Virtual reality and advertising, it is nothing new. Ever since virtual reality started becoming a buzz worthy topic again, marketers and advertisers have been salivating over how to utilize the new medium to connect with their audience in a whole new way. So far, the experiences, like a lot of the early VR content, have been a mixed bag – some have been fantastic, like Nike’s Neymar Jr. ad, while others have been somewhat lackluster. Hammerhead VR doesn’t do lackluster.
Fresh off a cease and desist letter from The Mouse after putting together an incredible trailer for a potential Star Wars VR experience, Hammerhead VR has released their most recent experience, called “Boursin Sensorium.” The experience takes you on a wild ride through your refrigerator, complete with plenty of product placements from Boursin themselves. Hammerhead VR’s ad was very reminiscent of another roller coaster style ad for Regal Theaters which takes theater goers through giant concessions and other theater related things. In Hammerhead VR’s ad you breeze by elements like giant herbs and other things that bring you closer to Boursin’s brand, but it is all done in a way that is fun so you don’t feel like you’re being advertised to.
The experience, done in Unreal Engine 4, looks fantastic with nearly photo realistic renderings. The lighting effects are gorgeous, and the movement with the coaster itself is incredibly smooth. Hammerhead VR does an excellent job with the scale of objects, really making you feel like you just stepped into a scene from Honey I Shrunk the Kids. As far as polish and looks go this experience ranks among the best you will find in VR today, and certainly is one of the strongest ads we have seen on the medium so far.
The ad will eventually become a pre-roll ad on Youtube’s new 360 video, but if you want to experience it in your DK2 now, you can download it today directly from the Oculus Share store.
Check out some people’s reactions to the experience:
