Imagine pointing your phone at a product and seeing it placed in your own room, or putting on a headset to tour a holiday destination before booking. These are examples of immersive advertising using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). This article, first written for 2025, looks at how AR and VR are being used in advertising, how they relate to physical displays such as LED screens, and the challenges brands should plan for.
AR overlays digital content on the real world, usually through a phone camera or smart glasses. VR places the user in a fully virtual environment through a headset. Both are different from large LED screens, which show content to everyone nearby without any device. LED screens can still support immersive campaigns, for example with QR codes that open an AR experience on pedestrians’ phones, or with forced-perspective (“3D-looking”) video content.
Table of Contents
Immersive Storytelling as a Frontier for Brand Engagement
AR and VR let consumers take part in a brand’s story instead of only watching it, for example trying on products virtually, exploring a virtual showroom, or playing a branded game. Done well, these experiences can be memorable. They work best when they are simple to start, useful to the user and closely tied to the product.
Common applications include:
- Virtual showrooms for cars and real estate.
- AR filters and effects for social media campaigns.
- Gamified experiences that combine entertainment with brand storytelling.
Results vary widely by campaign, audience and execution, so measure your own campaign against a baseline. Useful measures include:
| Metric |
How to measure |
| Engagement |
Share of people who start and complete the experience |
| Brand Recall |
Surveys comparing exposed and unexposed groups |
| Time Spent |
Session length from the app or platform analytics |
Bridging the Gap Between Physical and Digital Spaces with AR and VR
AR can connect physical places with digital content, for example furniture-placement apps that show how a product would look at home, or virtual tours of a showroom. This can make advertising feel more like a useful service than an interruption.
Elements that support this:
- Two-way interaction: Users choose what to explore, and brands can learn which features interest them, with appropriate privacy notices and consent.
- Location-based content: Experiences linked to specific places, such as a store or event, where users have agreed to share location.
- Storytelling: Narratives that connect people to the brand.
| Feature |
Use for Consumers |
| 360° Virtual Tours |
Explore destinations, properties or products before committing |
| Try-on Features |
Preview clothing, eyewear or cosmetics virtually |
| Interactive Ads |
Engage with gamified content |
Crafting Personalized Consumer Journeys through Immersive Advertising
AR and VR can let brands tailor experiences to user choices, such as trying products in different colours or exploring the sections of a virtual store a user is interested in. Personalisation should be based on what users choose to share, with clear privacy notices, consent where required, data minimisation and secure storage.
Elements of effective AR and VR campaigns include:
- Context: Relevant to the place, time or user’s choices.
- Easy Interaction: Simple controls that let users explore at their own pace.
- Story-Driven Environments: Narratives that reflect the brand.
- Gamification: Entertainment elements, used in moderation.
| Technology |
Role in Advertising |
| AR |
Product visualisation in the real world |
| VR |
Fully immersive brand storytelling |
| LED screens |
Shared, device-free visuals in public spaces, with QR links to AR experiences where appropriate |
Overcoming Challenges and Ensuring Accessibility in the AR and VR Landscape
Accessibility is a real challenge for AR and VR. Inclusive design considers people with disabilities, older audiences and those with limited technical experience. Alternative interaction methods such as voice commands, and adjustable settings such as text size, contrast and audio, help more people take part. VR can also cause motion sickness or discomfort for some users, so offer short experiences, seated options and an easy way to exit.
Technical compatibility matters too: not everyone has a VR headset or a phone that runs demanding AR apps. Offer a simple alternative, such as a normal video or web page, so the message still reaches everyone. Guidelines:
| Accessibility Focus |
Recommended Strategies |
| Visual Impairments |
Screen reader support, adjustable contrast and audio descriptions |
| Hearing Impairments |
Subtitles, visual alerts and sign language where possible |
| Mobility Limitations |
Voice commands and minimal gesture requirements |
Q&A
Q1: How are AR and VR changing advertising?
They let brands offer interactive experiences, such as virtual try-ons, virtual showrooms and branded games, alongside traditional images and video. They complement rather than replace other advertising.
Q2: What makes immersive advertising appealing to consumers?
It lets people take part instead of only watching, for example testing make-up virtually or taking a virtual tour. When useful and easy to use, these experiences can be memorable.
Q3: How is data used in AR and VR advertising?
Apps can use information users provide, such as location or choices made in the experience, to tailor content. Some VR systems can track eye movement. Any data collection needs a clear notice, consent where required, minimisation, security and limited retention, and must comply with applicable law.
Q4: What are the challenges of scaling immersive advertising?
Production costs, limited ownership of VR headsets, varying phone capabilities, user comfort and privacy concerns. Providing simple alternatives helps reach everyone.
Q5: What does the future hold for AR and VR in advertising?
As devices become more capable and affordable, use of immersive experiences is likely to grow. How widely they are adopted will depend on cost, device ownership and whether experiences are genuinely useful.
Key Takeaways
AR and VR give brands new ways to involve audiences in their stories, from virtual try-ons to immersive tours. Their success depends on useful, easy experiences, measurement against a baseline, attention to privacy and accessibility, and simple alternatives for people without the right devices. Physical displays such as LED screens remain a shared, device-free way to reach people in public spaces, and can point viewers to immersive content where appropriate.
Choosing a screen? Compare indoor SMD screens and outdoor SMD screens, browse our SMD screen products, or ask for a free quote.
Planning a screen?Call 0306-1333384 or send your size and location for a free quote.
Contact us
Outdoor SMD Screens
Indoor SMD Screens
Flexible SMD Screens