FUTURISTIC ENGAGEMENT Immersive Advertising
Agencies, In-house digital specialists, and even influencers are sharpening their sights to keep up with the times.
In a rapidly changing environment, how can such a simple act of communication change it’s fundamentals to suit the demand for a more tailored, modern aesthetic?
In fact, it’s not even worth asking ‘how’ - but more, ‘when’. As, quite frankly, there isn’t really an alternative choice.
Necessity Remains The Mother Of Invention.
Immersive advertising is all well and good; so is augmented reality. This ‘futuristic’ tech we all speak of is usually approached in pipe-dream-like fashion. “Yes sure, it’s the future but so are flying cars.” Although there is wide-spread belief in long-term future adoption, there is little realisation amidst consumers as to the urgency behind it’s real world implementation.
It’s a lot more inbound than many would think. In fact, technically it’s already here. You just don’t realise, because it’s THAT good. The implementation of immersive advertising in this fashion was inevitable, and it really became apparent ever since Facebook dropped the ball (*cough* Cambridge Analytica).
Data collection tactics have been exposed in an ugly light ever since, and digital advertising just got a whole lot harder with Apple’s IOS 14 update. Retargeting users is now extremely difficult, and causes massive engagement barriers.
Immersive Advertising As A Solution.
Although metaverse audiences are truly niche, and limited to those who have kept up to speed with recent tech advancements - if your customer falls in this category, you’re in luck.
Engagement in this space is extraordinarily high, and also subject to that particular “world’s” terms; which means no third party threats to advertisers. Travis Scott’s dip into the metaverse through Fortnite is a perfect example. Immersive advertising is often referred to as a ‘collaboration’, or ‘event’. The after effects are tremendous, and stats in recent years have shown this to be an incredibly lucrative space.
Physical merchandise like apparel and other memorabilia are likely to be overthrown by an alternative twist on NFTs. Fortnite skins are a great example of this, and when compared to a logistically heavy operation of selling merchandise - most would favour hiring a team of graphic designers for a week, than running a physical retail operation. The two are night and day.
This does, however, lead to a variable in deeming the viability of immersive advertising. It must be said that the results peak, when the product is also digital. The 2 then compliment each other nicely.
What The Ecosystem Of Immersive Advertising Looks Like.
I know what’s going through your head, “just another crypto-maniac”, however: the future of immersive advertising relies heavily on crypto currencies. Throughout all ‘digital worlds’, there needs to be a seamless way to exchange currency in return for these alternative NFTs, and then have the ability to hold currency and NFTs securely away from that world, in case disaster strikes.
It’s likely that the future of Immersive Advertising will rely on the adoption of cryptocurrencies throughout each digital-world through the metaverse. Instead of purchasing ‘V-Bucks’ with FIAT currency, users should be able to directly purchase items with currency in their crypto wallets. The NFTs they purchase will also need to follow suit from a securities standpoint, and show functionality across multiple platforms than just the original.
Example: Once purchasing the Travis Scott skin on Fortnite, there needs to be a way to hold these skins on third party platforms in gallery like fashion. Think of it like a baseball card. It’s all well and good having Jay Leno throw the first pitch at Dodger Stadium, whilst in-stadium retail outlets sell limited edition Jay Leno x Dodger baseball cards - but what’s the point if you can’t take the baseball card outside of the stadium once the game’s over?
Where It Goes From Here, And What To Look Out For.
We’re really only scratching the surface with the capabilities of immersive advertising. We still have a long way to go to identify which products, audiences, and platforms it’s most suited to. Regardless, it’s a newfound goldrush riding on the wave of recent data laws. Immersive advertising is the digital salesman that can gauge your interest and essentially retarget you in human-like fashion; unlike pixels and tracking tags. It’s secure - but most of all, fun. Interacting and engaging with brands through Metaverse realms means that when the consumer eventually does get around to converting - their experience is similar to that of a handshake with an old friend.