Bath Spa University launches sector-development company to support VR and AR marketing

Dr Matthew Freeman, Reader in Multiplatform Media at Bath Spa University (@BathSpaUni), has founded Immersive Promotion Design Ltd, a new marketing consultancy for the world of Extended Reality. It supports Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) businesses to better communicate with their audiences about the power of immersive content. 

The company builds on sector-development research funded by StoryFutures Academy and Bristol+Bath Creative R+D, and is the first spin-off business for the University’s Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries. 

The initiative brings together expertise from Bath Spa University, the BBC VR Hub, Limina Immersive, StoryCentral, Raucous and beyond. Last year the research team partnered with The National Gallery, Anagram and Studio McGuire to build research-led and audience-tested promotional campaigns for live VR and AR experiences. This led to the creation of new promotional strategies, prototypes, industry bibles and teaching resources for how immersive experiences can be better marketed to today’s audiences.

Talking about Immersive Promotion Design Ltd’s success so far, Matthew said:

“Many people have recognised the enormous potential of immersive technologies like virtual and augmented reality to transform the creative industries as we know them. Up until now, however, the immersive sector has struggled to reach bigger, more mainstream audiences – the kinds of people used to streaming Netflix but not yet interested in VR headsets.

“The challenge is obvious: How do you communicate the magic of being in a VR experience via social media, posters and trailers? Immersive Promotion Design Ltd. provides a step towards establishing a new promotional language for VR and AR, opening the door to a bigger, more diverse immersive audience. We are very excited to see where this journey takes us.”