Virtual Reality - a new world of marketing
At the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne, visitors can experience the construction of the two Gotthard rail tunnels and the Ticino region up close with a 3D virtual reality application. A different world whose possibilities could also give marketing a new direction.
On March 23, the Responsive agency celebrated a groundbreaking premiere with Ticino Turismo and invited guests in the presence of Federal Councilor Doris Leuthard and presenter Christa Rigozzi at Switzerland's most visited museum. At the new special exhibition "NRLA - Gateway to the South", visitors may take a seat on one of the three VR stations and experience an impressive journey through space and time in a particularly detailed 360° world.
Responsive, an agency specializing in online, mobile and VR applications, designed the entire on-site VR presence for the client and guest at the Museum of Transport Ticino Turismo and designed and implemented the application in-house - 100% Swiss Made. The stations were built in style with discarded original SBB lounge car seats by object builder Cyrus Schwabe also completely in Switzerland. The extremely powerful PCs from Brentford are built into the bases of the chairs as well as into the cases, so that they are invisible, just like the sensor for head tracking and all cables. To give visitors an impression of what to expect after putting on the Oculus glasses, Responsive also realized an animated film for the info screen.
The application refers to the campaign "Discover the other side" of Ticino Turismo for the opening of the Gotthard base tunnel in 2016. After the visitors are shown the construction of the two Gotthard railroad tunnels by means of impressive 3D animations with 360° view, they dive - typically blinded by the sun during the tunnel exit - into the wonderful landscapes and well-known highlights of Ticino. After arriving in Bellinzona, for example, they enjoy a private screening at the Festival del film Locarno - the entire Piazza Grande has been recreated in 3D for this purpose. A short time later, after a picnic on Monte San Giorgio, you find yourself in a hot air balloon next to San Salvatore high above Lago di Lugano with a correspondingly spectacular view, then in a typical Ticino grotto and finally, after about five and a half minutes and further highlights, at the literal final bouquet on a boat in the bay of Lugano. The appropriate audio effects and animations underscore the intense experience.
On Rr.ticino.ch you can download the complete application. With VR glasses and the appropriate hardware, you can also enjoy Ticino from home. A reduced version due to hardware limitations - without 3D animations - for mobile VR glasses, such as the Google Cardboard available in the museum store, also works directly in the browser and without additional downloads. This is also considered a technical milestone. Last but not least, a desktop version is available for those who do not yet own VR glasses.
Skillfully used, VR is suitable for various purposes. Patrik Marty, Managing Partner at Responsive explains the almost unlimited possibilities for a new brand experience: " For example, we can take the end consumers on a virtual company and production tour, let them learn applications in a playful way or show them a real preview with detailed views up close. As for Ticino Turismo, we also like to turn the wheel of time, break boundaries and make history come alive in the now."
Responsible at Ticino Turismo: Elia Frapolli (Tourism Director), Manuela Nicoletti (Country Manager Switzerland), Luca Preto (Online Manager). Responsible at Responsive: Tuan Nguyen and Patrik Marty (both Managing Partners).
The exhibition and the virtual reality application can be experienced until October 23 at the Museum of Transport in Lucerne and at any time at Responsive.
Read more about Virtual Reality (incl. interview with Patrik Marty and Tuan Nguyen) in the print edition of Werbewoche, publication on April 15, 2016.
