Newsbrands need to harness VR to keep pace with digital life
News organisations shouldn’t wait for YouTube to take over the VR space, writes Neil Stevenson, research manager, Ipsos Connect
In 2015 national news brands saw an 11 per cent year-on-year fall in advertising revenue to £1.2 billion, with digital growth much slower than print decline.
And as aftershocks of the first internet revolution continue to be felt, another one is afoot: the rise of virtual reality. In a recent report, Goldman Sachs cites three future VR scenarios: $23, $80 or $182 billion in revenue by 2025. Marketing Week just declared 2016 a ‘breakthrough’ year for virtual reality.
Some news organisations have already been experimenting with VR, especially as headsets become more affordable. The New York Times (NYT) is clearly out in front. Under ex-BBC director general Mark Thompson, the NYT recently gave out 1 million Google cardboard devices to its Sunday subscribers with a series of VR films for them to experience.
According to Thompson VR is profitable and the NYT continues to invest. The Guardian just launched its first VR experience 6×9, with more to come, and the BBC is trying out different storytelling forms.
But what kind of applications are there for news brands looking to explore VR?
VR can be used to increase feelings and empathy for others. Clouds Over Sidra is a UN film that puts viewers in the shoes of a 12-year old girl who is living in a refugee camp as a result of the Syrian conflict. The National Autistic Society made a video that shows what it’s like to have autism. These applications represent a shift from consuming to experiencing the news, and one which can powerfully harness empathy.
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VR can be used to explore complicated ideas. Ideas that take pages and pages of explaining, like theoretical physics, could be usefully broken down through immersive VR experiences. A viewer might explore subatomic particles or witness the forming of a black hole. The latest scientific discoveries could be turned into experiences to bring them to life and make them more memorable and easier to understand.
VR can bring history to life and contextualise the present. News organisations like Vox have risen through accessible storytelling. News media could use VR to instantly explain the back story of a regional conflict for instance. Viewers could zoom around the Middle East to understand conflicts from multiple perspectives and even explore different territories.
VR can be used in long form documentary. Viewers will be able to experience – from a first person perspective – what it is like to be the subject of the documentary to experience all the social, environmental, and psychological pressures of people in those situations. For instance, what if you experienced what it was like to be a drug dealer, pimp, banker, police officer, or teacher?
VR is great for branded content partnerships. Brands have the ability to tell stories in an immersive way. There could be a shift from talking about brand values, to inviting people to feel them.
For example, Google might tell compelling stories about elections using data. Or luxury brands might sponsor a VR video appearing in a lifestyle section that covers the art of tailoring, allowing a viewer to experience premium brand values of quality, precision, and aspiration.
Clever news organisations will become hubs for not only producing VR, but also curating content, especially as consumers start making VR content. News organisations don’t have to do it alone. As the VR news appetite increases, so will VR producers’ efforts. There will be a role for curation, sifting through user generated content for the best quality finds. News organisations have the ability to become hubs of quality content, creating communities of interest. They shouldn’t wait for YouTube to take over this space.
While the supply side of VR looks healthy, with many applications for smart news brands, can the same be said of consumer demand? We asked 1100 UK adults about VR. The key headlines reveal fertile ground for news brands looking to harness VR:
– A majority (52%) say they have a good understanding of VR and many (47%) want to try it out
– Barriers to usage are cost (66% say devices are too expensive), and a perception that the technology is mainly for gamers (60%) or doesn’t have practical use (46%)
– Consumers are open to a range of VR experiences including attending a music event like a concert (52%), travel (56%), fantasy experiences (45%), the theatre (41%), and movies (41%)
– Less frequently mentioned are sporting events (37%), news or documentaries (35%), teaching or learning (33%), gaming (31%), playing a sport (26%) or musical instrument (27%), or interacting with others (25%)
– Consumers are also unsure where they would like to get VR experiences from, with 33% saying they do not know. The most popular two sources are from broadcasters like the BBC or Sky (41%) or on-demand services like Netflix (29%). Other places like social media platforms, specialist VR websites, and newspaper websites scored between 15 and 27%
Overall, the VR demand picture is of a sizeable public that feels interested and knowledgeable. They are open to many different types of experiences (including news reporting) but are waiting for more appealing applications. They are looking at established brands to provide these experiences but don’t appear to have strong preferences around sources.
The bottom line is that news brands need to be fundamentally smarter about VR than they were about the first digital revolution. VR has the potential to radically change the news industry, but it needs to move beyond gimmicks and fantasy, towards powerful experiences to engage more people more often and more deeply.
Newsbrands need to realise they are ideally placed to become central producers and curators of VR experiences, and that the UK public is currently open to a range of these, but this window will close quickly as their needs and wants are satisfied by first movers who get it right.
Now is the time to experiment with VR approaches and anticipate consumer demand to help create the VR revolution – not just respond to it.
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