Technological innovation has become the norm in the marketing world. No matter where you look, it seems the future really is now. And perhaps nothing quite encapsulates that reality as clearly as virtual reality.

With its immersive 3D video experiences, VR marketing has recently seen a notable uptick in popularity. Over the next decade, you can safely expect it to go from ‘hot trend’ to ‘established practice.’

The rise of VR should come as no surprise in this digital age

... especially as it pertains to marketing. When viewed side by side with traditional methods, VR brings several unprecedented assets to the table:

● Directness — it offers a very personal, one-on-one way to engage with individual users

● Uniqueness — it allows for a wide creative range with which to distinguish from other brands in a memorable way

● Excitement — perhaps this will fade with time and exposure, but at the present moment, it is an inherently compelling medium

● Relevance — it’s a great way to effectively target your messaging towards an appropriate audience (this is something that Facebook is currently exploring with their Oculus headsets)

● Depth — it demonstrates your product/service in action from all angles, more genuinely than possible through conventional channels

● Tech-savviness — simply put, embracing VR shows you’re with the times, at the cutting edge of your industry

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. VR is, very literally, bringing a whole new dimension to customer interactions — a dimension that, at the moment, is relatively untapped.

That being said, virtual reality marketing carries its own concerns

Most prominently, there is a concern over invasiveness. For a user who’s fully engaged in as immersive an experience as virtual reality, ads may present an unwelcome disturbance. We’ve all experienced this headache while trying to scroll an article or watch a video; with VR, the frustration is only amplified. Meaning that as brands explore this avenue, they’ll have to carefully wade the waters to reach their desired effects. Otherwise, they risk coming across as overbearing and intrusive instead of appropriate complementary.

Then, as with all marketing channels nowadays, there are data privacy concerns to address. As VR marketing continues to become more commonplace, questions about data access are quickly emerging. For instance, will a brand that’s looking to advertise via VR have access to behavioral data collected by those headsets? (Unsurprisingly, this is a topic that Facebook goes at length to address with Oculus). Given that VR is entering a fairly untapped digital environment, the accepted interplay with user data is still up in the air.

And finally, we have to mention price. As with every sleek new toy, it’s more expensive now at the relative onset of its popularity. But that shouldn’t be a deal-breaker if you can find more affordable channels that still deliver high ROI. And that’s exactly what we have for you.

Virtual Reality Mail: Effective, Reliable, and Affordable

For years now, we here at Red Paper Plane have been working to capture the pros of VR marketing (without inciting those cons). And through direct mail, we’ve found a particularly user-friendly, intuitive, eye-catching way to do so.

We know — direct mail plus virtual reality sounds so counterintuitive. But, on the contrary, we’ve found it to be a phenomenal balance, simultaneously sophisticated and endearing.

So check out our Custom VR Viewers. They’re built with a sturdy cardboard design that mails flat and lightweight, then pops into shape and plays nice with your smartphone screen.

There’s no overly extravagant gadgetry; it’s a straightforward, homey little tool. And yet, it still is virtual reality in all its multipurpose glory. We’ve had partners use it for everything from setting up campus tours to showcasing hotel interiors to examining product models.

And the branding capabilities extend beyond the virtual graphics. Don’t forget about the physical mailer itself, which we can custom design with the artwork and shape that best suit your needs.

Finally, though, to bring it all together: Our VR mailers are a completely non-intrusive form of marketing. Your audience can watch it at their leisurely convenience, without any pushing or prodding from your end. So your brand won’t be intruding on their experience; instead, your brand will be the experience. And what more could you really want?