Abstract
Mobile Virtual Reality provides a gateway for marketers to innovatively reach consumers. This study examines the impact of Virtual Reality in the context of transformational brand experience appeals, focussing specifically on the determining role of vividness. A three-dimensional conceptual framework is presented, offering a systematic review of the literature on vividness effects in marketing communications, revealing the major gap that most available studies only focus on informational messages. We conducted an experiment to address this gap and demonstrate in the context of a transformational ad that Virtual Reality generates higher perceptions of vividness and presence than a regular two-dimensional video, with vividness positively affecting attitude toward the ad, both directly and indirectly via presence. Our study also reveals that vividness in turn elicits a positive effect on brand attitudes which stimulates consumers’ purchase intentions. As such, the strategic potential of Virtual Reality for marketing communications is highlighted.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.References
Adams RL (2016) Five Ways Virtual Reality Will Change The World. http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertadams/2016/10/17/5-ways-virtual-reality-will-change-the-world/#54144185161d
Alvares E (2016) Inside Adidas’ new tech-infused store in New York City. Endgadget. https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/10/adidas-new-flagship-store-new-york-city/#/
Bainbridge WS (2007) The scientific research potential of virtual worlds. Science 317:472–476
Barfield W (2005) Commercial Speech Intellectual Property Rights, and Advertising Using Virtual Images Inserted in TV, Film, and the Real World. UCLA Entertain Law Rev 13:153
Baus O, Bouchard S (2016) Exposure to an unpleasant odour increases the sense of Presence in virtual reality. Virtual Real. doi:10.1007/s10055-016-0299-3
Biocca F (1992) Communication within virtual reality: creating a space for research. J Commun 42:5–22
Borsci S, Lawson G, Jha B, Burges M, Salanitri D (2016) Effectiveness of a multidevice 3D virtual environment application to train car service maintenance procedures. Virtual Real 20:41–55. doi:10.1007/s10055-015-0281-5
Carrefour (2016) Virtual reality showcased in 228 hypermarkets throughout France. http://www.carrefour.com/current-news/virtual-reality-showcased-in-228-hypermarkets-throughout-france. Accessed 24 Nov 2016
Chang L (2016) You can now go shopping inside a virtual reality department store. Digital Trends. http://www.digitaltrends.com/virtual-reality/ebay-myer-vr-retail/. Accessed 14 June 2016
Cheng L-K, Chieng M-H, Chieng W-H (2014) Measuring virtual experience in a three-dimensional virtual reality interactive simulator environment: a structural equation modeling approach. Virtual Real 18:173–188. doi:10.1007/s10055-014-0244-2
Choi YK, Taylor CR (2014) How do 3-dimensional images promote products on the Internet? J Bus Res 67:2164–2170. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2014.04.026
Coyle JR, Thorson E (2001) The effects of progressive levels of interactivity and vividness in web marketing sites. J Advert 30:65–77. doi:10.1080/00913367.2001.10673646
Dahan E, Srinivasan V (2000) the predictive power of internet-based product concept testing using visual depiction and animation. J Prod Innov Manag 17:99–109. doi:10.1111/1540-5885.1720099
Debbabi S, Daassi M, Baile S (2010) Effect of online 3D advertising on consumer responses: the mediating role of telepresence. J Market Manag 26:967–992. doi:10.1080/02672570903498819
Dede C (2009) Immersive interfaces for engagement and learning. Science 323:66–69. doi:10.1126/science.1167311
Dolbec P-Y, Chebat J-C (2013) The impact of a flagship vs. a brand store on brand attitude brand attachment and brand equity. J Retail 89:460–466. doi:10.1016/j.jretai.2013.06.003
Domina T, Lee S-E, MacGillivray M (2012) Understanding factors affecting consumer intention to shop in a virtual world. J Retail Consum Serv 19:613–620. doi:10.1016/j.jretconser.2012.08.001
Fennis BM, Das E, Fransen ML (2012) Print advertising: vivid content. J Bus Res 65:861–864. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.01.008
Fortin DR, Dholakia RR (2005) Interactivity and vividness effects on social presence and involvement with a web-based advertisement. J Bus Res 58:387–396. doi:10.1016/S0148-2963(03)00106-1
Gartner (2016) Gartner’s 2016 hype cycle for emerging technologies identifies three key trends that organizations must track to gain competitive advantage. http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3412017. Accessed 5 Dec 2016
Goldsmith RE, Hofacker CF (1991) Measuring consumer innovativeness. J Acad Mark Sci 19:209–221. doi:10.1007/bf02726497
Hair JF, Black B, Anderson RE, Tatham RL (2006) Multivariate data analysis, 6th edn. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River
Hair JF, Hult GTM, Ringle CM, Sarstedt M (2014) A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM). SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks
Hassouneh D, Brengman M (2011) Virtual worlds: a gateway for SMEs toward internationalization. J Brand Manag 19:72–90
Hassouneh D, Brengman M (2014) A motivation-based typology of social virtual world users. Comput Hum Behav 33:330–338. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2013.08.012
Hassouneh D, Brengman M (2015) Retailing in social virtual worlds: developing a typology of virtual store atmospherics. J Electron Commer Res 16:218–241
Hernoux F, Christmann O (2015) A seamless solution for 3D real-time interaction: design and evaluation. Virtual Real 19:1–20. doi:10.1007/s10055-014-0255-z
Homer PM (1990) The mediating role of attitude toward the ad: some additional evidence. J Mark Res 27:78–86. doi:10.2307/3172553
Houliez C, Gamble E (2013) Dwelling in Second Life? A phenomenological evaluation of online virtual worlds. Virtual Real 17:263–278. doi:10.1007/s10055-012-0218-1
Jaunt (2015) The North Face: Climb. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jauntvr.preview.tnf&hl=en
Jin S-AA (2009) the roles of modality richness and involvement in shopping behavior in 3D virtual stores. J Interact Market 23:234–246. doi:10.1016/j.intmar.2009.04.005
Jin SAA (2011) The impact of 3d virtual haptics in marketing. Psychol Mark 28(3):240–255
Jones P, Comfort D, Clarke-Hill C, Hillier D (2010) Retail experience stores: experiencing the brand at first hand. Market Intell Plan 28:241–248. doi:10.1108/02634501011041408
Karlis D, Saporta G, Spinakis A (2003) A simple rule for the selection of principal components. Commun Stat Theory Methods 32:643–666. doi:10.1081/STA-120018556
Keller PA, Block LG (1997) vividness effects: a resource-matching perspective. J Consum Res 24:295–304. doi:10.1086/209511
Keng C-J, Lin H-Y (2006) Impact of telepresence levels on internet advertising effects. CyberPsychol Behav 9:82–94. doi:10.1089/cpb.2006.9.82
Klein LR (2003) Creating virtual product experiences: the role of telepresence. J Interact Market 17:41–55. doi:10.1002/dir.10046
Li H, Daugherty T, Biocca F (2002) Impact of 3-D advertising on product knowledge brand attitude, and purchase intention: the mediating role of presence. J Advert 31:43–57. doi:10.1080/00913367.2002.10673675
Lombard M, Jones MT (2015) Defining presence. In: Immersed in Media. Springer, pp 13–34
Mandelbaum A (2015) How companies are marketing with virtual reality. Chief Marketer. http://www.chiefmarketer.com/companies-marketing-virtual-reality/. Accessed 7 Nov 2016
Manganari EE, Siomkos GJ, Vrechopoulos AP (2009) Store atmosphere in web retailing. Eur J Market 43:1140–1153. doi:10.1108/03090560910976401
Menzies R, Rogers S, Phillips A, Chiarovano E, de Waele C, Verstraten F, MacDougall H (2016) An objective measure for the visual fidelity of virtual reality and the risks of falls in a virtual environment. Virtual Real 20:173–181. doi:10.1007/s10055-016-0288-6
Metz R (2016) Oculus Project Lets You Feel in VR without Gloves. https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601833/oculus-project-lets-you-feel-in-vr-without-gloves/
Muzellec L, Lynn T, Lambkin M (2012) Branding in fictional and virtual environments: introducing a new conceptual domain and research agenda. Eur J Market 46:811–826. doi:10.1108/03090561211214618
N.a. (2014a) A 360° VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE OF THE TOPSHOP UNIQUE AW14 CATWALK SHOW. Inition. https://www.inition.co.uk/case_study/virtual-reality-catwalk-show-topshop/. 2016
N.a. (2014b) Built-to-Thrill Wingsuit VR Experience for Nissan. Inition. https://www.inition.co.uk/case_study/nissan-built-thrill-wingsuit-experience/#relatedcontent
Newhouse D (2013) Lancôme launches 3D Wonderland at LHRT5. The Travel Retail Business. from http://www.trbusiness.com/regional-news/international/lancome-launches-3d-wonderland-at-lhrt5/67450. 2016
Newman SD, Klatzky RL, Lederman SJ, Just MA (2005) Imagining material versus geometric properties of objects: an fMRI study. Cognit Brain Res 23:235–246. doi:10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2004.10.020
Overmars S, Poels K (2015) How product representation shapes virtual experiences and re-patronage intentions: the role of mental imagery processing and experiential value. Int Rev Retail Distrib Consum Res 25:236–259. doi:10.1080/09593969.2014.988279
Puto CP, Wells WD (1984) Informational and transformational advertising: the differential effects of time. Adv Consum Res 11:638–643
Rubin P (2014) The Future of Travel Has Arrived: Virtual-Reality Beach Vacations. Wired. http://www.wired.com/2014/09/marriott-vr-teleporter/
Sheridan TB (1992) Musings on telepresence and virtual presence. Presence Teleoperators Virtual Environ 1:120–126
Shih CF (1998) Conceptualizing consumer experiences in cyberspace. Eur J Market 32:655–663. doi:10.1108/03090569810224056
Steuer J (1992) Defining virtual reality: dimensions determining telepresence. J Commun 42:73–93. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.1992.tb00812.x
Stott J (2016) Virtual reality: Content marketing’s next big trend. https://econsultancy.com/blog/68401-virtual-reality-content-marketing-s-next-big-trend/. Accessed 5 Dec 2016
Venkatesh V, Morris MG, Davis GB, Davis FD (2003) User acceptance of information technology: toward a unified view. MIS Q 27:425–478
Wallach HS, Safir MP, Samana R (2010) Personality variables and presence. Virtual Real 14:3–13. doi:10.1007/s10055-009-0124-3
Zeltzer D (1992) Autonomy, interaction, and presence. Presence Teleoperators Virtual Environ 1:127–132
Zheng L (2016) Alibaba spreads its wings into VR sector. China Daily
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Van Kerrebroeck, H., Brengman, M. & Willems, K. When brands come to life: experimental research on the vividness effect of Virtual Reality in transformational marketing communications. Virtual Reality 21, 177–191 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-017-0306-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-017-0306-3