Lots of people talk about 360 degree videos and how great they are, but they use it as little more than a buzzword—like “social media” or “gluten free”—without providing information you can actually use. We’re here to fix that! Here’s ten practical ways you can incorporate 360 videos into your marketing mix:

1. Universities – share the experience! Prospective students want to know more about your school than your degree programs, national rankings or tuition assistance. If your campus is worth showing, then show it!
2. Take your customers on a virtual plant tour! So many companies brag about how their products are made by hard-working employees—but they don’t showcase these hard workers. Introduce these hard workers to the world by showing them build the products that make your company great.
3. Relieve some of apprehension of visiting your medical facilities! Take some of the mystery out of a patient’s visit by showing these patients what a visit will look like. Show them around and introduce friendly nurses, caring staff, and maybe even a few of your docs … but keep it Hipaa Compliant!
4. Got something to excite manufacturing engineers? They love to take a deep dive into your new products when designing theirs. Show them the product, how it fits into a production environment, and augment their knowledge beyond specs and diagrams.
5. Are your products loved by fanatical DIYers? Hobbyists of all stripes love meeting others enthusiastic about their craft. And they love hanging out in their home work areas. Let viewers check out the workshop while your happy customer is using—and praising—your product.
6. Looking to raise funds for a charitable cause? Pull the heartstrings of potential donors by letting them experience the need. Let them take a virtual tour and the much needed funding should start flowing in.
7. Bring your case studies to life! Did you install something amazing in a plant or building that could help other companies? Give your case histories a “real-life” feel by letting your viewers take an unguided tour. Nothing proves a point than actually seeing it in action.
8. Motivate your sales teams. Want to add pizazz to your award programs? Instead of relying on travel brochures to promote award destinations, entice your sales force (and their significant others) with 360 videos that help their imaginations (and sales) to soar.
9. Don’t just preach safety, show it! Let your employees take a tour and find the safety violations. Include a survey and ask them to point out the problems and how to fix them.
10. Showcase your corporate campus! Corporations spend lots of money to make their headquarters look impressive. And why not? A swanky office space gives the impression of a successful company – one that customers and employees would be attracted to. Not everyone can take a trip just to see your digs, so bring your digs to them.

Want an idea for your marketing program? Give me a call at 314-727-5850.

With the widespread popularity of 360-degree and Virtual Reality (VR) videos, we’re getting a lot of questions about whether it makes sense to incorporate these immersion technologies in marketing programs.

Every company and situation is unique, but we thought you might be interested in the insights of one of our great production partners, Tom Petrie, who is director of photography for Bad Dog Pictures.

Tom explains that both 360 and VR allow viewers to interact with the content, instead of just sitting back and watching. The big difference is in how much interaction a user has, and where the videos can be viewed. Both have the ability to capture the entire scene in a 3600 view. However, the real advantage 360 video offers the marketing community is that viewers can watch them on Youtube, Facebook and company sites.

VR takes 360 to the next level, Tom explains. It is meant to be multi-sensory, so a headset, special glasses or other optical devices must be used when viewing the video to get its full effect. VR can incorporate a variety of ways the viewer can interact with the surroundings and currently is used more in gaming applications than marketing efforts.

“With 360 and VR videos, you invite someone to become more involved. The viewer is in control of what scene appears on the screen, decides what is of most interest and determines how long to view it. If you are using 360 and VR properly, by allowing him/her to make choices, you are getting a more engaged, more educated prospect or customer,” Tom says.

From the production standpoint, both involve filming a view in every direction at the same time, using one camera or a collection of cameras, and stitching the scenes together. “Since the technology has become more widely available in the last few years, production costs have come down and companies are finding 360 applications more attractive. For example, you no longer need to buy expensive viewers. Cardboard devices are now available and can be branded.”

Tom agrees with a recent New York Times article that marketers are going down a somewhat tricky path in producing these attention-getting videos.

“360 and VR can deliver increased customer engagement, but there has to be a good strategy in their use. The videos should add something beyond what a traditional video can provide. They should be more engaging. And they still must be strongly connected to your brand so that the viewer doesn’t get completely lost in the experience and forgets about your message.”

Here are a few examples of how 360 videos are used to deliver strong messages in engaging, successful campaigns:

A company tour: Shinola factory with Luke Wilson

A company charitable effort: A Walk in Their Shoes – TOMS

Showcasing a new sophisticated product: Tier 4 Locomotive Experience – GE

If you are interested in hearing more about 360 videos and how you might be able to use them, please give me a call. I’d love to discuss it with you.

And check out: 10 Reasonable Ideas On How To Use 360 Videos In Your Marketing Mix