On Your Mark, Headset, Go!
VR. Those two letters seem to be on every marketer’s lips lately. Images of people comically waving their arms in the air, or crowds sitting obediently, their faces eaten up by Oculus devices, make us wonder: what will content become in the VR age?
It’s tough to say, but this week’s VR news provides some interesting examples:
1. VR enters the creative arts. The Tribeca Film Festival presented its Immersive Virtual Arcade, featuring 30 VR and interactive projects. As Lauren Hammons, curator of interactive content for TFF, puts it: “While some creators are using classic storytelling conventions, it’s the added element of interactivity that sets VR apart and allows for a level of immersion that simply can’t exist in traditional films”. In other words, there’s no longer a barrier between audience and experience.
2. VR gets a cult following. Adult Swim’s hit comedy, Rick and Morty, released its VR game last week. The format lets fans become characters, and the story unfolds everywhere. The take away for Content Marketers: mastering VR means building a robust universe that is compelling, rich, and relatable. And if you’re lucky enough to have a devoted brand following like Rick and Morty, make the most of it.
3. VR goes social. Last week, Facebook introduced its Facebook Spaces. The new VR platform allows users to connect in a virtual world, with avatars and 360° videos that may replace the traditional news feed. And we’re seconding AdWeek’s take: it’s a little Black Mirror-y.
VR is an immensely powerful tool, opening up a world of unlimited universes and before-impossible experiences. For brands, VR presents the opportunity to display unparalleled creativity and storytelling, while connecting with consumer’s in a “real” way.
Will London Fall?
The New York Times launched a series of articles exploring how Brexit could tip the fate of England’s capital city, poised as a multicultural metropolis “that globalization created.” The inaugural piece had us at first click, a click that was prompted by the poignant title: “Will London Fall?”
British media outlets were offended, #WillLondonFall was trending on Twitter… but regardless personal views on the future of post-Brexit UK, the article remains strong from a content standpoint.
The message, albeit patently left-leaning, is delivered in a cinematic manner. The text is revealed upon scrolling, mostly in short blurbs, and is accompanied by a mélange of black-and-white visuals by renowned Moscow-based photographer, Sergey Ponomarev. Slow-motion gif graphics creep across the screen and simple stills offer glimpses into London life. The effect is ominous, haunting almost.
With humans’ average attention span dwindling – we’re worse than the common goldfish, guys – news outlets are clearly adapting their form to become more engaging, and we’re not complaining.
English Extract
"Bring" vs. "take," "in" vs. "into"... Preview Magazine covers the 28 most interchanged English words.