VR Expands Business

 

Dentsu Inc. Publishing Business Development Division Manager

Mr. Shinjiro Yokoyama

We believe that advancing both high-quality content acquisition and the expansion of experience hubs simultaneously leads to efficient monetization. With the introduction of VR theaters, any location along daily life routes—shopping malls, hotels, tourist facilities—can quickly transform into an experience hub. Content can extend beyond entertainment; for example, karaoke boxes could feature music, art museums could showcase art, and beauty salons could focus on relaxation. By effectively linking content with specific venues, this approach can serve as a catalyst to revitalize various industries. We aim to simultaneously develop both content and venues, making VR more accessible to consumers. Our target for September this year is 1,000 locations and 2,000 units.

 

Dentsu Inc. Business Creation Center

Ryo Araki

VR is essentially like Doraemon's "Anywhere Door." With the cooperation of Asahiyama Zoo and Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting, we created VR content of the zoo and implemented a project called the "Mobile Zoo," delivering it to children who, for various economic or physical reasons, want to visit the zoo but cannot. While used in places like daycare centers, the sight of children in the pediatric ward at Asahikawa Medical University cheering as they "experienced" the zoo was featured on a TV program and generated significant buzz.

Other content includes Kumamoto Castle, the Marinepia Matsushima Aquarium (which closed in 2015 after the earthquake), and the Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks Display, imbued with prayers for peace. Content becomes significantly more powerful when it possesses a story and context. Globally, there is growing attention on movements aiming to bring about positive social change by leveraging the powerful "experience" and "empathy" that VR provides. We hope to continue exploring Japan's treasures—places you can visit anytime, transcending time and space, like a "どこでもドア" (anywhere door)—with media outlets and content holders nationwide, such as broadcasters and Media Services / Newspaper Division. We look forward to collaborating on initiatives that communicate with society through compelling stories.

 

 

Collaborating with Media and Client Companies for the World

In November 2016, Dentsu Inc. Group's cross-group organization "Dentsu VR Plus" was launched. Experts who have worked on VR projects across various fields gathered to fully launch integrated activities. Recognizing that technological innovation in VR will "add" innovation to every industry, not just the already advanced fields of gaming, entertainment, real estate, travel, healthcare, sports, and education, the organization will provide "advertising solutions utilizing VR," "business development utilizing VR," and "contribute to the creation and development of new VR-related markets" for all industries.

A Live-Like, Completely New Sports Experience

In September 2016, venture fund Dentsu Ventures invested in LiveLike, a U.S. company developing a VR platform for sports spectators. This platform enables live VR streaming using existing venue video equipment. Users can watch games from VIP seats in a virtual space via LiveLike's streaming technology app. They can also view player statistics and watch game footage from multiple angles. Dentsu Inc. Ventures also invested in U.S.-based Savios in December of the same year.

One of 2016's Hottest VR Games

Raw Data, a multiplayer action game developed by U.S.-based Savio, was one of the world's most successful VR games in 2016. Released in the HTC VIVE section of the Steam store, it became the first VR game globally to achieve monthly sales of $1 million. The company also announced funding last year from Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and Dentsu Inc. Ventures, aiming to further diversify its VR content lineup.

VR-powered real estate viewing service

A two-way system enabling "guided negotiations" where sales staff share customers' viewing content in real-time on their tablets and control property/room navigation. For example, it allows showing Japanese properties to overseas customers. This reduced the average number of viewings needed to decide on a property from 8 to 2 and enabled casual viewings of properties above budget, ultimately leading to higher average transaction values.

Featured Content for Events and Attraction Facilities

At Sunshine City's "SKY CIRCUS Sunshine 60 Observatory" (Sky Circus), which opened in April 2016, flagship content includes the VR experience "TOKYO Bullet Flight," where visitors tour future Tokyo landmarks via a human cannon machine, and the "Swing Coaster," a swing-type physical coaster that races through the skies above Ikebukuro. Furthermore, at the Tokyo Motor Fest in October of the same year, they offered the "360° VR DOME," a new test-drive experience using VR with 360-degree video. Three distinct VR experiences—car, motorcycle, and bus—proved popular.