Presence: The Difference Maker in VR
If a picture is worth a thousand words, presence is worth a thousand pictures.
One of the most exciting technologies available to companies today to expand their reach is virtual reality. As a marketing tool, the value of VR is clear; the client moves from being an objective observer to being immersed in a scene. Traditional media such as photos draw the viewer into a scene and encourages that person to imagine what lies beyond the frame.
“Presence transforms a marketing and media from something a client views to something they experience.”
Using VR, no imagination is required. The client doesn’t need to imagine themselves in a scene; in their mind, they are there. This makes VR an especially useful tool for companies and individuals working in the development and real estate industry. VR allows you to transport a client to any property and have them move about that space as though they were actually there, even when that may not be possible in the real world.
The unique nature of a VR experience allows you to impact a client in a more human way than traditional media. The sensation derived from being in VR is behind this; no other medium can provide a sense of presence to a viewer. In fact, to call someone in VR a viewer would be a misnomer. Experiencer would more accurately describe how it feels to be in VR. Presence transforms a marketing and media from something a client views to something they experience.
What is presence?
Presence is defined as a person’s sensation of being in a scene in VR. That person’s brain is tricked into really believing that they have entered into a different world. Various tools are employed to achieve and optimize the feel of each VR experience. Put simply, the greater the sense of presence, the more lifelike an experience feels.
When you look at the photo above, taken from the 7th floor balcony of the Library of Birmingham, you can take in the view objectively. When looking at a photo like this, your brain realizes that you are not physically looking over the edge of a high balcony. As such, you take in the view without the deep-seated sense of being there. There is no fear of falling, no dizziness associated with height, and ultimately no emotional feeling of presence.
If this scene was recreated in VR, however, the brain would be tricked into thinking that you were placed on a high balcony. It then reacts instinctively because it believes that you’re in real danger of falling. The reactions of people placed in such simulations are similar to what you might expect if they were on a high ledge in real life, namely, a sense of vertigo, trouble balancing, and so on. Several demos include a scene where the user is placed on the edge of a skyscraper overlooking the streets below, largely because it is such an effective demonstration of the psychological impact of VR. Instead of feeling removed from the marketing content, the client becomes immersed in the experience they are placed in — and their brain reacts accordingly. This is what makes presence the biggest differentiator between VR and traditional media.
Why does presence matter?
The beauty of VR is that it leaves nothing to the imagination; when a client sees traditional print media, for instance, they are then forced to extrapolate beyond what is shown in that media. With VR, it is possible to show a scene in its entirety and allow a user to interact with it. A client no longer needs to imagine any aspect of a scene. Everything is laid in front of them so that instead of wondering what they aren’t seeing, they are focused on the experience of being there. They can feel exactly how they would as if they were there in real life.
“No traditional media can deliver on the feeling of being in a space the way a high-quality VR experience can.”
One of the cornerstones of marketing is inciting desire in a potential client for a given product or service. An ideal marketing campaign makes a client wonder how their life will improve if they make the purchase. Using VR allows the removal the aspect of imagination to show every highlight of a space in the most realistic, convincing light possible.
Moreover, the subjective experience of being in a space allows a client to develop a more human connection with that space than seeing other types of marketing materials. The subjective encounter allows a client to focus only on experiencing the space. Instead of trying to imagine themselves somewhere, they can be there in the most compelling way short of being there in real life. Using VR, going somewhere in real life is no longer necessary to get the experience of being in that place.
In essence, the sense of presence in a VR experience elevates the marketing and sales experience and brings a potential client into the space they are interested in purchasing. No traditional media can deliver on the feeling of being in a space the way a high-quality VR experience can. Consumers are no longer sitting on the sidelines; in our lifetime, media will transition to experiences that draw people in and bring them somewhere new.
