The Digital Media Technology

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Digital Media Technology
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Introduction:
The essay acknowledges one of the upcoming trends of digital media industry along with
the mention of its influence and outcome on consumers, society and the brands. Digital media
leads to the transfer of digitized content through computer networks, internet and the different
electronic devices. This include digital image, websites, social media and audio and video
games. Companies that invests and participates in digital media industry includes Microsoft,
Amazon, YouTube, Google, Blizzard, Yahoo and Snap chat. The essay will focus on the growth
of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) as one of the upcoming trends of the
digital media industry along with a mention of how the trend will impact the society at large. AR
and VR is gradually becoming an upcoming trend with digital media that allows the brands in
crafting experience, engage the customers and encourage the conversions in an interesting
manner.
Discussion:
Future Opportunities and Upcoming Trend for Development of Digital Media
In digital media industry when it particularly comes to marketing then engaging the
customers and raising the brand awareness is vital. New technology for achieving this has been
considered as an upcoming trend. In this regard, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)
will be considered as the untapped resources compared to the traditional platforms. This
upcoming trend is not only promising and curious but is on a steady rise. Presently, VR happens
to be used by close to 43 million people with expectations of the amount to rise to about
171million.

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However, the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality is blurred. Virtual
reality (VR) represents computer generated impressive experience where an artificial three
dimensional environment is usually simulated and interacted as though they are a reality
(Fernández-Palacios, Morabito and Remondino 2017). For instance, piloting aircrafts to the
setting of foot on the Mars, VR is able to create an illusion of impossible from comfort of the
home. On the other hand augmented reality (AR) is the view towards the current world with the
help of computer generated superimposed graphics thus creating interaction between real world
and the virtual information (FitzGerald et al. 2013).
The trend of augmented and virtual reality will enable the digital media industry to move
from a state of observation to a state of immersion. In fact, the trend will put across a newer
creative medium (Hassan and Jung 2018.). This will lead to the replacement of the rectilinear
devices with the advanced technologies that will depict the worlds in increasing concentric
circles that will provide level of experience and immersion never experienced previously. This
will act as a game changer that will allow the users to no longer follow the content but place
themselves within an expanding virtual world and discover themselves at center thereby
providing a justification to immersive nature of technology.
The virtual and augmented reality will also help in reducing the production cost in any
creative activities undertaken by the digital media industry. Virtual prototyping will allow the
shortening of time and the iteration cost related to product development while improving quality
of end product (Rüßmann et al. 2015). Wider use of the virtual prototyping will allow the
companies in reducing number of expensive prototypes required while causing a decrease in the
timeline ranging from conceptual design to commercialization and production.

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The trend of augmented and virtual reality will also empower the digital media industry
for producing quality content at a lower cost. It will also have lower entry barriers for the new
creators. The existence of technology helps in processing 360 degree imagery within matter of
few hours (Scholz and Duffy 2018).
This trend can also act as tool for cognitive enhancement and empathy and will have the
power to transform the digital media into an empathy machine. It has been found that the
immersive technologies like the augmented and virtual reality will help us in feeling closer to the
global issues like humanitarian crises thus enabling a kind of telepresence that will help in
evoking empathy. In addition to this, the VR and AR will put across immersive experience in
learning. Besides, the instant gamified learning, the VR and the AR biosensors has been
harnessed in the therapeutic domains.
Influence and Outcomes of the Trends on brand, Consumers and Society
As far as the brand is concerned, the upcoming trends will make the brand look better
(King 2017). Gone are days when the people would question about VR and the obscurity of the
AR. Now consumers look forward to the presence of VR and AR as effective sign for the
strength and innovation of the brand. This new enthusiasm is allowing the marketers to recognize
the VR and the AR technologies as a vital in setting them apart from the other business. The
experience of new reality makes it unique compared to the traditional forms of the advertising
and marketing since the customers remains attracted to excitement of VR and AR thereby
seeking it instead of blocking it. In fact, VR helps in changing the dynamics between the
consumers and the brand. Increasing number of consumers are looking out for VR brand
experiences which implies that the engagement rates might improve as the people approaches the

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brand. On the other hand, AR allows the consumers in trying the brands even before they are
bought. Distinguishing the brand using the VR provides it with a competitive advantage.
Marketers embracing the technology is now able to innovate and test newer tactics. The brands
will remain in forefront when VR and AR becomes a norm in the digital media industry. Not
only does the brand have a better look but they also result in a feel good factor for the
consumers. This is because, the trend allows the consumer to get closer to the brand.
These trends also allows the marketers in building the consumer trust by portraying
backend of the things thereby showing the consumers their journey in getting the products into
the hands. This step allows the consumers in not only experiencing the products than before but
at the same time provide the digital marketer with important information regarding customer
experience. With the continuous popularity of VR and AR, marketing will be consumer focused.
When it comes to meeting the consumer needs, VR and AR technology contributes
towards meeting the newer customer needs (Mekni and Lemieux 2014). The rise of the VR and
AR has responded to the new needs of the digital age. The emergence of Smartphones, has
enabled everyone to experience VR and AR quite easily. The convenience provided helps VR
and AR technology to establish a permanent position in the tech world. The technologies allows
the consumers to experience a new brand by completely immersing in experience without much
of an effort. This particular space within the market will enable the new technology to curve a
niche with the power to cater for the experience without action. From meetings to the online
shopping, the increasing popularity of the VR and AR removes need for the physical action that
favors efficiency and time and the other traditional means.

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The new reality puts forward new means of storytelling for the society. VR and AR acts
as a storytelling tool as it allows the consumers to get the ultimate feel about the brands (Bucher
2017). In fact, the immersive experience that both of them provides leads to a greater means of
storytelling. The essence of the technology lies in the notion that they allow the brands in taking
the consumers in a journey that bonds them into a personalized relationship with brands. While
using the trends in digital marketing for telling a story then the brands should keep in mind that
they only represent the storyteller and it is the consumer who remains in control of how they
might interact with product. The marketers must make use of one of the best audio and visual
cues for getting consumers in interacting with products in the manner they are supposed to. The
new technologies are able to turn simplicity of the traditional storytelling into a multi-
dimensional and exciting experience. Audience can experience the brand within the virtual world
rather than forcing them in going through the text.
Conclusion:
On a concluding note, it can be said that the upcoming trends of VR and AR plays crucial
role in marketing via digital media. Marketing is all about knowing the needs of the audience
such that they can be provided with a greater using experience. The continuous evolution of the
digital base also brings about a change in the ways one interact with the customer base. The
essay puts across that virtual reality in digital media allows companies in bridging gaps between
the experience and the action. VR can be implemented to put across digital experience in place
of the physical one that promotes the products and the service. On the other hand, AR will acts as
the driving force behind innovation and sales in next decade. By making use of AR, businesses
will remain in a position to upgrade experience offered to the customers thereby resulting in
enhanced sales and business opportunities.

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References:
Bucher, J., 2017. Storytelling for virtual reality: methods and principles for crafting immersive
narratives. Routledge.
Fernández-Palacios, B.J., Morabito, D. and Remondino, F., 2017. Access to complex reality-
based 3D models using virtual reality solutions. Journal of cultural heritage, 23, pp.40-48.
FitzGerald, E., Ferguson, R., Adams, A., Gaved, M., Mor, Y. and Thomas, R., 2013. Augmented
reality and mobile learning: the state of the art. International Journal of Mobile and Blended
Learning (IJMBL), 5(4), pp.43-58.
Hassan, A. and Jung, T., 2018. Augmented reality as an emerging application in tourism
marketing education. In Virtual and Augmented Reality: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and
Applications (pp. 1702-1720). IGI Global.
King, K.W., 2017. Special topics session: using virtual reality to tell brand stories: the state of
the art and future directions. In American Academy of Advertising. Conference. Proceedings
(Online) (p. 94). American Academy of Advertising.
Mekni, M. and Lemieux, A., 2014. Augmented reality: Applications, challenges and future
trends. Applied Computational Science, pp.205-214.
Rüßmann, M., Lorenz, M., Gerbert, P., Waldner, M., Justus, J., Engel, P. and Harnisch, M.,
2015. Industry 4.0: The future of productivity and growth in manufacturing industries. Boston
Consulting Group, 9(1), pp.54-89.

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Scholz, J. and Duffy, K., 2018. We ARe at home: How augmented reality reshapes mobile
marketing and consumer-brand relationships. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 44,
pp.11-23.