In the ever-evolving landscape of branding, the ability to tell compelling stories is what sets great brands apart. However, as audiences become more tech-savvy and demand deeper engagement, traditional media often falls short.
At Admind, we’ve been exploring how VR and AR can elevate brand storytelling, not just as flashy gimmicks, but as meaningful, immersive experiences. From creating 3D environments to leveraging AI for predictive analytics, these technologies are opening up new creative possibilities—and new challenges. Here’s how we’re approaching VR/AR projects and what we’ve learned along the way.
The Purpose of VR/AR: Beyond the Wow Factor
The first question we ask when embarking on a VR/AR project is: What’s the story we want to tell, and why does it need to be immersive?
For example, imagine a luxury watch brand that wants to showcase its heritage. Instead of a traditional ad campaign, we could create a VR experience where users step into a virtual atelier, interact with watch components, and even customize their own design in real time. The goal isn’t just to impress—it’s to create an emotional connection that stays long after the headset comes off.
Similarly, AR experiences can transform everyday interactions. Think of a robotic and automation brand offering a virtual product presentation in fine detail on a smartphone app or a furniture company letting customers visualize how a sofa would look in their living room. These experiences aren’t just fun—they solve real problems and build trust.
Where Do These Experiences Live?
One of the biggest challenges with VR/AR is accessibility. Not everyone owns a high-end VR headset, and not every brand has the budget for a massive trade show installation. That’s why we design experiences with the audience’s context in mind:
- Personal Devices: Smartphones are the most accessible medium. With WebAR, users can engage with AR experiences directly through their browsers—no app download required. For VR, entry-level headsets like the Meta Quest 3 or Pico Neo 4 make it possible to bring immersive experiences into people’s homes.
- Public Installations: For high-impact moments, we design experiences for trade shows, pop-up exhibitions, or retail spaces. For instance, a car brand might use mixed reality (XR) to let visitors explore the inner workings of a new engine model.
The key is to balance ambition with practicality. By focusing on platforms that reduce friction, we can reach wider audiences without compromising on creativity.
The Creative Disciplines Behind Immersive Experiences
Creating a VR/AR experience is a multidisciplinary effort. Here’s how we break it down:
1. 3D Design & Environment Building
At the heart of every VR/AR project is the environment and the objects inside it. Whether it’s a virtual showroom or an AR-enhanced cityscape, the space needs to feel real and engaging. Tools like Cinema4D and Unreal Engine are essential for crafting these worlds, while AI-powered platforms like NVIDIA Omniverse enable real-time collaboration across teams.
We’re also experimenting with AI-generated 3D assets. Tools like OpenAI’s Point-E (https://openai.com/index/point-e/) or BackflipAI (https://backflip.ai/) allow us to quickly prototype objects, saving time and resources.
2. Narrative Design & AI Scripting
Storytelling in VR/AR is different from traditional media. Instead of linear narratives, we create branching stories that adapt to user choices – things can go even beyond that, users can decide not to follow any of the storyline, and that’s ok too. This is where AI tools like GPT-4 come in handy—they help us generate dynamic dialogue and explore multiple narrative paths.
Using new AI Voice over (https://elevenlabs.io/) which allows us to create realistic, human-like voices almost costlessly, we can experiment in a way never allowed before. But using artificial voices is one side of the coin.
The natural voice recognition and real-time discussion capabilities with objects and the interface itself provided by today’s AI technology (e.g., advanced speech from OpenAI) allow for a new level of immersion and for making AR and VR solutions more accessible to people with impairments. This subject has always been a big obstacle to technology adoption, and now, thanks to natural verbal communication, it can finally be overcome.
3. Behavioral Prediction & Personalization
One of the most exciting aspects of VR/AR is the ability to track user behavior in real time. By analyzing eye movement and interaction patterns, we can tailor experiences to individual preferences.
For instance, in a gamified brand experience, we might adjust the difficulty level based on how quickly a user completes tasks. Or, in a virtual store, we could rearrange products to highlight items the user is most likely to buy.
4. Democratizing Production
Thanks to AI, sophisticated tools are becoming more accessible. No-code platforms like Spline and Unity, and Unreal Engine allow designers to create immersive experiences without needing to code. Meanwhile, AI tools like ElevenLabs for voiceovers and Runway ML for visual effects are making it easier to produce high-quality content on a budget.
We see this as a major opportunity to engage new designers in this type of project. The different disciplines are starting to blur, and those previously working exclusively on video and animation can now expand their field and contribute to the immersive experience. This means better results, better stories, and, above all, a better experience for the user.
Challenges and Watchouts
Of course, VR/AR isn’t without its challenges. Here are some of the key issues we’ve encountered – and how we have addressed them:
– Fragmented UX/UI: Unlike traditional media, VR/AR lacks standardized design paradigms. To solve this, we focus on intuitive gestures (like pinch-to-zoom in AR) and conduct extensive user testing across devices. This is a very broad topic, and some standardization also needs to be done by platform providers such as Google, Met,a and Apple.
– Hardware Limitations: Not everyone has access to high-end equipment. That’s why we prioritize experiences that work on smartphones and entry-level headsets.
– User Fatigue: VR can be overwhelming if sessions are too long. We aim for experiences that last no more than 15 minutes, with frequent breaks.
– Limited accessibility: we must take into account users who may have some difficulty operating in a complex, multi-sensory environment. We need to keep in mind the possibility of alternative interaction through additional controllers or simplified navigation.
– Ethical Concerns: Tracking user behavior raises privacy issues. We anonymize data and ensure transparency about how information is used.
The Future of Immersive Branding
As VR/AR technologies continue to evolve, we’re excited about the possibilities. AI-driven avatars could serve as virtual brand ambassadors. As tools become more democratized, smaller brands will be able to compete with industry giants and create brand awareness and memorable user experiences.
At Admind, we believe the future of branding lies in human-centric storytelling. By combining cutting-edge technology with timeless creative principles, we can craft experiences that resonate on a deeper level and leave a lasting impression.