Discovering market potential for virtual reality as a marketing communication tool for B2B clients
Ryynänen, Juho (2018)
Lataukset:
Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu
2018
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201802162524
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201802162524
Tiivistelmä
This thesis is quantitative research of the market potential for virtual reality as a marketing communication tool targeted at McCann Finland Oy’s clientele and other potential clients of different lines of businesses.
Virtual reality has been around since late the 1980’s but has taken leaps during the past few years. Virtual reality as a marketing communication tool has not been used considerably much and is likely at a so-called early adopters stage. The research studies virtual reality as an innovation looks into its attributes and examines the characteristics of potential target markets.
The theoretical framework consists of technology adoption, disruptive innovations, and diffusion of innovations. To identify the potential users, the author delved into the characteristics of different technology adopter classes. As virtual reality is disrupted innovation by nature, the most probable users are early adopters. Early adopters are visionaries by their characteristics and have the readiness to take the risk of being first to use the technology to get strategic leverage over the competition.
The research method was primary quantitative research implemented as an online questionnaire and secondary research that consisted of scientific articles, websites, surveys, and books. The results present key findings and conclusions in the thesis.
The study revealed that knowledge of virtual reality was rather comprehensive as more than half of the respondents had personal experiences of it and most knew the concept. Most respondents also saw the potential of virtual reality in marketing and the majority believes in virtual reality as a part of people’s everyday lives.
Based on primary research the organizations’ technology adoption habits among the respondents were divided mostly between early adopters, visionaries and early majority, pragmatists. Pragmatists are not likely to adopt virtual reality as a marketing communication tool in a first stage due to lack of references. The significant difference between early adopters and early majority is that the latter one is reference driven.
Overall, there is distinct interest in virtual reality as a marketing communication tool. However, not all respondents were ready to engage virtual reality in their marketing efforts, at least not before it has proven efficient. It is recommended to commence virtual reality marketing efforts and establish a reference base for majority markets. It would be recommendable to established efforts with similar clients to gain expertise in the narrow field first, due to a learning curve and possible up-scale after that.
The study also revealed that organizations are interested in more targeted marketing overall.
Virtual reality has been around since late the 1980’s but has taken leaps during the past few years. Virtual reality as a marketing communication tool has not been used considerably much and is likely at a so-called early adopters stage. The research studies virtual reality as an innovation looks into its attributes and examines the characteristics of potential target markets.
The theoretical framework consists of technology adoption, disruptive innovations, and diffusion of innovations. To identify the potential users, the author delved into the characteristics of different technology adopter classes. As virtual reality is disrupted innovation by nature, the most probable users are early adopters. Early adopters are visionaries by their characteristics and have the readiness to take the risk of being first to use the technology to get strategic leverage over the competition.
The research method was primary quantitative research implemented as an online questionnaire and secondary research that consisted of scientific articles, websites, surveys, and books. The results present key findings and conclusions in the thesis.
The study revealed that knowledge of virtual reality was rather comprehensive as more than half of the respondents had personal experiences of it and most knew the concept. Most respondents also saw the potential of virtual reality in marketing and the majority believes in virtual reality as a part of people’s everyday lives.
Based on primary research the organizations’ technology adoption habits among the respondents were divided mostly between early adopters, visionaries and early majority, pragmatists. Pragmatists are not likely to adopt virtual reality as a marketing communication tool in a first stage due to lack of references. The significant difference between early adopters and early majority is that the latter one is reference driven.
Overall, there is distinct interest in virtual reality as a marketing communication tool. However, not all respondents were ready to engage virtual reality in their marketing efforts, at least not before it has proven efficient. It is recommended to commence virtual reality marketing efforts and establish a reference base for majority markets. It would be recommendable to established efforts with similar clients to gain expertise in the narrow field first, due to a learning curve and possible up-scale after that.
The study also revealed that organizations are interested in more targeted marketing overall.