So since I restarted this blog a couple of weeks ago, I have been periodically looking around for examples of simulations used for product advertising. By ‘simulation’, I mean more than point and click on a hotspot. Basically, I have come up blank, except for the feeling that I might find something if I continue to search for online or virtual product demos. This leads me to wonder a few things, which I will continue to ponder as I do a more comprehensive job of seeing what’s out there.
- What types of products are best for virtual product demos? My feeling is that all but the simplest of devices could benefit from virtual product demos. Readers of my blog (hi Mom!) will know that when I say ‘demo’, I think the most effective form is in a simulated scenario in which the product is used, as opposed to a 3D rendering of the product or a demo that just has hotspots you click on.
- Where would I most likely find interactive product demos? 15 years ago there was a budding industry in virtual conferences. I thought this would be the perfect place. I even demonstrated in a Fire Safety virtual conference how popular virtual product demos could be (“The results are in from the virtual trade show“, but of course my example was a speck. At the sake of being immodest, I think what I accomplished there, in which I could control the demo remotely, was a distinct advantage that people do not recognize. Today, I see there are a couple of companies out there still doing virtual conferences, but the exhibitor ‘booths’ seem to allow only basic multimedia content. I guess I shouldn’t expect that the conference organizers would be promoting simulations.
- What area of marketing would this fit in? I have to investigate this. While the term ‘content marketing’ still survives 10 or so years on, I don’t think it quite fits there.
- Why are true interactive product demos not prevalent? The obvious answers for this have to revolve around cost of production, ROI, but most importantly, a lack of real-world examples with documented business results.