![Advrtas](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="220" height="84"><rect width="100%" height="100%"><animate attributeName="fill" values="rgba(153,153,153,0.5);rgba(153,153,153,0.1);rgba(153,153,153,0.5)" dur="2s" repeatCount="indefinite" /></rect></svg>)
In this edition of the Advrtas Immersive Brand Digest, we bring you six more examples of brand teams getting really inventive, creative and fun with how they use immersive media for branding and engagement. From fast food and floral to potatoes, consumers are being exposed to more and more brand experiences that feature immersive technology like augmented reality, virtual reality, and 360 degree content. Because these forms of media are so interactive they drive brand engagement to levels that are higher than any medium before.
JACK IN THE BOX & SONIC HEDGEHOG
While not The Box’s first foray into using immersive tech, this time Jack partnered with Paramount Pictures to use Snapchat AR lens to create a campaign to promote the recent film release of Sonic the Hedge Hog. From a fun AR game where users could grab the “Tiny Tacos” to a shoppable AR app, it was an engaging way to use immersive media to engage with the campaigns target audience of 13-24 year olds. Which we all know spend a boatload of time on Snapchat!
Jack In The Box also dabbled in AR back in the Summer of 2019 when they asked Snapchat users to build their own burgers. Clearly, they saw enough success using immersive media for branding and marketing that they tried it out again. We’ve already seen their competitors experimenting with immersive media as well. Burger King dared fans to “Burn That Ad” with an AR activation last summer where BK fans could burn the ads of their rivals and share the images across social. Meanwhile, McDonald’s got in the immersive game a couple year’s back when they took 2D assets they already had to create an immersive 360 banner ad for a campaign (see below immersive ad experience) in Germany to coincide with their annual Monopoly game.
AN AUGMENTED VALENTINE’S DAY
Floral delivery leader 1 800 Flowers also turned AR to engage with their target audience on one of their biggest revenue generating days of the year. Talk about a new way to shop for flowers! Their execution included adding AR to their mobile app and mobile website so consumers could get a better view of an arrangement using augmented reality prior to purchase. A new feature enables users to see specified bouquets in AR, or what they label “3D”. You can get three-dimensional views of select arrangements as you browse in a florist’s version of “virtual try-on”. We’ve seen apparel, footwear, furniture and cosmetics brands use virtual try-on tactics but this is the first we’ve seen of it being used to convert floral sales. But 1 800 FLOWERS did more than add AR to improve the shopping experience, they also turned to Venmo to improve their shopping cart functionality. All around smart moves by a strong brand that intends to use new tech to its advantage.
HILTON DOES THE UNEXPECTED
Hilton had a problem. Travelers didn’t know that every room available in their Embassy Suites, Homewood Suites and Home2 Suites hotels were indeed all spacious suites. How were they to convey that every room was generous in size? Their agency GSD&M decided that the immersive and spacious nature of 360-degree content was the way to go!
The team created buzz-worthy 360-degree branded content to engage consumers and drive time spent with the brand. They went ahead and loaded up suites with everything from pumpkins and backpacks to stuffed turkeys. Then then challenged social media users to guess how many of the respective items could be found in the suite. The campaign resulted in high engagement AND a high dwell time. Two things that are so inherent when marketers use immersive media to connect with audiences.
Not only did 360° give our audience a reason to view every square inch of space in the suite, it encouraged participants to stick around and engage with the contest longer.
We would have loved to see Hilton carry out this concept beyond Facebook by way of incorporating immersive banner ads into the campaign. They would have been able to reach audiences beyond the confined walls of Facebook with programmatic ads that could reach audiences on websites and other targeted apps. But, being no stranger to testing out innovative tech like 360-degree content and VR, we expect that the marketing teams and agencies for the various Hilton properties will continue to use effective solutions like immersive media to break through the noise and reach consumers whether that be on Facebook or elsewhere.
ATARI GOES 21st CENTURY
I may be dating myself but I remember when Atari was the cool thing to have on the block when you were a kid. Gen Xers and Atari fans have reason to rejoice as the gaming platform that helped to bring on the advent of the video game has announced they’ll be opening up a chain of hotels in the US. Promising the most immersive entertainment, Atari will allow guests to participate in virtual reality experiences and truly get immersed in a gamers’ world. They’ll also have augmented reality experiences and indicate immersive gaming experiences will be available for gamers of all ages and levels.
The first hotel is set to be located in Phoenix with the groundbreaking to occur Spring 2020. Also announced were future sites in Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco and San Jose. In addition to truly immersing fans in an out of this world travel experience, some of the hotels will feature state-of-the-art venues and studios that can easily support the exploding popularity of esports. With how quickly tech is evolving these days, this is bound to be quite the treat for tech enthusiasts and gamers alike. One can only hope they turn to immersive media for all their marketing & promotion as well. Immersive media like 360-degree content is the perfect tool for showcasing and immersing consumers in destinations because it can show exponentially more imagery of properties and offer both enticing and realistic views. It’s the next best thing to being there and can drive more time spent with the brand than video and result in an abundance of advanced bookings!
DO THE #COOLRANCHDANCE
Now while not initially considered “immersive” tech, AI (artificial intelligence) can be used to create and enhance immersive experiences. For example, with immersive smart ads, AI can be used to analyze the wealth of data collected in such ads and optimize that content in real time. AI can also be used to do cool things like change videos submitted by consumers into funny, shareable moments which is exactly what Doritos did with their recent Cool Ranch Super Bowl campaign.
In case you missed the spot, singer Lil Nas X and actor Sam Elliot bring us back to the old west with a bit of a twist. Audiences were treated to a dancing duel and encouraged to do the #CoolRanchDance. Fans could share their videos on social platforms using the hashtag and if fans recorded a 30 second clip and uploaded it to a special app, the app would augment the video. The augmented video took the fan’s body and transposed it over 1 of four dances that Lil Nas X and Sam Elliot perform in the commercial. End result, you look like a dancing pro and you have a video you want to share with everyone! Great engagement and great shareability!
SIDE DELIGHTS POTATOES
We love to see unexpected brands and verticals tapping into the power of innovative technology and Side Delights offers us up a new immersive experience—the lifecycle of the potato! In an age where more and more consumers care where their food comes from, the potato grower decided to use the immersive nature of 360 degree video (aka “vr video”) to invite viewers to see why Side Delights brand potatoes are “Grown Where It Matters” and learn about the process involved with getting potatoes from seed to plate. Like we saw with Vital Farms Eggs, it’s another example of brands big and small taking note of new tech and finding innovative ways to use it to drive brand affinity and boost the bottom line.
Whether it’s 360 video, VR or AR, clever marketers and their creative teams are stepping up and welcoming in the Decade of XR with brand experiences that will evolve into the unimaginable. You can count on Advrtas to be there every step of the way as we track how global brands of all sizes and verticals are using immersive media to better engage with audiences and continually grow and enhance our immersive advertising and marketing solutions. What are your thoughts? Seen any cool immersive brand campaigns recently that you’d like to share? We want to know. Comment below or email me, Laura Barton (Advrtas Co-Founder & COO) at lbarton@advrtas.com.