12.21.2016
VR & Signage heading into 2017
VR - Virtual Reality - continues to evolve by leaps and bounds. What used to take the full breadth of heavy supercomputers of the era and hours upon hours of animation for the simple movement is now seamlessly simulated on smartphones. The freedom involved with the latest technology is straight out of Star Trek: the Next Generation. Now while we don't have a Holodeck yet, what we do have is the first steps to larger, custom worlds of our choosing.
The question for your signage should be: "should we be marketing for VR yet?"
VR has been marketed to for years
As far back as ten years ago, businesses began marketing products and services on Second Life, one of the first true virtual reality communities. Users could create the own custom look, feel, size, gender, nationality, and personality. Whatever they dreamed, they could essentially achieve. Businesses realized that potential customers spent so much time in Second Life, that they might have a better chance to reach their customers in this space, and find them in a more receptive mindset.
Second Life even gave marketing tips on how to advertise within the space.
The tools are getting simpler
In the last couple years alone, the strides computer technology has made in creating tools to harness the VR world has been outstanding. VR devices from companies such as Oculus has made entering virtual reality worlds a tangible, near-affordable reality.
Today's top gaming platforms including X-Box One and Playstation 4 have VR headsets to go with their first generation of VR games.
And the mobile devices are starting to catch on. Google's first flagship mobile phone, Google Pixel, came complete with VR viewing capabilities with their Daydream attachment.
So, should you be getting your signage ready for VR?
Well, until it becomes a standard feature on the next iPhone, you can probably back up on plans and start binging Gilmore Girls on NetFlix. But get that binging done quick because iPhone 8 rumours include a potential step up to AR.
Either way, outdoor signage using VR similar to the way Back to the Future II used the Jaw 17 hologram is still aways off, but closer than you think.
