© 2019 Guest Post: Greg Mischio is the Owner and Chief Strategist at Winbound
Manufacturers who want to stand out at trade shows are incorporating a new feature at their exhibits: virtual reality (VR) video. Find out how its mind-blowing capabilities helped one manufacturer introduce a new production facility in a powerfully memorable way.
We spoke to video production specialist Jeff Long of True Focus Media about the marketing potential of VR and what manufacturers should know before they venture into this emerging technology.
With his 16 years of experience, Jeff also shared insights on how manufacturers can improve the way they use video in general.
His big takeaway was crystal clear. “Manufacturers should be using video more strategically to generate leads and boost sales.” More on that in a bit, but first, let’s delve into VR.
VR takes visitors on a facility tour they won’t soon forget.
Jeff recently produced a VR video for animal nutrition brand Provimi. For the annual International Production & Processing Expo in Atlanta, Provimi wanted a video showcasing a major facility renovation.
But not just any kind of video. They wanted people to tour the facility as if they were actually there. Enter VR.
To create a real-world viewing experience, Jeff created a VR video using a special 360-degree camera that’s covered in lenses to capture all directions. He then used VR editing software to render the footage, including 3D features, viewable through VR goggles.
At Provimi’s trade show exhibit, people who put on those goggles were:
- Transported visually to a 160-foot production tower under construction in Lewisburg, Ohio.
- Escorted by an engineer through each step of the facility, from raw material receiving all the way to packaging.
- Experienced a firsthand look at a facility dedicated solely to non-medicated and antibiotic free products -- a growing priority for customers.
- Take viewers on a virtual tour of your offices or facilities to highlight your company’s differentiators.
- Engage viewers in the experience of a new product or service.
- Demonstrate a new manufacturing capability or technology with a firsthand view of it.
For manufacturers looking to leverage the latest show-stopping attraction at their exhibits, Jeff says, “VR will be hard to beat for the foreseeable future.”
And as long as users have viewing goggles, possibilities like those above aren’t limited to just the tradeshow floor. “I have clients who plan to send VR goggles to select prospects,” says Jeff.
Expert VR support is essential for success.
Provimi’s internal video production team initially set out to do a VR video themselves. But Jeff says they turned to his team because of the technical challenges that can come with VR.
Because many common production and editing techniques aren’t feasible with VR, “It has to be planned, shot and edited in the right way,” says Jeff.
For example, rather than film while walking through rooms, taking elevators and climbing steps, Jeff knew a stationary camera was required. Otherwise, the viewing experience can leave people feeling sick or dizzy.
But technical challenges for any kind of video can usually be overcome, says Jeff. A much more critical challenge for marketers is figuring out how to use video more strategically.
Video marketing mistake: Failing to establish a clear goal
- Educational videos
- How-to videos
- FAQ-styled videos
Greg Mischio is the Owner and Chief Strategist at Winbound, a manufacturing marketing firm specializing in content marketing. Winbound provides a unique, all-in-one content marketing approach that combines content specific to the sales, search and SEO channels. Visit their website or follow Greg on LinkedIn or Twitter.
