For the holidays this year, British multinational retailer Marks and Spencer teamed up with housing and homelessness charity Shelter to create an immersive Christmas pop-up.
Under the protection of a red shelter-shaped installation at Waterloo, passersby have the chance to participate in a virtual reality experience that provides a look into three very different Christmas experiences. The first two VR experiences feature real houses and real people talking about how they plan to spend the holidays, while the third depicts a homeless family barely being fit into a hostel. By helping to put people in the shoes of another, the campaign raises awareness about homelessness and the simple joys of having a place to call home.
In partnership with Shelter, Marks and Spencer also made a Christmas collection, where 5% of each sale goes to the charity.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Charitable VR Experiences
- Businesses can create immersive experiences that raise awareness about important social issues and promote charitable giving.
- Virtual Reality for Empathy Building
- Virtual reality technology can be utilized to create empathy-building experiences that allow people to see and experience different perspectives.
- Corporate-charity Partnerships
- Businesses can form partnerships with charities to promote social causes and generate positive brand recognition.
Where This Applies
- Retail
- Retailers can utilize virtual reality technology to create immersive experiences that promote their products while raising awareness about social issues.
- Non-profit
- Non-profit organizations can utilize virtual reality technology to create empathy-building experiences that educate the public on important social issues,
- Marketing and Advertising
- Marketing and advertising firms can work with non-profit organizations to create virtual reality campaigns that raise awareness about social causes and help position companies as socially responsible.
