Since the immersive nature of virtual reality has the potential to make Halloween even scarier, Target is using this technology to take audiences into a haunted house online through YouTube.
The 'House on Hallow Hill' experience begins by introducing viewers to a creepy house. In first-person perspective, a viewer is made to feel as though they were about to take a picture of the house, when a raven snatches up their phone. To retrieve it, a user must venture inside the haunted house. The adventure continues using YouTube's 360-degree video format and annotations to guide viewers through their own choose-your-own-adventure experience.
Considering Target's main audience, the Halloween content is family-friendly, but nonetheless fun to explore on either a tablet, mobile device or desktop computer as an example of immersive VR marketing.
Haunted VR Adventures
Target's 360-Degree Experience Takes You into a Haunted House Online
Trend Themes
1. Immersive VR Marketing - Companies can attract more customers through immersive VR marketing campaigns like Target’s House on Hallow Hill 360-degree experience.
2. Interactive Choose-your-own-adventure VR Videos - Businesses can engage their customers with interactive choose-your-own-adventure VR videos, like Target’s House on Hallow Hill, to provide a unique and entertaining experience.
3. Virtual Reality for Seasonal Promotions - Companies can leverage the immersive nature of virtual reality to create seasonal promotions and increase engagement, as seen in Target’s use of VR for Halloween marketing.
Industry Implications
1. Retail - Retailers can utilize immersive VR marketing to enhance customer engagement and drive sales, as demonstrated by Target’s House on Hallow Hill experience.
2. Entertainment - The entertainment industry can use VR to create immersive horror experiences like House on Hallow Hill that attract thrill-seekers and horror fans.
3. Advertising - VR can be used to create engaging and interactive advertising campaigns for various industries, as exhibited by Target’s House on Hallow Hill VR marketing campaign.