The rise of new technologies: What is immersive media?

Users are wanting more and more to live different experiences in the digital universe. This also goes for your client. To create an unforgettable experience for the public, experiential marketing arose with immersive media actions – an even greater revolutionary event.

The fact is that technology has taken over everyday life, and using it to your advantage is the masterstroke. However immersive media is, whether more than virtual or augmented reality, it’s talking about an extended reality.

Are you curious about immersive media and how it can make your brand go where you never imagined it possibly could? Read on and find out.

What is Experiential Marketing?

To talk about immersive media in marketing, you first need to understand the area in which it operates: experience marketing. The name itself says it all about what this area of marketing is: it’s about providing experiences to customers.

As competition is high, this is a good strategy to try to be remembered and leave a positive impression on the consumer. With Experience in Marketing you can:

• Increase brand awareness
• Strengthen customer loyalty
• Increase engagement
• Go viral

However, experiential marketing does not only involve the digital environment. Actions such as pop-up shops, guerrilla marketing campaigns, event marketing and brand activations are also incredibly valuable. 

An iconic offline example of experiential marketing was the collaboration between Burger King and the movie Barbie. At the time the film was released, the snack store launched the Pink Burger, the Barbie Shake and the Donut – in homage to the doll that took center stage in movie theaters in 2023.

The entire brand identity turned pink and some stores became Barbie’s home. Filled with nostalgia and Instagrammable content.

But it is in the digital environment where experiential marketing shines. Below, understand what immersive media is and how it is used in marketing.

What is Immersive media?

Immersive media can blur the boundaries between reality and fiction. It can engage your senses and transport you to a completely different place, without you having to go anywhere. To achieve this, it uses carefully planned sound and image resources.

The immersive experience brings interaction and escapes from reality in a way no other marketing action can. Technologies used in this type of experience are:

• Virtual Reality
• Augmented Reality

Both extended reality actions are becoming increasingly popular. These technologies allow the user to:

• test products before buying them, how to view furniture in your homes
• take a virtual tour of an environment, property, or tourist destination
• boost user engagement

But it doesn’t have to be that complex. You’ve already used immersive media and probably don’t even know it. The much-used Instagram filters are augmented reality resources – widely used by brands with a digital presence.

But this is only the beginning. Find below 7 immersive media marketing trends for 2024.

Immersive media marketing trends for 2024

Now you know that it is a very interesting strategy for your business for next year. There are trends to watch out for when it comes to immersive media and marketing. See 7 of them below.

1- Co-creative Marketing

Collaboration between brands and influencers is already a reality that cannot be avoided. These campaigns aim to form a community and engage influencers to learn about the campaign’s vision.

An example is Nike’s pioneering – the SWOOSH Web3 platform campaign. Customers can buy and exchange Nike products with other users. They can also participate in community challenges and get exclusive access to Nike events, products and even co-create designs.

2- Gamification

We’ve been talking about gamification for a while now, but this strategy will grow even stronger in 2024. Human beings are easily drawn into games and rewards. This is why gamification is an important pillar of immersive marketing. How can brands use gamification? They can offer customers exclusive access and products by means of the accumulation of points.

This could generate interest in other offers. Bet on digital challenges and be surprised. But don’t forget to give the person more than one chance to win while maintaining a healthy level of competition.

3- Interact Demos

Augmented reality technology allows users to test a product before buying it. All this without leaving the house. Combining reality with virtuality, you can experiment this with a piece of furniture in your home, with the clothes on your back, as well as via countless other means.

4- Interactive display

Brands have been seeking innovative solutions to generate interesting, multichannel experiences with consumers. An example of an interactive display is the Hug Me campaign from Coca-Cola.

In it, internet users were encouraged to open a soda machine to get a free Coke. Brilliant.

5- Videos 360

No more 2D videos in which you can’t interact, just feel and watch. 360-degree videos are a big trend for the next year. They allow a three-dimensional experience with totally creative and well-planned videos.

6- User Generated Content (UGC)

Why not engage the brand’s followers and make them the promoters of your campaign? That’s what Starbucks did by creating the Starbucks White Cup Contest. The brand encouraged followers to give their spin on the brand’s white cups and post using #WhiteCupContest.

It goes without saying that it was a success, right?

7- AI-Powered Personalized Marketing

Marketing can be empowered and customized with AI. With AI it is possible to use data and algorithms to adapt marketing efforts at home to consumers. The result is personalized content and more chances that the customer will like what they are trying.

Immersive media can revolutionize your brand

There are several other marketing initiatives with immersive media. But the important thing is to take advantage of the opportunity and keep your brand up to date with the latest technology.

Here’s some advice: instead of being resistant to change, embrace it like a Coke machine to reap incredible rewards. Immersive media has come to stay – and to revolutionize the world.