Dress To Impress With AR and VR In Fashion Branding

AR and VR In Fashion Branding

Fashion is sophisticated and complicated, being at the forefront of creating trends and pushing boundaries to pursue beauty. Many praise the fashion industry for innovation and criticize its ethical standards.

You’re familiar with these challenges if you’re running a fashion business. But could AR and VR in fashion bring your business’s sustainability to the next level?

We say yes!

Contemporary fashion thrives on innovation and technology, and industry professionals like yourself know that technology is constantly changing. According to the Consumer Market Outlook, the lucrative fashion industry fetched around 1.46 trillion USD in 2020. To maintain this revenue, fashion brands must innovate.

So, what’s the next big thing in fashion tech? Experts have said it’s augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Using AR and VR in fashion sounds far-fetched, but the market already uses them.

We’ll show you a few splendid examples for inspiration here, so stick with us till the end!

How Do AR and VR In Fashion Work, Anyway?

 

If you’re reading this article and wondering what AR and VR are, here’s a summary. AR and VR are the technologies used to create alternative or enhanced digital reality. It includes adding digital elements to real world backgrounds (AR) or immersing customers in entire virtual worlds (VR).

More specifically, AR enhances the physical world by enhancing sight and sound. It highlights specific real world features or overlays digital elements on them.

Viewers can access AR technology on their smartphones through an AR app.

VR is a complete simulation experience in a digital world created from scratch. It introduces viewers to an all-rounded computer-generated artificial environment with interactive elements.

Users can see, hear, and interact with the virtual environment in real time. They use a virtual reality headset to engage with the VR world.

AR is generally more widely used than VR because of its high accessibility on smartphones.

But both AR and VR in fashion provide a unique and memorable customer experience for your brand. They enhance the shopping experience with awe-inspiring graphics and keep your customers engaged.

So why do AR and VR matter in fashion retail?

Fashion retail is going ‘phygital’; more customers interact with retail brands using a hybrid of physical and digital mediums. AR and VR help to bridge the gap between both forms. They offer virtual fashion experiences just as good as physical brand interaction.

AR and VR technology used in the market are changing how customers interact with brands.

 

3 Ways AR and VR In Fashion Will Impact The Retail Industry

3 Ways AR and VR In Fashion Will Impact The Retail Industry

1.   Improved Sustainability

The fashion industry has faced criticism for its unsustainable practices and wasteful consumption. But not all is bleak because AR and VR in fashion could be the key to positive change for many fashion businesses.

Augmented reality in fashion industries helps reduce unnecessary product shipping. Customers can try products on before they buy them, reducing impulse purchases.

Globally, there will be less production and consumption of fashion products, decreasing the number of wasted apparel and resources. It’s better for the environment and a step in the right direction for fashion businesses.

 

2.   Reduced Costs

AR and VR reduce unnecessary shipping costs so that you can save on freight charges. It also decreases spending on traditional advertisements like print and television because you can market online.

With AR and VR, you can take advantage of free social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Use social media to host your AR technology and reach out to more customers at a much lower cost.

 

3.   Increased Sales

Customers are more likely to purchase something when they know what they want. On traditional online shopping platforms, customers can only see 2D product images. They need help to visualize what the actual product looks like realistically.

With AR and VR, they can see and interact with a life-sized version of the product. Instead of estimating the color and size of a garment online, they can try it accurately with AR filters. AR and VR experiences give customers more accurate product information to make better decisions.

Using AR product marketing on e-commerce websites and social media platforms for luxury brands will significantly boost sales.

Nearly 80% of Burberry’s purchases in China happen on mobile devices. Experts predict that around 80% of luxury goods purchases will occur online by 2025.

So, the market for AR and VR in fashion is growing and has excellent potential for many fashion brands.

Augmented reality technology is also excellent for online retailers without physical stores. If you have an online business, customers can’t view your products in an actual store. They can use AR filters as a substitute dressing room to virtually try on your clothes before buying them.

Cool! Now Show Me Some Real-Life Examples Of AR and VR In Fashion

These are some of the most innovative uses of AR and VR in fashion. Take notes from these luxury brands to use their strategies for your business too!

 

Try Before You Buy

AR VR in Fashion woman searching clothes

Computer-generated 3D imagery has come a long way since VR’s early days. Modern 3D virtual models are more advanced and look like actual products. It’s because AR and VR digitally simulate hyper-realistic colors and textures of clothing on virtual models.

Customers can virtually apply clothes on AR human models to see how it looks on a human body. Interestingly, they can even customize the human model to look like them. It’s one of the most convenient benefits of using augmented reality technology in fashion.

For instance, Gucci collaborated with Snapchat in 2020 to create a ‘try-on’ feature for shoes. Users could overlay AR shoes on their feet using the Snapchat application. Customers were able to try the shoes without going to the shop. They could buy the product if they liked the shoes in the filter.

ASOS also launched a 2020 AR feature on their app that allowed customers to try clothes on different body sizes. The application offered sixteen animated models of varying skin tones and body sizes. Customers could even test the outfits and human models in realistic outdoor environments.

You can launch small-scale AR filters to showcase your products on a social media platform. Users will have fun trying the clothing filters, and it’s excellent publicity for your brand too!

You can even create virtual fitting rooms offering a head-to-toe makeover for users’ virtual avatars.

 

Interactive Navigation And Display Screens

Interactive Navigation And Display Screens AR VR in fashion

Earlier, we mentioned that fashion retail is becoming ‘phygital’, so remember to care for customers at your physical stores too.

Use AR and VR to improve your customer experience at the physical shop. Technology can track the shopper’s location in the store. When they access an AR app on their phone, it shows them a live navigation map. It’s helpful for customers visiting your shop for the first time.

Renowned fashion brands like H&M and Zara also use AR display screens to enhance customers’ shopping experience.

Some display screens include virtual fitting rooms, mirrors with 3D avatars, and touchscreen outfit selection. It attracts attention and enhances customer interaction with the brand.

 

FashTech To Expand Your Brand Experience

FashTech sounds like a big fancy word, but it simply means ‘fashion technology.’ It includes using AR and VR in fashion to expand customers’ brand experiences.

Use FashTech to expose your customers to more content from your brand. Big-label fashion brands like Coach use FashTech VR to give customers exclusive access to fashion show footage. The luxury brand installed virtual reality headsets in its stores. These headsets allowed consumers to browse looks from their latest runway events.

Fashion week runway shows are only available for a limited audience. But with VR technology, they’re made more accessible to everyone.

Customers experience a different aspect of your brand when you use VR. They can buy limited-edition products and even personally experience events in which your business participates.

You can use VR to give customers exclusive access to fashion week shows, limited-edition brand collaborations, and photoshoots.

Interestingly, VR allows you to build alternate fantasy worlds to complement different fashion themes. You’ll save production costs of renting a physical photoshoot location because you can create it virtually.

How about a virtual runway in a virtual showroom? Bring your customers to digital fashion shows without losing any of the real-life glitz and glamor.

A VR showroom lets your customers experience the feeling of walking down a runway, elevating the fashion experience. Isn’t that a grand idea for fashion week events?

AR and VR will revolutionize the fashion shopping experience for brands globally. Smaller fashion businesses can take inspiration from luxury brands’ strategies and launch mini AR and VR campaigns.

So, implement AR and VR in fashion marketing to elevate your customers’ experience of your brand and products. Dress them to impress, and you’ll also dress them for success!

Also read: How AR and VR are Transforming the Future of Businesses

How AR and VR are Transforming the Future of Businesses

How AR and VR are Transforming the Future of Businesses Office Employer Man Using VR Headset

A few years ago, you might have considered VR and AR as expensive technologies inaccessible to many businesses. In 2023 and 2024, experts expect the VR and AR market to expand rapidly. It will become more accessible to most businesses and even individual households. Gone are the glitchy, low-resolution graphics and heavy headsets of early VR models. VR and AR developers have created high-quality, streamlined reality technologies that blur the lines between digital images and the real world. Advancements in technology have also made VR and AR equipment more affordable.

Why is this relevant to your company? Brands don’t just use VR and AR for entertainment and games. VR and AR are also powerful business tools, offering unique brand experiences to customers. Keep reading to learn about AR and VR transforming businesses with in-depth, immersive interactions in 2023.

How AR and VR Are Transforming the Future of Businesses

It may be the first time you’ve heard of AR VR technologies in business. You may wonder about the hype and how it can benefit your brand. VR and AR can significantly help the future of businesses by driving innovation, increasing efficiency, and enhancing customer connections. The virtual world offers excellent opportunities for enhanced product interaction and customer communication. It boosts your brand’s marketing versatility and builds stronger customer relationships.

AR and VR Transforming Businesses: Using Video To Drive Higher Conversion Rates

A survey by Viostream found that videos on landing pages increase conversion rates by 80%. Another Zappar 2018 report found that AR increases conversions by 70%. That’s a lot of conversions! Won’t you want that?

So, attract potential customers with attention-grabbing moving graphics in VR and AR. Use VR and AR videos to make unique brand content that speaks personally to customers. For instance, you could present customers with a first-person VR perspective of your product’s benefits. It could be a car test drive, dining at a restaurant, or a spa experience. You can make a creative and memorable first impression on customers with a VR brand introduction video.

Audiences are more likely to convert after seeing, hearing, and interacting with your products and services. Research also proves that visual and auditory immersion increases human empathy levels by showing them an individual perspective. Subjective and unique interactive experiences appeal to people emotionally, compelling them to take action.

 

Improving Customer Service And Experience

AR and VR Transforming Businesses augmented reality book

Virtual reality offers your customers the virtual experience of products. Customers can interact with virtual versions of products and services in real time and try them for free. With VR, product designers won’t have to make physical product samples. Thus, it reduces the production costs.

VR is most beneficial for products and services offered in retail and design. Customers can view retail products overlaid on physical environments with augmented reality (AR). They can try new product launches in an AR environment without needing to buy it. Or, they can experiment with different design variations without changing their environment physically. Your customers will appreciate AR technology as they can try the actual-scale product or service for free.

Product designers can also gather live customer feedback from VR tests and modify the products accordingly. For instance, during a VR product demo, product designers can monitor real-time user reactions and identify any new issues. They can resolve these problems when designing an improved version of the product. They’ll also be able to respond faster to your customer’s needs with data gathered from a virtual environment. VR makes your product design and development process more efficient. VR also increases meaningful interaction between customers and your business and makes customers feel more positive about your brand.

Furthermore, you can use VR technology to personalize customer service channels. Traditionally, customers could call the service hotline for help. How about making a VR environment for customers to chat with an avatar of your customer service officer? Even though it’s virtual, the sight and sound of a person humanizes your brand and personalizes customer service. Your customers will appreciate the added sincerity in your communication.

 

Marketing Across Different Social Media Platforms

AR and VR Transforming Businesses Woman using vr headser experiencing metaverse world

You might already use Instagram and Facebook for your current marketing strategy. But with VR and AR, you can expand your brand’s content reach to appeal to younger potential customers. A 2022 study by Harris Poll found that 38% of Gen Z Americans had not used AR before but were interested in trying it. AR and VR are transforming the future of businesses by widening their content reach scope.

Younger audiences are more willing to experiment with VR and AR content on social media platforms. Younger audiences also enjoy visual video content, so use VR and AR to appeal to their preferences. Create VR and AR brand content with high-quality graphics and sound to immerse them in the experience.

For instance, people widely use TikTok AR filters as trendy visual effects. Experiment with custom-made product filters representing your brand and avail them on TikTok for customers to use. Or, create VR content in the Metaverse and introduce your brand to the Metaverse virtual community. With VR and AR, you can reach a bigger audience of potential customers across different platforms.

 

AR and VR Transforming Businesses: Becoming A Convenient Substitute For Physical Interaction

AR and VR Transforming Businesses Man office employee sitting on round chair using vr headset

The popularity of the Metaverse shows that consumers are excited by advancements in online digital interaction. AR and VR are transforming the future of businesses by enabling in-depth remote communication between customers and brands.

VR technology has good potential to substitute in-person meetings. You can host online work discussions with colleagues’ avatars in a virtual meeting room. Or, you could use VR simulations to train staff in remote locations, saving them the trouble of traveling. VR environments can improve communication between colleagues if many of your team members work from home.

A virtual environment is also an excellent alternative for customer Facebook groups. You could host a virtual public lobby for customers to discuss your products with fellow customers. It’s an ideal platform for customers from different locations to gather and interact with your brand.

 

AR and VR Transforming Businesses By Elevating Virtual And Offline Events

The pandemic familiarized many of us with the routine and convenience of online meetings. Indeed, virtual company events save space and physical resources, and you can invite more people.

But hosting events over video call can sometimes feel passive and dull. VR and AR technologies can greatly enhance your online events; your audiences won’t need to watch through a screen. They can enter a 3D interactive virtual event environment with a VR headset. It’s an exclusive, personal and hence memorable way to experience a subject. Usage of VR and AR isn’t only restricted to online events. You can also use AR during offline events to impress your audience. Set up live AR presentations during an offline event for commemorative footage, like a digital cake-cutting or tree-planting ceremony.

 

AR and VR Improving Business’s Training And Education

work meeting at metaverse due training and education activity

VR and AR can benefit employees too. Research has shown that VR and AR can improve information retention by 25% as compared to traditional learning methods. It is a unique and efficient way of learning, revolutionizing businesses’ staff training programs. You can even use VR and AR for customer product training events.

VR and AR headsets help students immerse themselves in training environments that simulate real-world situations. They can interact with the product or virtual environment instead of reading about it from hardcopy learning materials. VR exposes employees to a safe and realistic learning environment and better prepares them for the actual event.

Virtual training worlds are most useful for high-risk tasks that require extensive hands-on work. Some examples are emergency response services, medical emergencies, and repair operations.

Using digital learning materials and virtual worlds also reduces the cost of physical learning materials. Learning becomes more accessible to all employees with online or digital information, and you can conduct training remotely. Use VR and AR to transform mobile learning for your employees and save on your business’s training costs.

The future of VR and AR for business is very promising. You’ve learned how AR and VR are transforming the future of businesses and taking brand experiences to greater heights. You can deepen connections with your customers, improve staff training programs, and revitalize brand content. You’ll gain an edge over competitors by adopting VR and AR technology early, so don’t hesitate!

 

Enhance Your Brand Experience With AR/VR

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

Dynamic and robust technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) amaze, amuse and educate us. We find them novel and readily connect with them. 

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

For a long time, these technologies have been known to be used only in video games. Today, these didn’t just come onto the forefront but are becoming indispensable in building strong customer relationships and marketing structures. 

Do you want to use AR/VR for branding

Want to know how?

Read on!

Why is Customer Experience (CX) so important?

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

A pool of stellar customers is essential for your company’s survival. You can have the world’s best products or services, but if your customer service sucks, so will your ROI. 

Let’s face it:

After buying from you, a customer wishes to return the product. They dial your customer service, but they must wait for long before speaking to an executive. 

Nowadays, most would turn away if you tell people to write you an email or call multiple times. They just don’t have the time! 

Customer service doesn’t necessarily begin post-sales, by the way. It’s about creating a unique and remember-worthy customer experience, from invoking interest and continuing it post-sales. 

For instance, potential customers visit your website and get a general idea about what they want to buy. They still need some clarification, but sadly, there’s no one to reach out to immediately. 

They want to buy it right now, and other sellers will be happy to provide it if not you.

If you want long-term customer satisfaction and brand loyalty, you must make them feel wanted, seen, heard, and cared for. Buyers don’t have any issue in paying a higher price for such an experience! 

Here are the central pillars for building an enviable customer experience:

  1. Speed
  2. Friendliness
  3. Convenience
  4. Human connection

Since the Covid pandemic, companies have struggled to figure out the sudden short-term change in consumer behavior. 

Technologies like immersive experiences can help considerably to enhance your company’s CX. 

These new technologies are Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.

AR and VR: What are they?

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

AR and VR are powerful technologies that can take your CX to a new level, regardless of whether you’re offering a product or service.

However, which one’s the best for your customers? 

Your first step is to know about these technologies. After that, you can start thinking about integrating them into your CX building strategies.

Virtual Reality

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality takes a user to a realistic world – it resembles the real world, produced with elements for its look and feel. 

For instance, using Google Earth 360 Degree image bubbles, users are transported to the middle of actually photographed areas

On the other hand, Chat platforms like Second Life and IMVU have developed virtual worlds where users can create virtual avatars and interact with others and the virtual world

VR transports a user to a completely different realm with a uniquely immersive quality. It is the same quality that marketing teams worldwide are now revving up to utilize for promoting brands – its products, services, and CX efforts. 

To experience VR, you must use special equipment like HTC Vive, PSVR and Oculus Quest. With these, you can see, hear and even feel the virtual universe! 

No one can deny how memorable and compelling VR is. This superpower attracts attention and appeals, something that makes using VR a good idea for boosting CX.

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality

While VR transports you to a computer-generated world, AR combines real and virtual worlds, blurring the lines by overlaying the physical world with virtual digital content.

Pokemon Go and Snapchat image filters are great examples of AR. 

While it’s true that to experience a top-tier AR experience, you’ll need special equipment like Microsoft Hololens; you can access most AR experiences with smartphones and tablets. However, this technology isn’t available to the mass because of a major roadblock – ease of accessibility. Another problem is that AR doesn’t provide VR’s immersive environment. 

That said, you can easily view and share AR content with friends, significantly augmenting their mobility potential. This is something that VR cannot offer.

Why are companies investing in AR/VR for their CX?

Man Thinking

Smart device users are only increasing each year. Naturally, consumers today rely more on digital technologies to make and complete buying decisions and get post-purchase support. It is where immersive technologies can offer a fantastic, novel tool to support your CX strategy. 

Let’s go through some of the crucial reasons why different companies are now using AR and VR technologies:

Providing deep connections with brands through immersive experiences

With AR and VR, you can immerse your customers in beautiful virtual worlds, impress them with AR content on handheld devices, and make their lives easier with post-purchase support. 

These technologies can only be used throughout the entire customer’s journey but also for all types of customers. 

AR and VR are here to stay. Use them to augment your CX and enhance brand image and loyalty.

Supporting customers to make informed decisions

Realistic, immersive, and interactive content is an ideal tool to help customers make informed buying decisions. 

Retailers – from car sellers to cosmetic sellers, are providing “Try-Before-You-Buy” facilities. These are useful for AR customers to get an accurate visual frame of reference, based on which they can make their purchase decisions.

Providing practical post-purchase customer service

Immersive technologies can give you a lot more than marketing gimmicks and they can provide support through each stage of a customer’s journey. 

Take Nespresso’s Augmented Reality descaling instructions, for instance

Customers can unlock a video guide after scanning the package with their mobile phone. While not visually stunning or very sophisticated, it improves CX by solving their core problem-confusion about using the product.

How AR/VR is Transforming Experiences Across Different Sectors

Virtual car showrooms

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

For car retailers, immersive technologies are heaven-sent! 

A car purchase is one of the more significant financial decisions customers make, which makes it all the more crucial for retailers to guide their target audience toward making a possible purchase properly. 

It is where immersive tech is so valuable. Whether in physical or virtual environments, they can aid customers in visualizing their experience in a virtual model of their dream vehicle.  

Here’s how well-known brands have introduced this technology to improve CX and boost sales:

Down the line, more car manufacturers will start using AR-based tech to improve CX, sales and customer loyalty.

Experiential marketing

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

When customers develop an emotional bond with your company, they’ll invest more time learning about it and create a more robust loyalty to the brand. 

But how can you create such an emotional bond with a customer?

With experiential marketing!

Experiential marketing uses a combination of imagery, storytelling and cutting-edge immersive tech to create unique real-time content, which makes the coveted emotional bond with customers.

Nike and TOMS have used these technologies to reach millions of people, tell stories, and help children in need.

Nike and Footlocker- LeBron James AR campaign 

TOMS VR campaign for giving shoe donations to Colombian children

Architecture

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

In architecture development, immersive technologies can play a significant role. 

You can use VR with 2D and 3D animation to bring a plan to life, letting clients immerse themselves in their future home’s virtual version. They can see, hear, feel and even walk around their furnished apartment, all before a single brick has been laid. 

This is precisely what the BBCs series highlights.

As a result, architecture development companies improve CX significantly, and it also helps all parties to detect and address issues in the initial stages.

Fashion and cosmetic retail

Fashion and cosmetic retail

In fashion and cosmetic retail, AR and VR can make purchasing decisions streamlined with virtual changing rooms. With a “Try Before You Buy” feature, customers can try products out before arriving at a final decision. You can do all these from a brand’s dedicated AR app, such as Asos’s mobile app. Customers can streamline final choices based on their body shape and taste, dramatically decreasing the chances of negative CX. 

Cosmetic brands aren’t far behind. 

Brands like L’Oreal and Chanel are using AR CX, giving customers to try out products on their virtual faces. The benefits of these include more than helping build a positive CX. This lets customers share these images with family and friends through social media, which ultimately aids in spreading the word.

Using AR is ideal, not just for making online purchases. 

The pandemic has taught us that in-store visits and physical changing rooms may become redundant. In its place, AR can help brands remain competitive while keeping customers engaged with novel technologies.

Tourism and hospitality

Tourism and hospitality Augmented Reality

The pandemic forced people to limit travel, increasing their desire to experience the world. For now, though, that can be risky. 

The tourism and hospitality industries were devastated by Covid-19, but they are coming back. Some companies and organizations have introduced 360-degree virtual tours of resorts and tourist destinations to convert viewers into tour package buyers.

4 Major Challenges which prevent AR/VR Growth

You have seen what AR and VR are, their benefits and how companies worldwide use them. 

But why is their implementation so slow? 

Why aren’t more companies using them? 

What are the challenges that stare companies in the face?

Glad you’ve asked! 

Here are the challenges faced by companies which desire to utilize these technologies.

Limited User Features

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

Most devices are incapable of giving customers the whole AR/VR experience. To get the complete experience, one must buy expensive, sophisticated devices.

Contemporary devices face several issues, ranging from battery consumption to display. However, you should remember that these devices are not meant to provide the complete AR/VR experience but to serve as an entry point for these technologies into the mainstream market.

Limited Use Cases

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

Fascinating as these technologies are, they continue to serve niche sectors. AR/VR tech doesn’t interest most people, except for gamers and techies. 

If the world’s top companies hadn’t backed Google Glass, it would have died an early death. With a price tag of $1000, Google Glass wasn’t appealing to people. 

Even today, only hardcore gamers and techies buy such gadgets. However, companies continue to funnel millions to AR/VR R&D.

While this is a low-level challenge, the issues inherent in AR tech pose a significant challenge. For instance, Google Glass did not provide an authentic AR experience and it just projected digital data onto the wearer’s field of vision without adding real-world benefits.

Aesthetics and Comfort

Augmented Reality Virtual Reality

Contemporary AR/VR wearables are bulky, which is not something customers like. It makes prolonged usage quite uncomfortable. 

According to reviews carried out by AR/VR device manufacturing brands, comfort translates to temperature, shape, texture, weight and tightness. 

Additionally, users don’t want these devices to hinder natural movement.

Digital Fatigue

Man is tired

People prefer taking a break from interacting with devices to interact more with the natural world. While there’s a little problem with using TV and cell phones, being in a virtual world can be exhausting for most.

The bottom line

Addressing and improving CX is not an option; your business must survive and thrive in this competitive corporate environment. 

The pandemic has affected lives and enterprises worldwide, but it has also reinforced how vital customer relationships are for a company. For the times we live in, using AR and VR technology is the answer.

So how about you?

Will you use AR/VR for branding in your marketing strategy? Try them and write to us to inform us how they benefit your brand. 

Utilises Future in XR productions for advertising

Utilises Future in XR productions for advertising

Extended Reality or XR is the term that refers to both Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technologies. Extended Reality is not something completely new. However, you’ll be surprised to know for how long it has existed. The first Extended Reality or XR device was a head-mounted display created as early as 1960 for training simulators in the military. 

More recently, we have seen the rise of affordable and readily available XR devices used in the gaming and entertainment industries. Interestingly, consumers are spending more than twice in 2018 than what they gave in 2017. Extended Reality, which virtually takes you places, is certainly a significant market player, is now a valuable training and education tool. Various industries are now seeing its actual value and potential. 

For what can Extended Reality be used?

Now that is an exciting question. Over the years, XR technology has improved a lot, thanks to sophisticated technology, premium-grade imaging modules, and its inherent perception of spatial movements and hand tracking. This makes XR environments very similar to the actual physical environment. So the current time is fascinating as far as these developments go. 

VR in education

Students are using Oculus Rift at schools to glimpse the future and see other new technologies. VR headsets are readily available at a heap price. In the education industry, it utilises 50% of Extended Reality’s use. Unique interactive experiences like Google Expeditions allow students to see virtual words while still at their seats. Other apps like Unimersiv enable students to experience the sights and sounds of a foreign culture. Technologies like these certainly aid a lot in boosting learning and development. For one, almost all teachers in the UK believe that their schools should use XR to teach children.

VR in healthcare

In healthcare, VR is used in various applications and specialisations, from doctors to surgeons. For example, the demand for VR in healthcare is that medical professors from Stanford University have said they wish to teach VR students. Similarly, one of Cambridge University’s research teams wishes to create 3D models of tumours to study and explore in far greater detail. 

Research in Virtual Reality has found that it allows healthcare specialists to change instantly as the situation demands. Thus, they can decide on the spot. For instance, such research has showcased that practising and rehearsing surgery in Virtual Reality aids in speeding up surgery and other operations. It also shows that VR aids emergency responders and health and safety trainees respond to emergencies faster and safely. 

Use of XR Technology in other industries

Besides education and healthcare, XR technology is used in other fields like architecture, design, and engineering. For example, with the benefits of VR, architects can make scale models of their projects. These they explore, test and manipulate before creating a building in the real world. In automobile engineering, engineers are not creating new vehicles and engines in the virtual world first—this aids in bringing down costs by a considerable margin.

Virtual Reality helps fashion retailers to enable customers to customise the costumes they like. It also helps retailers in creating virtual shops where people can browse goods online. Furniture and eyewear retailers are using it in this way, as we can now see widely. 

As we can see, Extended Reality is here to stay. It helps people to learn, experience and improve the real world around them safely. Moreover, it aids in finding logical solutions to new challenges. 

How has the pandemic increased interest in XR?

Since the pandemic, hybrid experiences which blend digital elements with interpersonal communication have seen a considerable increase. According to research, the AR market will grow from $15.3 billion in 2020 to more than $77 billion in 2025 alone. And this will continue to grow. In its own right, the VR market will grow from $ 6.1 billion in 2020 to more than $20.9 billion in 2025.

This growth is here because industries like education, healthcare, retail, eCommerce, video game, and entertainment invest in XR to reach more customers during the pandemic. This has led XR to come into the mainstream, which aids companies in finding out new customers and creating more demand for their offerings. Their products are made interactive, immersive, high quality and innovative. 

Future in XR productions for advertising

XR technologies will play a big part in the future of marketing, advertising and storytelling. Technology continues to become cheaper and advanced. XR now helps directors and creatives to embrace the new technology with ease while getting customers curious and excited about it at the same time.

The pandemic is far from being over. But brands are not letting that stop them. Instead, they are using the challenges and opportunities to change how they use new technologies entirely. Consumers now want to experience services and products from the safety of their homes due to the pandemic. Due to this new demand, companies using XR had more success than companies that did not use it. 

For instance, take the eCommerce and retail industries. With AR, Virtual Reality and 3D technologies, they allow customers to experience their products. See Lenskart’s website, for instance. After picking a product you like, you can upload a picture of your face. The website then creates a digital 3D model of your head. You then try out all products and check if they fit on you. 

The Future Of XR In A Post-Pandemic World

XR is set to grow in the future as new products and services rise. It will also increase as more and more companies start XR technologies to gain more customers and sales. The pandemic is considerably responsible for showing people how entertaining XR experiences can be.

Contact MIU for effective advertising that brings results.