In today’s digital landscape, the metaverse (A virtual shared space) is where we’re headed, and is the next frontier for advertisers. As people are adopting virtual environments for socializing, gaming, shopping and more, brands are trying to find ways to reach users there. Pop up ads in virtual reality (VR) are one of the upcoming possibilities to catch the eye, without distracting from the experience. VR pop ups are drastically different from traditional ads, being multi-sensory, able to be interacted with and seamlessly stitched into the virtual world.
So, to get an understanding of how this type of advertising will unfold, let’s begin by exploring the different types of pop up ads that have existed over time. Traditional pop ups take the form of an overlay, but pop ups can also come in the form of video ads or banner notifications, to name a few.
However, in VR, the “pop up” concept will not be limited to simple overlay concepts and will change to new forms that are inserted into the virtual environment. The VR’s inherent immersive qualities will be leveraged to design these ads to grab attention. So, with all that said, let’s take a look at what VR pop-up ads might be like in the metaverse (and how this new medium might forever rewire our relationship with digital advertising).
Table of Contents
1. Interactive 3D Pop Up Ads
Pop up ads in the metaverse will most likely be fully dynamic, 3D experiences that users can actually act upon. An ad run for a new car, for example, shows up in front of you as a fully interactive, 3D model. Users were able to walk around the car to explore its features and sit in the driver’s seat virtually. Such ad type obtains attention and allows to get an interactive experience, which is impossible with static pop-ups. 3D space could also provide brands with an attractive opportunity to display products to spark greater consumer interest and engagement.
2. Immersive Sponsored Environments
In the metaverse, brands and businesses may instead simply sponsor entire environments rather than traditional pop ups. For instance, if you are a fashion brand, you might want to create a virtual ‘pop-up shop’ that shows up in the path of users. Users could “try on” limited edition items available on this virtual store. When users traverse the metaverse, they may go through different sponsored environments that are customized to fill within the virtual globe with no hiccups. Brands can provide immersive shopping experiences that extend beyond those pop up ads we’ve all seen.
3. Gamified Pop Up Ads
VR pop up ads will be gamified to turn ads into exciting mini games or challenges. This could be something like a sports brand playing a pop up basketball game where they allow users to make virtual shots to win points or score rewards. Gamified ads would encourage interaction with users who would be more likely to remember the brand. Therefore, gamified pop ups can establish associations among people with the brand as well as offering entertainment.
4. Augmented Product Placement
VR pop up ads could blur the lines between reality and the product advertised. For instance, a virtual city user will see bills of other real world products or virtual windows of the particular online stores. Some of these pop up ads could go as far as a virtual branded drink or as close to the public as a clickable billboard directing to a custom ad experience. Augmented product placement blends ads into the background for an immersive viewing experience; it provides products within an immersive but less invasive context.
5. User Behavior Triggered, Personalized Pop Ups
Advertisers can deliver experiences highly personalized to user behavior and user preference within the metaverse. That is, until you walk into a virtual coffee shop whose menu is recommending beverages based on your history of virtual shopping. AI pop up ads powered by browsing history can suggest relevant products in real time to enhance the overall experience in a way that feels both helpful and personalized. In this type of ad, users are carried to the offers whose interface closely mirrors their interests and are based on data insights.
6. Socially Engaging Pop Up Ads
Since the metaverse itself is social, pop up ads might become social. For example, a VR pop up ad could be related to a live concert event and invite friends into experience it virtually. Users could discuss, interact, and plan within the ad space as it would appear as a ticket or virtual flyer. Ad interactions could become socially engaging through pop ups and turn them into shared experiences rather than interruptions from the social landscape.
7. Time-Limited Virtual Pop-Ups
With a sense of urgency often creating that engagement, time limited VR popups would be utilizing this approach perfectly. A virtual mall, for instance, might feature an animation looking like a flash sale popping up in a user’s peripheral view at random times (when the user walks by), which indicates an exclusive, time sensitive offer. Like a real world sale, these time limited ads could create excitement and get the user to act fast. Time limited ads in VR can be immersive enough to imbue a “must see,” or a “must act,” never to be experienced again when the user can’t look away.
8. Virtual Assistant Pop Up Ads
Think of virtual assistants that would be embedded into pop up ads to lead users through new products or make decisions about purchases. There could be these assistants that provided one on one interaction, answered questions, or provided virtual tours. For example, a user could be led around a VR travel ad by a virtual assistant, navigating around hotel rooms, amenities, and nearby things to do. This level of interaction takes the edges off of ads; they feel personalized and user friendly and the ad experience isn’t a nuisance, it’s a service.
9. Haptic-Enhanced Pop Up Ads
A unique aspect of VR is that it affords users the ability to feel virtual objects using haptic feedback. For example, haptic enhanced pop up ads could simulate the sensation of touch such that virtual experience becomes more immersive. Take an ad for a clothing brand where the user, can, for example, ‘feel’ the texture of a fabric virtually. This would be a new level of sensory interaction in pop up ads that would drive more interaction that other forms and richer than other forms would.
Pop up ads in the metaverse hold so many possibilities, formed by the powers of immersive and interactive VR capability. Virtual pop ups will be much more engaging and personalized than traditional formats, from 3D interactive ads to gamified experiences. With real stores, brands have the opportunity to pique user mindshare in entirely new, crazy ways. Brands that create these memorable, immersive experiences stand to win. Pop up ads in the metaverse won’t just show up, they will invite users to experience, interact with, and dive in even deeper making for a huge shift in digital advertising.