According to a new report from VRJournal, virtual reality may breathe new life into digital advertising by the end of this decade.
“Facebook, Samsung, Microsoft and Google, among others, are all betting big on virtual reality and/or augmented reality becoming the next big platform,” says Ginny Marvin of MarketingLand. “With its predicted rise, virtual reality/augmented reality is also poised to transform digital advertising. Several companies are aiming to be ahead of the curve.”
Marvin discusses Immersv’s ad platform, which enables VR app developers to monetize content with ads on Google Cardboard and Samsung’s Gear VR devices.
“The Los Angeles-based company launched the platform in March with app-install ads from other VR app developers,” notes Marvin. “The ads serve in custom VR environments and can display as 3-D video, flat 2-D video, 360-degree videos or as true VR ad experiences that users can virtually enter and explore.”
Then there’s LA-based Outlyer Technologies, whose Advrtas ad platform from allows advertisers to serve interactive content in standard IAB ad formats on smartphones.
“The ads can also be viewed in any browser and respond to phone movement to let users explore the ad content and click on hot spots to ‘enter’ new spaces,” according to Marvin.
All told, many of the players think VR/AR have the potential to take digital advertising from “ho hum” to “Honey, look at this!”
“For the first time in my career, advertising is actually getting cool,” the report notes, citing another industry executive quote. “We might finally get to a spot to where consumers will want to experience the ads.”
