"The best brands are built on great stories" -Ian Rowden, CMO Virgin Group
Storytelling has been one of the greatest sources of engagement over the course of human history. In marketing, your story is the foundation of your brand and a strategy for future growth[The Story Of Telling]. Brands create content which seeks to bond with consumers and turn them into followers, buyers and even evangelists. The good news is that we humans love a good story. The bad news is that the internet is awash with content and marketers are struggling to break through the clutter. "The best stories compel, engage and delight their audiences. And for brands to really break through, these stories need to be just as engaging as the best entertainment..." (Linda Boff, CMO, GE) 
Which brings us to the subject of this shorter piece. Virtual Reality. How important is it going to be? Let's see. Only Google, Facebook and Apple have placed huge bets on it. Virtual Reality provides a level of engagement that previously has not existed. We have heard about putting your customers in the story--making them the protagonist. Well, here is your chance. VR creates an immersive environment where there is an unprecedented level of interactivity, free from distractions, where the consumer steps into the world of the brand and participates, not from afar by watching a video, but from within the experience. My colleague refers to it as creating a 'brain stamp", an experience the consumer or business buyer will not soon forget.
If you haven't experienced this new phenomenon, go grab a Google Cardboard head set https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/
If you like music, check out the NY Times VR app and download the U2 experience. You'll be sitting on stage while Bono sings right in front of you. To the right, The Edge plays guitar--look up and see the enormity of the arena. The experience continues with a trip around the world to witness people singing the song along side the band. It's nothing like watching a video of the group. It's a private concert and a trip to India, NYC, Africa all in one.
This breaks through, friends. I had a smile on my face the entire time as did my son when he jumped into it. The first thing he said was " I need to download this tune."  Mission accomplished.
[If you want to blaze a trail and create an immersive experience that your target audience won't forget, give us a jingle. dan@augmento.agency]

Dan Sixsmith is CMO @ Augmento, a next generation agency
He is VP @ Alinean, Inc
And Chief Content Officer at "The Digital Advantage by Dan Sixsmith."
Dan also hosts the Podcast, This Week In Digital Marketing(we are back live on 2/8 @8PM ET). 
 

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