Love it or hate it, the world of virtual reality (VR) is here to stay.

Not only offering hours of gaming entertainment, VR is increasingly used as a marketing strategy – and a pretty expensive and disruptive one.

Advertisers and marketers who are still resisting the growing trend may want to take note.

New research shows that customers are more likely to use brands that use virtual reality.

The financial investment could pay off in both sales and brand affinity, according to a recent survey.

Nearly three quarters (71 per cent) of respondents feel that the use of VR makes brands seem “forward-thinking and modern.” Furthermore, 53 per cent said they’d be more likely to purchase from a brand that uses VR than from one that doesn’t.

This was even the case for those respondents who had never experienced VR (and the first experience is often a trippy one, to say the least). An overwhelming 91 per cent of participants reported experiencing positive feelings after watching an informational video about VR.

Among the VR virgins, 65 per cent were interested, 32 per cent were surprised at what it could do, 25 per cent felt “happy,” and 58 per cent reported being “amazed.”

As a marketing tool, VR can allow users to experience everything from new aircraft design, to test-driving new cars or taking adventure trips designed to promote active gear. It’s even used in real estate as a substitute for the traditional open house.

Offering an experience that’s free of the distractions of the ‘real world’ means that users are completely immersed in the content.

Not to mention, a full VR experience is a lot more memorable than viewing an ad.

As reported by AdWeek, the VR industry could see its first billion-dollar year, according to a report from Deloitte Global.

With Pokemon Go mania dominating headlines, it’s impossible to ignore the growing fusion between real-life and screen time.

VR is definitely a game-changer in the marketing world, and one that’s worth the hefty price tag.

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