL DISPLAY ADVERTISING

The truth is that advertisers and digital publishers alike can leverage 360 degree and virtual reality content for advertising today and they don’t have to wait for a special event, like CES, or VR headset penetration to reach critical mass to do so. That’s because all it takes to enjoy 360 and VR content is a smartphone.

With the volume of smartphones in the global marketplace, this means that a majority of the world’s population already holds in their hands one of the key tools to make VR accessible to all. And while not all smartphone owners have a cardboard or similar headset to experience VR, they do have a display screen and smartphone sensors that open the door to immersive advertising.

360 & VR AD UNITS EXTEND THE LIFE & ROI OF VR EXPERIENCES

So what does this mean? Quite simply that all those ads you see on websites and apps (banners, skyscrapers, rectangles ads, takeovers – you name it) can now contain 360 degree content that can also be viewed as a virtual reality experience with the simple touch of a finger. So essentially, the content used in VR experiences at trades shows or the 360 videos that dozens of brands are creating and posting to YouTube and Facebook can be turned around and used in digital ad units. The “magic window” that enables consumers to explore 360 degree content (ads included) beyond the traditional frame is available to all.

While the technology to make this happen is relatively new, it exists in the marketplace today, is commercially viable and brings with it tremendous opportunity for those willing to take the first mover advantage. Now marketers can achieve ROI when investing in VR and 360. For example, they can create a VR experience to showcase at an event and then repurpose this content to be used in digital display ad units. Or they can take the 360 video they were planning to post to their Facebook page, add some call to action messaging and use this content for a digital display ad unit that can be shown on mobile, desktop, and tablet in browser or in app. If they feel even more ambitious they can layer in interactivity via hotspots and create a rabbit hole of brand exploration. Or if they don’t have any 360 assets, the 2D assets they presently have can also be leveraged to create a 360 degree ad unit experience. Frankly, the limits to what can be done are only limited by creativity. See some examples in our 360/VR Ad Gallery.

As such, there’s a big opportunity for the first movers when it comes to leveraging 360 degree and VR content today for digital advertising. Whether you’re a digital publisher who’s trying to generate more ad revenue and attract more premium ad dollars or an advertiser looking to find more engaging ways to reach your audience digitally, you have much to gain if you start using virtual reality and 360 content for advertising today.

Every brand that exists should exist in VR.

Adam Harter, VP of Marketing & Cultural Connections, Pepsi

So if 2016 was considered to be the year of virtual reality because it marks when the first VR systems reached the masses, I’d argue that 2017 will be the year that big brands, advertisers and publishers alike wake up and start leveraging VR and its cousin, 360 degree content, as effective advertising tools with great reach. And perhaps next year when walking the CES 2018 floor, instead of seeing cool VR experiences that are limited to the trade show audience, we’ll recall some of the innovative 360 and VR ads some of these big brands delivered to the masses in 2017. As one entrenched in the advertising side of these exciting emerging platforms, I look forward to that day.

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