The Next Chapter Of Branding – Immersive Engagement

So, if Branding 2.0 was engaging in a conversation with our audiences – how do we now deliver creative messages to these audiences. In today’s world, Web-Savvy consumers sniff out advertising fast.

Enter Immersive Engagement

Just over a month ago, Lexus launched a new online campaign for their newest model – the Lexus CT 200h Hybrid. If you haven’t seen it (it’s definitely worth it) the site contains technology that integrates the user experience. Webcams will take a picture of your face. Microphone integration will record your voice. And, Facebook integrations will pull information about you. All of this is to build a personalized, and immersive experience into a compelling and exciting storyline featuring the new car.

The whole idea is to start to attract a younger, hipper and more stylish audience to a new hybrid automobile – provided by Lexus; a brand noted for it’s older demographic.

Will it work? The answer is yet to be determined – but it’s definitely the sign of things to come. The next chapter of branding may be pulling consumers into the storyline – and immersing them in the brand promise.

Now, of course, not every brand can afford to hire actors and to create interactive entertainment at that kind of scale. Large, consumer brands are the ones exploring this new technology. But this immersive content is coming to brands of all sizes – and beginning to look at it now is key.

One thing is certain, the biggest obstacle in rolling out an immersive campaign is not the cost of production – but a commitment to content, interactivity and a singular brand promise that the organization can immerse their audience in.

It’s time to rethink our static Web presence as a digital brochure and start to think of it as a place where we can immerse our consumers in our brand promise. Now, regardless of whether that’s just interactive video, audio – or just quite simply great textual and photographic content - the key is that it provides our consumers with an amazing experience.

At Boyd – that’s where we focus our branding efforts. We help brands to bridge this experience. How can we create an experience for your audience that fulfills and immerses them in your brand’s promise? Maya Angelou once said “people won’t remember what you say. They won’t remember what you do. They will remember how you make them feel.”

If your brand can make people feel you want them to feel – then you’ll be successful.