Meta had a zoom call with ad agencies last week and it outlined the way mixed reality, or MR, can be used to sell products. Reuters reportedly interviewed an agency executive who attended the first roundtable discussion Meta has held with advertisers.
“Advertisers are also looking for detail on how the effectiveness of ads in the metaverse will be measured and will be asking ‘what did I get for my money?’” the executive told Reuters.
MR is the amalgamation of the real world and either virtual or augmented reality. Games like Pokémon Go are categorized under augmented reality because they enable players to imagine the magical creatures in normal surroundings with the use of a smartphone. Virtual reality headsets take users into a digital world, but Meta, previously called Facebook, wants virtual content to interact with real-world objects.
For example, companies might be able to plaster ads on real-life objects, allow users to virtually try on clothes, or interact with sellable products in other digital ways. However, Meta has yet to figure out how it will achieve a balance and interaction between the two worlds and bring an entirely new experience to the people and the companies.
Companies and firms are getting desperate to establish a digital presence and advertising no matter what the cost. Last week the MoviePass app announced its return, and it features eye-track tech that rewards you for watching ads in their entirety. The company was bankrupted previously.
In 2021, ad agency Marketing Insider Group published a report stating that digital ads just don’t work anymore and that even after slashing ad budgets some giant companies didn’t see a decline in sales. In this case, Meta seems to be doing better. It allows consumers to not just buy an MR headset but avoid extra ads plastered into their lives.