It first came to prominence in the gaming world in the 1990s, but virtual reality is a product whose time finally seems to have come.

Marketers the world over are embracing the technology in the hope of redefining customer experience. So, how can we use it?

First some terminology:

• Virtual reality is when the user puts on a headset and their experience, everything they can see, is 100 per cent digital.
• 360 technology is when you’re locked to a spot and can look around, but with VR you can move around in the space.
• Augmented reality is like a mixture of VR and 360. The big internet brands are investing heavily in this now. It’s a display, a bit like a pair of glasses, that you can interact with in reality.

And here are the take-outs:

• There are hundreds of applications for this technology. Companies could use it for training programmes, a little like how flight simulation works. For companies in real estate and tourism there are incredible opportunities to show potential customers the kinds of things they will experience if they buy those services.
• This technology isn’t futuristic, it’s here. Agencies and brands now need to keep up with it and work out how to exploit it.
• This doesn’t have to be expensive for brands to use. It’s worth exploring your opportunities.

On My Desk

• Gav recommended HoloLens. You can see a video of it here.
• Nic’s recommendation was to buy a LinkedIn Premium account. He said it was a bit of an investment but offered a lot more functionality, which was great for business.
• Sarah said it was worthwhile checking out the Edelman Trust Barometer.
• James recommended taking a look at this article about artificial intelligence.

Have you heard the one about…

Recently James, Sarah and Nic took a close look at the communications tactics used by US President Donald Trump — and whether brands can use them, too.

And here’s a conversation about the dos and don’ts of corporate video.

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