Leveraging Virtual & Augmented Reality for Brand Awareness: Ninad Chhaya

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are not new concepts; it’s just that when they were first introduced into the world, the technology to support them or help them go mainstream was very expensive. As faster, smarter, cheaper and immersive technologies become readily available; users start to adapt their consumption habits to accommodate these new technologies. 

Compared to a website or a regular mobile app, which most brands use as current means to engage with their users, VR & AR have the potential to give a greater emotional resonance to objects and topics. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, if planned and executed well, can be powerful platforms for brands to build and enhance their customer experiences. 

However, it must also be noted that there is no “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to defining a VR & AR strategy, and what may work for one brand may not necessarily work for the other. Also, to design and develop engaging, immersive VR & AR experiences requires investment from a time and cost perspective, both in terms of creating the content and then making it available for users to experience. A half-hearted attempt or doing it just for the sake of it can actually backfire and be detrimental to the brand. 

GoPhygital, a venture focused on providing immersive, experiential solutions to its client-partners using Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality as the core offerings, helps brands leverage the power ofVR & AR to enhance their user experiences with interactive and engaging content through games, animations, videos, etc. 

Research done by Goldman Sachs Global Investment showcases the predicted market size of VR & AR software across multiple industries. 

There is a growing market for immersive tech, and with the promise of VR & AR applications, brands in India should leverage these tools as it will not only help them save time and money, but also bring about a transformation in approaching ideas/ experiences that could possibly disrupt the current business landscape. 

(Ninad Chhaya, COO of WITS Interactive, and is also the Co-Founder and COO of GoPhygital, a VR, AR, MR focused venture incubated by WITS Interactive. He is an entrepreneur and an avid gamer at heart, with 20 years of experience in gaming and the interactive media space.)