2IMMERSIVE4U® Democratizing Virtual Reality www.insightssuccess.com 20ISSUE|VOL.04 Engaging Entertainment Disrupting the Gaming and Entertainment Industry with Virtual Reality Upskilling Workforces How Augmented Reality is EmployeeModernizingTraining Revolution 2022 5 Top The AR VR Companies Leading Dusan Simic Co-founder and CEO Filip Milinkovic Co-founder and President
editor
Bhushan Bhad Managing Editor
Driving
Andtoo!
as time moved and scientific inventions took its pace, the world got introduced to mobile devices, moving ahead of a stationary screen, and gaming received its deserving acknowledgment. Business into the Future
The trigger of an inquiry is an obvious thought chain, and with the same train of thought, you might be questioning‘what are the evolving technologies in contemporary times?’ To answer this question, you might require a multidimensional mindset that sets its eyes on the entertainment industry that has propelled itself since the early 1990s while having a third eye on the digital screen
umans have been quenching their innovative thirstHsince the classic age. Be it the Stone age, Iron age, Industrial era, the times of the Digital Revolution, or the Evolving Technologies.
Are you still anchored around the above segment that refers to “Evolving Technologies?”
www.insightssuccess.com 21ISSUE|VOL.04Revolution 2022 5 Top The AR VR Companies Leading
Usheringrevolution.in a time when computers met their popularity and the world had been amazed by its novel contributions, digital technologies found an opportunity to sprout from its ideating stage to turn into a flourishing reality. But as humans have their evolving nature, and so does technology
This had been a remarkable moment in the timeline of digital evolution that later found its revolutionary hold in the form of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality technologies. Isn’t it amazing that one can stay in the comfort of home and witness a live conference with an experience of ‘being part of the real-time event!’ This experience had been widely tested and globally accepted during the pandemic times. Knowing the merits of AR VR, many industries like digital marketing, website development, gaming, and cinema started utilizing this technological advancement to its advantage. Astonished by this development, we at Insights Success scouted the globe for the best AR VR Companies that are revolutionizing the world with its technological marvels and found five eye-popping success stories in the AR VR Delvespace. into these stories and find the true meaning of revolution through technology.While you flip through the pages, ensure to read the insightful article crafted by our inhouse editors. I wish you have a happy read. - Bhushan Bhad
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While the world awaits for imbibing AR VR in its socio-corporate normality, lets celebrate the technology marvels and embrace the future.
CONTENTS 2IMMERSIVE4U Democratizing Virtual Reality 08
Articles 14 30 24 36CxO Bonsai Media Group, Inc. Vanishing Point Media Engaging EntertainmentUpskilling Workforces Exemplifying Technology Leadership Driving the Bandwagon of Extended Reality Space Disrupting the Gaming and Entertainment Industry with Virtual Reality How Augmented Reality is Modernizing Employee Training CXR Amy Kenigsberg Building wayTechnologyExperience-focusedthatchangesthewelive,work,andplay 2034
sales@insightssuccess.com April, 2022 Circulation Manager Tanaji Fartade Research Analyst Eric Smith Editor-in-Chief Mary AnishD'souzaMillerSenior Editor Kelly, DavidBusiness DevelopmentManagingExecutivesEditor Sherin RodricksBusiness Development Manager Bhushan Bhad Art & Design Head Art & DesignVisualiserAssistant David King Co-designer Rohil MrunalineeShinganapurkarDeshmukh Marketing Manager Joseph D'souza Technical Consultants Prachi, Rajeshwari Technical Head Jacob Smile Assistant Technical Head SME-SMO Executives Gemson Digital Marketing Manager Renuka Kulkarni Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Atul Dhoran Copyright © 2022 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success. Follow us on : www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/ www.twitter.com/insightssuccess Corporate Ofce Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-859-2600 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com We are also available on : RNI No.: MAHENG/2018/75953 Sales Executives Mark, Alice Amar Sawant Assisting Editors Trishika, Vishal Paul Belin
PresentiGO is helping innovative companies present better in front of their clients and transform sales into a digital way, that can measure and analyze.
Vanishing Point Media is a full-service production company providing industry-leading expertise and execution in all phases of production for both VR and 360 photography: from preproduction, to principal photography, and straight through to post production.
Dusan (President(Co-founderSimicandCEO)FilipMilinkovicandCo-founder) Lucky COOGeneralGobindramManagerJasonLaBawCEOAdamMrstikandCo-founder
2immersive4u creates memorable stories, worlds, and characters using the newest technology transforming them into the music videos of the future.
Bonsai Media Group is a full-service digital marketing agency offering SEO, web design and development, social, and digital marketing services.
Featuring CompanyBrief
bonsaimediagroup.comGroupPresentiGOpresentigo.com2immersive4u2immersive4u.comCXRcemtrex.comVanishingPointVRvanishingpointvr.com
Cemtrex has been a leading technology partner for the world’s most influential brands, empowering them with innovative technology that drives their businesses and their products.
AnnieCo-founderLukowski Bonsai Media
Filip Milinkovic Co-founder and President 2Immersive4UDusan Simic Co-founderCEOand 2Immersive4U
Democratizing Virtual Reality By thehardware,eliminatingweoptimizeVRexperiencerightwhereweallare–onourmobilephones. Cover Story
S torytelling has been an efficient medium for interactive communication. Starting with pictographs to deriving a standard text for easy expression, storytelling has been at the heart of the human mind.
From walking on the pavement holding books to eyes dipped into digital screens, the world has witnessed a fastpaced digital transformation. And, sprouting through the digital space, Virtual Reality has opened new opportunities for storytellers who desire to deliver upon a promise of interactive storytelling. But unfortunately, Virtual reality has focused more on the hardware segment rolling down the significance of VR content with a mobile-friendly Thrivingexperience.through these challenges and being inspired with a vision to create a mobile-first VR experience led to the foundation of 2IMMERSIVE4U , co-founded by Dusan Simic as its CEO and Filip Milinkovic as the company President. The company envisions partnering with talented creators and charting the course for the adoption of VR in the anime space. We at Insights Success interviewed Dusan and Filip to learn more about the technology leadership of 2IMMERSIVE4U. Here are the key highlights of the interview: Please brief our audience about 2IMMERSIVE4U and how it has positioned itself as a leading player in the AR/VR space.
Filip: Our unique approach in 360° and 180° is focused on story and accessibility. You can watch 2immersive4u videos on any device (mobile, pc, or laptop) and get the full immersive experience- enabling the audience easy access to these experiences. Our videos are perfect for marketing content, music videos & anime.
Dusan: I've come from the music industry, had 12 years of experience there, couple of rewards & Sony deal. I met Filip at the local hub prior to Covid, where he was leading the workshop about Digital transformation. They assigned him as a mentor, and I was blown away by his approaches and thinking, so I was like – I need to start a company with this guy. I thought he was like 25 or 26 years old; he was just 19 at the time. Soon I've started posting online ads and using referrals from my friends to find the right guys for the projects. Now we have a remote team from 4 different continents.
Dusan & Filip, please brief us about your journey in the AR/VR industry and how you have contributed towards 2IMMERSIVE4U's success.
Dusan: We started from a different angle than most companies that are strictly dependent on the hardware. VR is not a new thing. The format didn't stick with the audience, so a different approach was needed. Our initial thought is to start from the content side, not the hardware. Tell us more about your offerings through which you have ascertained your stronghold in the market.
Dusan: Before we all agree that adopting modern technologies is the key, we should maybe propose a different question: When is the right time for adopting? We saw in the past that first movers were right about future predictions, but sometimes being too early in the game can lead you to make all of the mistakes. We advise budding entrepreneurs to build on the top of the mistakes companies make in this space and not to follow the mimetic desire, aka to try and copy other companies just because it's popular.
Withstudies.Reactor 5, our first music video, we got Emmy nominated in the interactive media space. On this project, we partnered up with PeopleLink, a non-profit from Cleveland are, to help support underserved families throughout Northeast Ohio.
Filip: Our process is currently patent-pending, and we are expanding to Southeast Asian markets. Our vision for 2022 and beyond is to partner with talented creators in the field of animation from that market and chart the course for the adoption of VR in the anime space.
How do you envision scaling your company's operations and offerings in 2022 and beyond?
Dusan: AR/VR companies are largely already at the forefront of modern technologies. In 2Immmersive4U, we utilize modern tools to enhance our process. One of our favorite tools is Unreal Engine; we love what they do and all things they enable in this medium. During the COVID-19 pandemic, what challenges did you face, and how did you sustain operations while ensuring the safety of your employees?
With Mr. Memo, we took an old product from the 90s and revived it using the modern medium. We utilized our unique format for the YouTube Ads and achieved a 10-12% clickthrough rate, a 100% increase from the average clickthrough rate.
Filip: Pandemic didn't impact us very much. We already have a remote team, and we have mastered that type of production. If anything, we could say that COVID-19 has opened many companies to be mindful of the cutting-edge technologies which play in our favor.
We'd like to point out to of our favorite case
Filip: This field is unique. In the last few months, we have seen the emergence of interest in the AR/VR space because of the metaverse, but the technology is not new. The initial VR wave started around 2015, and over the years, it slowly died down except in a few niches. I believe that what we do here at 2Immersive4U is of crucial importance. Together with all creators, we have a chance to redefine what AR/VR is and stir it in the right direction. Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on why adopting modern technologies is necessary for AR/VR companies and how have you leveraged different technologies to deliver your offerings?
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the AR/VR space?
Please give us a few case studies of your products, testimonials of your clients/customers, and awards/recognitions that accurately highlight your company's position in the market. (If Dusan:available/permissible)
For all aspiring creators in the medium, we advise not to limit creativity but to explore the medium outside of its set boundaries.
Spearheading this change in the business world is its CEO , Jason La Baw . He has turned the tide for the company while opening up AR/VR technology opportunities in the website building space.
Below are the interview highlights: Please brief our audience about your company, its values, and how it is positioned as a leading player in the AR VR space.
One such novel innovation in this digital age has been AR VR Revolution. By leveraging this technological advancement, organizations are facilitating numerous services such as website development, social media management, brand upliftment, and many more. Driven by the objective of building customer experience with an innovative website while influencing potential clientele is Bonsai Media Group Inc
Bonsai is a full-service digital agency that was founded in 2009 with the simple goal of utilizing technology to solve business problems and goals. Our values are: We take pride, We deliver, Grow or Die, Better Together, At your Service, and finally, Do Dope Shit – what we mean by that is that people are inundated by hundreds and thousands of marketing messages every day if clients want to stand out and be noticed they need to do something worth being noticed and remembered.
For the past 13 years, we've focused on providing maximum value for clients. We don't just build pretty websites. We focus on building websites that provide an excellent customer experience and drive real marketing and sales goals through digital marketing techniques. Making a move to AR/VR was a natural transition for Bonsai. Bonsai already sits on the more technical side of marketing, often building apps, whether native or webwww.insightssuccess.com
A s humans evolved into social beings, one of the most significant factors that proved to be the driving force for technological development has been imagination. As originated from the orientation of the human psyche, imagination and ideation have proved to be a strong combination, assisting human society in transgressing disruptive technologies.
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In an endeavour to find the best companies leading the AR/VR revolution, we at Insights Success crossed paths with Jason to learn more about the innovative footprint of Bonsai Media in the AR/VR space.
In addition, Bonsai is positioned as a leading player in the AR/VR world because of the $1M+ R&D investment we've made in learning and applying the technology, its capabilities, and limitations. This learning has culminated in an AR/VR tourism app, Social Bee. All of this has led to client work, like what we did for Supra Boats with their AR/VR boat tour and boat builder as well as their webbased boat builder. Elaborate more on the solutions and services that your company offers and how are these making an impact on the industry and your clients?
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From Unity, ARCore, and ARKit, bigTech's investment in the space is a testament to the technology's promise and ability to disrupt every industry and business. That said, the technology is still very much in its early adolescence, if not infancy. There have been a number of AR/VR technologies that are here today and gone tomorrow. Put simply, it's been a volatile and turbulent ride to this point. www.insightssuccess.com
We focus on building websites that provide an excellent customer experience and drive real marketing and sales goals through digital techniques.marketing based. Further, Bonsai's focus has always been to create amazing experiences for their clients that grab people's attention and imagination and help brands achieve their goals. AR/VR does all of those things like never before. Share your opinion on how modern technologies have transformed the AR VR sector, and what more could be expected in the near future?
In 2012 Bonsai developed a social contests platform for companies where contestants would complete challenges and earn points towards a grand price. The challenges involved creating videos, going to various locations, and creating user-generated content that promoted the brand running the competition. The contests were a great success, and many contestants often reached out telling us what a fun experience and adventure these contests were. Around the same time, Bonsai's CEO, Jason LaBaw, sat on the board of a 3D product imaging company, and Bonsai helped design the UX of their product viewer. Combining these projects opened Mr. LaBaw's eyes to the possibilities of bringing 3D content into the real world, which led to the investment in AR/VR technologies.
Jason La Baw CEO Bonsai Digital Group, Inc.
A Futuristic Leader
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A Futuristic Leader
Start with a problem, validate that problem, and if valid, build the absolute minimal prototype finally, don't be afraid of "failure." It's not a failure if you're trying. Learn from each experience, reflect nightly, and pivot daily. How do you envision scaling your company's operations and offerings in 2022 and beyond?
What are your key takeaways in business when you look back at your company's journey so far?
Ÿ Know thy finance inside and out – Early in running the business, I avoided the financial operations of the business and tried to delegate/outsource all aspects. It wasn't until I was forced to run them that I learned to love them and learned how I could leverage the company's finances to create competitive advantages.
Client saw a 39% increase in page views because of the Bonsai Media Group. The CEO, Jason, is responsive to feedback and quick to make corrections. The company experienced significant project management improvements early on in the relationship, and they remain satisfied with the results."
Give us a few testimonials of your clients/customers and awards/recognitions that accurately highlight your company's position in the market. (If available/permissible)
" In a time when customers couldn't go to a dealership and view our boats, Bonsai revolutionized our business and allowed our prospective buyers to learn about our boat's features and even customize and buy their boat from the comfort of their own home. Absolutely amazing work.”
Adam Higson, Marketing Director of Supra Boats Awards and Accolades
We've developed a few AR/VR products, specifically, a product tour and product configurator/builder. Independent of the pandemic, these are tools that manufacturers have used for many years, albeit in a different medium (i.e., product highlight VHS/DVD). We're reaching out to manufacturers to implement interactive product tours and configurators that bring the product's features, advantages, and benefits to life and make them feel real to the end customer so as to influence the purchase.
"
Ÿ People – I don't care if you are building robots; it's all about the people. We're all humans and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Whether it's a colleague or client, that's a non-negotiable.
Ÿ Balance – you can't work 60, 70, or 80 hours a week. I hear people say they do, I've done it, and I know it's bull shit. Remember, it's not the quantity of work; it's the quality. I see too many entrepreneurs, and I've been there myself, who neglect every other aspect of their life, and when it all comes crashing down, they're left with nothing. What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the AR VR industry?
My key takeaways after running Bonsai for the past 13 years are:
– Amanda LeBlanc, CMO of CTG, Inc.
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In the near future, we'll see these technologies mature, and the devices using them will become more powerful. The net result will be more stable platforms from which to develop and more consistent user experiences. The 10X factor in the AR space specifically will be the commercialization and mass adoption of AR glasses. Viewing digital content in the real world via a phone is a really poor paradigm. We've seen this with VR solutions like Facebook's Quest 2, it's priced for mass consumption and powerful enough to serve some pretty amazing experiences.
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Ÿ 3 Gold Award – Best home page for UGM.org. www.insightssuccess.com
Practicing your learned skills over and over again is the best way to sharpen and retain them. According to research, we retain much more memory by combining our learning with “doing.” In fact, it has been observed that having hands-on experience with something is a much more efficient way of learning something. It’s a better way compared to reading, discussions, lectures, or even audio-visual learning. It has a retention rate of almost 75%.
he evolution of technology in the last few decadesThas been extraordinary. When we talked of technologies like AR and VR a few years back, it only started with mentions of science fiction movies. But now, the reality has changed. AR and VR have become a significant part of our learning process. The technology enables hands-on experience while we learn. It facilitates learning by doing, even in places where the approach seems to be impossible. From educational organizations to enterprises, AR and VR have made learning much more fun and safer. In this article, we will explore some of the ways in which AR/VR is modernizing employee training with its numerous benefits.
AR and VR are an ideal way to get employees prepared for any kind of operation-related situation. This advancement is being utilized by some of the airports currently to train their employees for airport safety. The VR platform has long been used by the International Air Transport Association to train employees in on-ground operations. The technique allows the association to cut back costs and damage to aircraft and equipment in the process of training.
4. Helping Staff Develop Technical Skills
2. A Better Outlet of Practicing Skills
AR and VR technologies are an ideal platform for employees to develop their soft skills and practice-based www.insightssuccess.com
Some organizations are utilizing this technology to train their employees to handle emergency situations. For instance, Walmart is one of the organizations that has pioneered VR learning by training its staff to learn how to control a shooting situation.
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It is a requirement in some industries to train employees before they assume full responsibility for their work. For example, people working in the manufacturing industry and power plants need to know how to operate the machinery used in the process on-site. Unless these employees have good knowledge of things, they cannot be allowed to take over completely because of the risk of harm. With the help of modern technologies like AR and VR, training can be made safer and free of consequences by creating simulations. Employers can use these technologies to create an exact simulation of their operations with the equipment they use. New recruits can gain expertise in the operation through this practice before actually assuming full responsibility on the field.
1. Making Employee Training Safer and More Affordable
How AugmentedReality isModern ing Employee Training
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3. Getting Employees Prepared for Emergencies
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The healthcare industry has already started making use of this technology to train doctors and nurses. According to one study by Yale University, the Virtual Reality learners performed surgeries 29% faster compared to the traditional learners and also made six times fewer mistakes than the traditional group.
The construction industry also uses AR and VR for the safety training of its employees. Recently a study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of immersive training. One group was given training via VR, and the other group received training through traditional methods. The researchers then tested both the groups after their training was concluded. Interestingly, after a month, they found out that the VR group significantly outperformed the traditional group at the evaluations. The effectiveness of this method is convincing many industries to opt for VR training methods.
learning. However, the same technologies are also effective in helping them develop their technical skills.
Conclusion Technology today has reached new heights that could have been only imagined in the past. This advancement is making all the processes in various industries easier, affordable, and safer. Employee training is just another process that has been elevated by modern technology. This training method is expected to generate $6 billion by 2022. Due to the significant benefits that it brings, 30% of enterprises have identified AR/VR learning as one of their top priorities in the coming years. The future looks bright for industries with AR/VR-based learning.
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5. The Best Way for Gamification Gamification has long been used to train onboard employees. This approach helps employees in learning better and also shows an increased success rate. AR and VR now have the potential to take Gamification to a whole new Enterpriseslevel. can now make use of VR to develop advanced gamification techniques for enhanced learning. The process fits perfectly to get employees on board and cut the tiresome process in half. With the help of VR, you can develop highly engaging training modules and also present the best of your company. Today, VR and AR technologies have become very mainstream in the gaming industry, and slowly other industries are also adopting these technologies for interactive and personalized learning experiences for their employees. VR gamification is a preferred outlet today because of its ability to create a sense of reality and help employees to learn in real-time.
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- Trishika Rokade www.insightssuccess.com
Lucky Gobindram General Manager CXR | April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com24
We have the creative capability to guide the contents of our conscience, to play with our own perception. We do this with storytelling, with language, with poetry, through special effects. This is how we "play". This is how we manufacture our own reality simply by ideating. This is the world of make-believe and innovations like augmented and virtual realities are the new champions of this world. But the marvels of these technologies are hardly limited to the realm of make-believe, we can also track their influence in a multitude of businesses and industries. Transforming the world is the name of the game, and the AR/VR companies are leading the charge.
As the company has made its stronghold as a certified partner with industry-leading platforms like Oculus, it has become a one-stop-shop for helping businesses solve the toughest challenges. This entails not only shifting their consumer-facing strategy but also how they operate and build a workforce.
T
Armed with years of expertise, the company has pioneered the branded AR/VR experience and understands every aspect of where it started and where it's going - and how it can equip brands with the tools they need to gain a competitive edge.
Making of a Brand CXR has partnered with some of the world's biggest brands to take digital experiences to new heights. The company comprises experts in helping brands understand the spatial computing revolution and how it blurs the lines between the digital and physical realms.
Building wayTechnologyExperience-focusedthatchangesthewelive,work,andplay
Product and Service Offerings
CXR's products are designed to make it easy for companies to maximize the benefits of AR/VR integrations. Concepts that once seemed futuristic XR Marketing, VR Training, and 3D Modeling, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Retail Store Virtualization - are cornerstones of the company's offerings. The value of these technologies is clearer than ever and the path to increased efficiency and growth through these products is easy to explain to clients of every size. As a full-stack agency, CXR is unique in its ability to accept back-of-napkin notes and evolve that idea into a fullfledged application. Its team of developers is softwareagnostic, meaning they can create an experience in the framework that's best for a specific project. Similarly, its designers are experts in perfecting the details of a 3D model and conceptualizing entire spatial environments - and everything in between.
he neuroscientific community has often remarked that reality is coupled with perception that can be mediated with remodeling perception and creative technological innovation.
A new generation of users is ready for more personalized content that not only gives them more insight into a brand but also valuable information with real utility. Whether it's for customers or employees, content is changing and CXR is here to help brands maintain relevance.
What sets CXR apart is that, while it works hard to develop the best tools and platforms, its true product is problem"solving.
A company with its heritage in electronics manufacturing, but in recent years has shifted its focus to emergent technologies like augmented and virtual realities as well as IoT devices, is the New York-based CXR .
We look at problems and think about the best approach to
CXR has been a major technology partner for the world's most prominent companies since 2004, providing them with cutting-edge technology that propels their businesses and goods.
Top 5 Companies Leading The AR VR Revolu on 2022 | April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com25
tactically solve that problem for the audience that needs to use it," added the General Manager at CXR – Lucky Gobindram "We comb through the noise and passing trends to prescribe a bespoke solution that charts a course for the future. From ideation to execution, the next phase is iteration. Our designers and strategists continue to update our products based on results – we're a learning organization, and this is evident in the way we work with clients and within our own teams as well," he added in an interview with Insights Success.
The Diligent Innovator Coming from a family that builds technology, Lucky Gobindram has always had an interest in playing with the latest technology - from Walkman to the very first iPod. He grew up attending CES with his father, learning everything he could about design, products, and the purpose behind them. Having access to this world allowed him to understand the power of empathy and its utility in the world of business - a steadfast element of CXR's strategy.
The Pandemic Dictate When the world was still reeling from the effects of COVID-19, Lucky Gobindram understood that the pandemic had forced them to use technology to maintain a sense of connection with each other and the outside world.
Words of Wisdom to EntrepreneursBudding
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"This surge in acceptance of AR/VR has led to a whole new realm of possibility. More companies than ever are jumping on the bandwagon as they realize that we're living in a changing world. Consumers - the younger generations, especially - are already using AR/VR wherever they can, and brands are coming to us to help them understand how they can leverage it to their advantage," opined Lucky Gobindram.
"I soon realized that computing would shift in this direction and that the future of digital consumption was immersive technology. Since then, we've seen that it's instrumental in creating the next wave of content and games, and it's also on its way to becoming a powerful tool for organizations and industrial applications," said Lucky when asked about how his team is innovatively catering to both businesses and consumers.
"As the use cases become more mainstream, these large companies will feed the adoption curve when they equip their employees with devices, and soon we'll be looking at multiple generations of emergent tech users," he added.
While there's much to be done in terms of ge ng big brands to see the value, we're closer than ever before.
"When you understand the end user's problems, you can solve real-world issues with solutions that are valuable and viable," remarked Lucky. With the same thought in his mind, Lucky and his brother Ash started an agency that quickly snowballed into completing digital solutions for clients such as HTC, Nissan, and Bose. As per Lucky, their success is largely due to the role that empathy played in our business strategy and process. Applying this mindset to XR has helped them conceptualize ways spatial experiences can fundamentally reshape users' lives and their relationship with technologyfor the better. This idea continues to inform the way Lucky and his team approach their work and the industry at large.
Riding the Tech Wave Raised in a world of hardware design and engineering, Lucky was always deeply aware that software exists in everything around us - from lights to doorbells to home appliances. When Google Cardboard first came out and he tried it, he was struck by the realization that immersion in 3D allows users to experience content in a whole new way.
-Lucky Gobindram
There's never been a be er me to enter the industry.
There are more companies that will listen and more users that already understand the u lity. Imagine a whole new world and take your vision to whomever will listen. If it's not possible today, it will be soon – the sky's the limit.
Video conferencing tools such as Zoom and Teams were usually the first to come to mind, but the world of AR/VR has ballooned as well. With renewed interest and investment from brands and consumers alike, these modes of communication have become more mainstream - especially as the technology itself has become more accessible (e.g., Meta's Oculus Quest 2). From more 3D models in online shopping to better VR meeting tools, we are seeing the transition of AR/VR from a niche gaming technology to a mainstream platform for day-to-day interactions.
The team at CXR expects e-commerce to become an integral part of the burgeoning metaverse, and with this in mind, they expect increased interest in retail virtualization services. Brands of every size and industry will have a need for XR commerce experiences that offer much more than traditional online shopping. Users will want to physically explore products and try on every kind of apparel - not just shoes, as we have largely seen on the likes of Snapchat.
With the coming generation of smart glasses and new headsets, it sees visual representations of ML and AI is used to understand user preferences and behaviors and make helpful recommendations in that respect.
A Bright Future Awaits
As a forward-thinking agency, CXR is already equipped with teams of AI and ML experts that can attack each project individually. Because its projects are tailored to the needs of each client, the team makes recommendations on a case-by-case basis.
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As wearables increase in accessibility and utility, CXR expects to scale its AR offerings to include applications that integrate with the real world in real time. Users will soon expect information to be brought to them based on their surroundings and what they are currently doing - whether it's on the street, in a store, or in the office.
The company is excited to explore the integration of AR and AI to create seamless experiences that make a real impact on users' lives, giving them the information they need to learn faster and make smarter decisions and Itpurchases.isalsoinvesting in a number of companies and technologies to help fortify the industry - from VR content creation tools like Masterpiece Studio Pro to VR driving simulators like Virtual Driver Interactive. A greater number of powerful platforms will increase adoption and, in turn, help users as well as CXR to convert their ideas into true applications.
At root, Vanishing Point is a production company working in a new space. Technology is the medium, not the message, but there is no doubt it is central to our mission. 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
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Shed some light on your offerings and how are these making an impact on the industry and your customers?
I n every walk of our personal and professional lives, we share stories to communicate, exchange information, and entertain. In recent years, advances in displays, capture technology, computer generated imagery, AI and more have transformed storytelling at a breakneck pace. Nowhere is this more true than in the field of Extended (or Virtual) Reality which promises an almost incomprehensible level of immersion. For obvious reasons, that promise is irresistible to storytellers and advertisers alike, and a bourgeoning class of companies are now rushing to the scene.
Founded in 2013, VPM is a full-service VR production house and a leading light in the field of XR narrative content creation. The company both develops its own content and provides technical expertise and script-toheadset production services for prestige clients like Banana Republic and Jimmy Kimmel, Live. When not immersed in production, BJ and Annie are in constant demand to speak at events ranging from VRLA to NAB to Oculus/Meta Connect, and the pages of Variety and Forbes magazine. We at Insights Success interviewed Annie and BJ to learn more about Vanishing Point Media's success story. Below are the interview highlights.
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Further, our collaborations with brands positioned throughout the entertainment industry have allowed VPM to develop some of the key workflows that are now staples of VR production and post-production. Its founders can be heard speaking at major industry events throughout the year, including VRLA, NAB in Las Vegas, Google Labs and Forbes magazine. We feel privileged to be raising the bar in this new and dynamic entertainment medium.
Please brief our audience about Vanishing Point Media, its USPs, and how it is currently positioned as a leading player in the Virtual Reality space
Vanishing Point Media, LLC (VPM), and it’s co-founders Annie Lukowski and BJ Schwartz have been blazing the path for XR creators for almost a decade.
Well, first and foremost, we're filmmakers and storytellers.
Founded in 2013, VPM has worked extensively in the extended reality (VR/AR) space creating original narrative content and VR commercials. We have been proud to work with incredible partners, and amazing brands from ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live to Toyota to Banana Republic – which sought out VPM to create and oversee the company's firstever foray into VR marketing. Collaborating with wonderful partners like these, VPM has become adept at working with scaling budgets on a wide variety of content.
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Our partnership started when we jokingly founded the "Annie and BJ Mutual Admiration Club" during film school at the University of Southern California. And this continued after graduation when BJ worked at Lionsgate and toured with his short film "Wolves in the Woods" while I headed to the digital side with branded entertainment at Funny or Die and Jeep. In 2014, the nascent but electrifying medium of VR entered the market; we both saw its potential and wanted to learn more. Of course, nothing in VR worked as advertised, particularly in the early days, but these challenges only spurred us on. In fact, it took us back to our heady film school days of schlepping gear, shooting on shoestring budgets, and learning about new ways to tell a story that was nothing short of electrifying. We were simply delighted to have the latitude to explore a medium that was so untested. There were no classes in VR storytelling – we were discovering the rules as we created –www.insightssuccess.com
We are proud that VPM has led the way in innovating new techniques in the XR space in terms of storytelling, advertising, and location-based installations. Whether we're working to help Toyota thrill its customers or assisting the ACLU to educate the citizenry – we are always aiming to hit the sweet spot between innovation, storytelling, and client service.
We are storytellers pushing the medium forward and filmmakers with the technical expertise to help others create top-tier content in this exciting new space.
Annie and BJ, please tell us about yourselves, your individual journeys in the industry, and how you both have contributed towards the company's success.
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Considering the current pandemic, what initial challenges did you face, and how did you drive your company to sustain operations while ensuring the safety of your employees at the same time? Like most film companies, we were on set when the call was made to shut down for what we thought was going to be "two weeks." It was a lot longer than two weeks, and we needed to pivot to develop and prepare our slate of other long-term projects. In short – except for an incredibly fun project with Jimmy Kimmel, the pandemic has been downtime for us in terms of VR production, and we have used that time to focus on development and several technology projects, which are currently a little top secret.
With the highly anticipated jump into the field by Apple and all the developments at Facebook – the XR space is very busy (though this work might be behind the curtain for most people). The initial buzz that came back in 2014 has (thankfully) worn off, but now that means real applications have room to enter the field. The cameras, stitching (which is the composting of all the lenses to make a one-360 image), and editing software have evolved quickly. The major missing element was distribution. Headsets were too heavy, too expensive, and not user-friendly enough for mass appeal. But now, for the first time, that is not true. There will be a flood to the market of headsets, and people will be yearning for content.
so we would break out our camera and learn by doing. Would something work? Film it, throw on a headset and see. That was all we had, and we loved it. Soon enough, we built our own vocabulary, which we could share with colleagues and discuss at panels and talks that were bubbling up around VR filmmaking. Being on the cutting edge is scary and very cool – but not necessarily in the ways you anticipate. Being an experienced leader in the VR field, share your opinion on where your industry is headed next. Well, that's a big, open question in a very, very volatile and developing industry. The first question we would have to ask is what you mean by "field." These days, people working in our circles refer to the medium as "XR" (or "Extended Reality") as that embraces both VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality). We have mostly worked in VR – which is the modality, like that seen in Ready Player One, where users put on a headset and enter a whole new world. "AR," on the other hand, is more like Tony Stark's glasses in Marvel – overlaying graphics and data over the world we already see. We agree that AR will be huge in coming years, but until consumers can get their hands on Stark's glasses – we are in a wait-and-see posture about some aspects of storytelling in that format. It's all just so new, and the tools are not quite ready for primetime in terms of camera-captured So,storytelling.interms of Vanishing Point – we think the immediate future holds a lot more "traditional" VR content creation with partners like ABC, Pow Entertainment, and the Banana Republic.
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Back in the beginning, we would often be asked what we thought the future of VR would look like: Would the fad wear off? We always said we are not worried about the future of VR; we are worried that kids might not be taking off their headsets.
Experiment a lot. Before your first real project. Visual storytelling is a language, and we have been immersed in the 2-D language of film and television from our earliest days. So, we come to the task of traditional filmmaking already unconsciously "fluent" in the language.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the VR Space?
It's easy to take that exposure for granted and think things are "intuitive" when they are informed by decades of engagement with a medium. Then you hit something like VR and find yourself learning the limits and possibilities of a new language as you are literally trying to create it. It's wild. Honestly - the only way to get good at it is to make something and then put the headset on and experience it yourself. And you have to do that over and over and over till you find just what works to elicit an emotion or draw attention in the 360-degree space. It is a joyful and sometimes painful process. And you cannot shortcut it; experience is everything. How do you envision scaling your company's operations and offerings in 2022 and beyond?
Disrupting theGaming and Entertainment Industry with Virtual Reality
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Now, as the entertainment and gaming industries are settled in and ready for the next disruption, it is time for Virtual Reality (VR) to take over to scale up the users’ experience and engage them like never before.
n the world of fiction, nothing is impossible. When it comes to fiction, the entertainment and gaming industries are the forerunners in exploring possibilities with the aid of technology. They are the ones who inspire the audience to delve into a scenario called “What If?” more realistically and more closely.
The First Steps of VR Many may think that VR technology is a concept from the st21 century, but they may be amazed by the fact that it was invented in the 1960s. The world’s first immersive device is widely recognized as the Sensorama , introduced by Morton Heilig in 1962. It was a machine that had a builtin seat, played 3D movies, gave off odors, and generated vibrations to make the experience as vivid as possible.
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Ever since the world’s first-ever (short) film was released by the Lumière brothers in Paris on December 28th, 1895, the idea of storytelling has evolved beyond imagination. The evolving video format keeps on giving the audience the thrills of a story more than ever before. In addition, the rapidly popularizing video games are fulfilling people’s hunger for adventure from the comforts of their homes and allowing them to be the hero of the story.
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The Need for VR Today, the entertainment and gaming industries have become significant parts of people’s lives globally. With the help of advanced technologies and visual effects (VFX), these industries are bringing enormously overwhelming experiences to the audience’s senses.
Naturally, the yearning for more brought a new solution into the picture called Virtual Reality. It is widely accepted as the next step in the evolution of both industries.
Fast forward to 2022, the computer-generated environment of VR now enables users to perceive the objects and scenes appearing in it as real, making the user think and feel that they are immersed in those scenes appearing on | April 2022 www.insightssuccess.com
While the entertainment and gaming industries have made the experience of entertainment as real as it could be, the audience still craves more as they desire to interact with the world of the story.
the screens. The virtual reality environment can be experienced with the help of devices known as Virtual Reality Headsets or Helmets.
All in all, it can be said that the enhanced engagement capability offered by VR technology can significantly change the face of gaming and the entertainment industry. It has huge potential to be the next big revenue generator in the industry. www.insightssuccess.com
The Game-changing Role of VR
The age of VR technology is just beginning in the entertainment and gaming industries. According to research, the revenue from virtual and augmented reality stood at $22.1 billion in the year 2020, and it is estimated to reach a whopping $161.1 billion by 2025, which is a 48.8% CAGR within just five years. As the front runners in adopting the VR technology, the gaming and entertainment industry is expected to generate a massive chunk of that projected revenue.
To this limitation, VR technology is seen to be a concrete solution. Many large-scale entertainment and gaming companies are jumping into the VR movement to take the user’s engagement to the next level.
VR Transforming the Gaming and Entertainment Industry
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The Bottom Line Life is the game, and you are the player. Most of you may have heard this saying. With VR, entertainment and gaming, one can get as realistic as real life, allowing many to immerse themselves in the world of fiction and engage with the compelling content. The more the content becomes engaging and responsive, the better it will generate demands in the market.
VR technology is steadily becoming popular among gamers, resulting in the rising demand for VR headsets in the market. Major tech companies worldwide are actively working towards developing mobile devices and apps that enable users to easily plug into the virtual environment. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the demand for enjoying games and entertainment safely from home while being connected with the world on a virtual basis. The wide availability of VR-capable mobile devices has opened the gates of opportunity for the entertainment and gaming industries to expand their horizons by bringing realworld events to the virtual environment. With this invention, people can effortlessly attend events that are happening miles away from their homes and get the actual feeling of being present at the venue.
The biggest advantage of VR in the gaming and entertainment industries is its capability to engage users in the virtual environment deeply. Since every story and game can have its own environment, the experience that can be gained from it is as unlimited as the imagination itself.
The entertainment and gaming industries are in deep need of technology that improves user retention and attention. The digital world is full of attention-fetching content. In this scenario, users are often distracted from one platform to another within a very short span of time. Digital world is giving entertainment and gaming companies its deserving attention, but sustaining it is the real challenge.
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Amy Kenigsberg is COO and Co-founder of K2 Global Communications, an inbound content, PR, and social media marketing agency. Her intuitive grasp of technology and her inherent understanding of technology let her translate the how what and whys of solutions into clearly focused "What's-in-it-for-me" communications. She spent the early part of her career as a journalist, so she understands the needs of the media. Nicknamed 'the bulldog' by a client, she's renowned for her tenacity in reaching your target audiences. When not at the of ice, she's reading, exercising, and managing a family of ive. Amy holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and an MBA from the University of Kansas. About the Author
The answer is goal setting, and more specifically - SMART goals setting. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
• Use vague, confusing, and big-picture language. Mix up dreams and solid, realistic, measurable, timelineoriented goals (or luck with real effort). www.insightssuccess.com
• Align goals with overarching organizational goals.
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• Save time because all activities will be goal-oriented.
One of the most difficult marketing tasks, it is, nevertheless, the one effort that can help marketers focus, get motivated to succeed, and prove just how successful they are.
• Determine which data collection protocols to use to reach your marketing goals.
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SMART goals ground your marketing hopes and dreams in reality, control your team’s work direction, and provide the benchmarks for future marketing plans.
SMART is more than just an acronym; it’s a proven goalsetting framework that helps companies and individuals set and achieve realistic objectives. Do SMART goals really work? An article by Clifford Chi in HubSpot mentions a study in which 76 percent of the participants who actually wrote down their goals, the actions they took to achieve those goals, and weekly progress reports achieved said goals - 33 percent higher than those who didn’t bother to put them to paper. He also details a US poll he conducted with roughly 300 respondents in which 52 percent said using a SMART framework helped them achieve their goals more often than if they didn’t use such a framework.
• Give your smart goals meaning and value for the customer.
• Be clear, specific, and granular, even if you have to overdo it.
• Know the exact roadmap toward your goal - and when/where the finish line will be.
Ten reasons why SMART marketing goals are so effective:
HowSMART GoalsMakefora SmarterMarketingStrategy
hen only 61% of marketers believe their marketing strategy is effective, and 58% of marketers are struggling to target or segment their audience, it behoves you to ask: How can marketers get smarter about marketing strategy?
• Create team cohesion by working toward a unified purpose.
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• Avoid failure by setting too general or too-unrealistic goals. Do’s and don'ts to help you start the journey of your SMART goals Writer’s block can impact even the best professional wordsmiths, so here are a few pointers that'll help you overcome that hurdle as you do your SMART goal writing exercises: Do:
• Use active words that entice readers to act - words like start, deliver, cut, speed up.
Prioritize tasks and increase team productivity.
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Help your team become more organized and make their progress more trackable.
• Write SMART goals that reflect where you want to take your brand/company.
• Provide clear direction and sharpen focus.
Don't:
• Include reasonable KPIs that are neither too high nor too low.
• Be ambitious but also realistic.
Evaluate the success of your efforts and lessons learned in terms of strengths and areas for improvement.
• Achieve clear communication and a more aligned and motivated team who knows how their individual efforts contribute to a larger goal.
5. Grow market share for your top product line be 10 percent in the NE market in 1 year.
1. Cut down operational costs by ten percent by moving to a more affordable area.
Examples: 5 SMART goals for business development
3. Develop a marketing plan for a new product in 4 weeks.
2. Increase customer response time by 50 percent by increasing trained personnel from five to ten.
3. Improve operational efficiency by automating three major production processes.
• Be afraid of failure to reach your goal; instead, plan on how you can go around roadblocks. • Confuse ‘wish,’ ‘want,’ or ‘desire’ with a goal that you clearly intend to attain. • Make too large or too broad a goal - smaller, more specific objectives are more likely to be achieved. • Lose sight of your core business. • Forget the importance of prioritization to avoid being overwhelmed. Examples: Five SMART goals for small businesses 1. Increase positive customer reviews by 25 percent in 12 months. 2. Increase sales cold calls by 5 percent within six months.
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4. Take control of finances by paying off 50 percent of business debt in 24 months.
4. Increase potential bank customers by opening up five new branches in underserved areas.
Time-bound: Three-month timeframe.
Relevant: More webinar signups mean more sales leads and potentially more closed sales. Time-bound: By the day of the webinar (two months).
Your SMART first step: Sign up with a provensuccessful marketing agency
Attainable: With a newly approved budget, we can add two more members to our customer support team and increase Relevant:training.
Attainable: The previous webinar saw a 10% increase in signups with a Facebook-only promotion.
Increased customer satisfaction promotes the company's stated goal of customer retention and, subsequently, better sales.
5. Reduce employee turnover from 15 percent to five percent through improved training and new reward systems. Bonus tips It’s not enough to set SMART goals; you also have to increase the likelihood of achieving them. Here’s how: •Set goals you can control - or at least ones your department can control •Make sure your goals can adapt to fit changing market situations or business environments •Track your goals and connect them to your team’s daily •Shareoutputyour SMART goals with other project and company stakeholders •Establish regular problem-solving meetings •Create marketing goals that complement, not detract from, each other •Align your SMART goals with your marketing budget •Make sure your team members have the resources to achieve your SMART goals SMART goal examples of living by If you’re still unsure how to adapt the SMART goals framework to your business - these examples - of SMART vs. Not-So-Smart goals - can help: SMART goals for your blog Not-so-smart Goal -Increase blog readership.
SMART goals for your webinar signups
SMART Specific:GoalAchieve a 25% increase in signups via promotion in social media, email, website, and blogs.
SMART Specific:GoalAchieve an 80% to 90% customer satisfaction rate in three Measurable:months.Metrics - customer satisfaction score, postservice customer surveys.
Time-bound: End of the month. SMART goals for your customer support team Not-so-smart Goal -Make more customers happy.
Not-so-smart Goal - Get more people to sign up.
Measurable: Metrics – the percentage of your social media/blog/web site's visitors and email recipients that sign up in response to your marketing campaign.
The marketing strategy is the heart and soul of your campaign - directly impacting the way you run your business and setting the overall direction of your marketing efforts. It needs to be focused, well-planned, well-informed, comprehensive, measurable, and medium- to long-term. The critical first step is identifying your goals. Make your job easier by partnering with a marketing expert who can help you align these goals with your overall business objectives, super-target them to make it easier to measure success, and ensure they meet the SMART criteria for goal-setting – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-limited. www.insightssuccess.com
SMART Specific:GoalAchieve a 10% increase in traffic by increasing publishing frequency from three posts per week to five posts per Measurable:week.Metric - total visits to a blog post.
Attainable: Our blog writer can write three instead of two posts per week, while our editor can add two posts to her editing Relevant:duties.Our overall marketing objective is to generate more sales leads for our new app. The more blogs dealing with our app benefits and uses, the greater the traffic and sales opportunities.
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