Dallas-based 900lbs of Creative and national online car retailer Vroom have created a fully immersive, 360-degree, virtual reality showroom that will be available at pop-up stores nationwide on the HTC Vive.
The VR car showroom experience will allow customers to explore 15 of Vroom’s “Affordable Performance” muscle cars in person, with options representing roughly 200 vehicles in stock, the companies said in a news release.
“This was a complex and technically intricate project,” 900lbs’ CEO Steve Deitz said. “We had to develop new filming and production techniques in order to create phase one of this multi-phase experience. I’m really proud of our team.”
“This was a complex and technically intricate project.”
Steve Deitz
Users will be able to walk around the car’s exterior before jumping inside in the driver’s seat. They will be able to go on 360-degree video test drives and will have access to the vehicle’s full information.
But the companies haven’t stopped there, and are in the process of developing the next phase, which will include more interactive and immersive features. It will have the potential for a customize experience, the companies said.
Vroom has seen increased interest because of the technology.
“This VR showroom was part of a targeted campaign that saw a significant boost in web traffic,” Gaurav Misra, CMO of Vroom said.
The companies said the first pop-up store opened in August in Phoenix, with subsequent pop-up stores planned before the end of the year in Texas.
SHOWROOM IS PART OF A TARGETED CAMPAIGN
“Such an incredible experience working with 900lbs, we’re now moving rapidly in to our third project with them,” Misra said. “They’re a creative agency the likes I haven’t encountered before.”
Misra said the auto retailer need a fresh approach.
“We’re a billion dollar revenue retailer and we needed completely fresh thinking around a specific retail strategy with technology at its core,” he said. “We developed this VR showroom and we were blown away by 900lbs attentiveness, creativity, execution and pragmatics. This VR showroom was part of a targeted campaign in Phoenix that saw a boost in web traffic.”
900lbs is an innovation lab and marketing agency that uses emerging technologies to create one-of-a-kind experiences.
Here’s what the virtual reality pop-up showroom is like. Photo Courtesy 900lbs of Creative
The photo shoot for the VR showroom was a complex, technical undertaking. Photo Courtesy 900lbs of Creative
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