My best memory of a hologram display was when I watched Natalie King Cole sing alongside a hologram version of her famous father, Nat King Cole, the much-loved song- ‘Unforgettable.’ It was so lifelike, even on television, that one could not help but be reduced to tears and feel the intensity of the moment when an artiste who is no more can be brought back in an instant to sing for you. Since then, many artists have risen from the grave via hologram technology to wow their audiences, such as Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. Heard of the ABBA Voyage Tour that launched in May this year in London? The band’s holographic virtual tour created waves across the music industry as the band who are now in their 70s performed as their younger selves from 1979. If the music industry has seen such immense success with holograms, it is bound to work as a promotional tool in marketing.
Hologram technology is nothing new (it has been around since the late 1940s) and it has been evolving and becoming better and more accessible over the years. The brainchild of Hungarian-British Physicist Dennis Gabor, holography took a fantastic new turn with the discovery of the laser in the 1960s. Today, it has reached a whole new level with the new discoveries in 3D technology. This has become such an asset to marketers who have yearned to see their products being inspected in real-time by their customers across borders and across the world.
Holograms that reach the unreachable
This is when companies use 3D technology to create a life-like image of a product that appears before the customer. It will usually float in the air or appear on a surface. It is such an innovative concept that customers are usually enthralled by it and their interest is piqued beyond what regular advertising does.
One of the main positives about Holographic displays is that it allows products that are yet to enter the market to be tested before launch by making preliminary demonstrations to the customer. This means that marketers can gain feedback and valuable insights so that they can ensure that product development happens effectively before it is launched to the market.
Furthermore, holograms can reduce wastage by being used and reused in promotional campaigns and can be set up in any environment, be it indoors or outdoors. This makes it a versatile promotional tool.
Brands such as Mercedes Benz, Nike and Barbie have used hologram experiences to promote various facets of their brand from safety to comfort and the entertainment factor, which have been a big hit. One particularly awesome example is when Puma used holograms of its latest sneaker projected atop cars parked at popular landmarks in Chicago during the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend. People were riveted. And this is what holograms do- they create surprise and awe and then become unforgettable.
One really cannot underestimate the experience that accompanies the use of holograms. A phenomenal campaign that comes to mind is one by the World Wildlife Fund. They used the hologram of a life-sized elephant wandering through London, which was done with the aim of getting people to stand up against animal trafficking. Now if that isn’t memorable, then there cannot be much else that is …
Innovating and evolving
Holograms can be used in so many ways for promoting products and brands that surely, the sky is your limit. In the fashion industry, holograms have been used alongside real models on the runway to create a different type of immersive fashion experience. For instance, models can be filmed beforehand and then projected on the stage with graphic features and combined with real models to showcase a multidimensional experience. Holograms have even been used as window displays to draw people into a real-time experience that immerses them in the fashion moment and makes them want to enter the store rather than walk on.
This is not all. Hologram technology also allows companies and event managers to ensure that their clientele who cannot make it to events or launches to still experience it even at a later date. All they have to do is condense the experience into holographic form and send it to their target audiences (including the press) to offer them a campaign that they cannot ignore. This leads to the possibility of events that can be experienced across countries and borders and imagine how much money can be saved on plane tickets, accommodation and so on, in the process!
The possibilities span across industries such as construction, engineering, automobiles, education, and the list goes on. Customers can see and envision projects and products that are in the offing and make forward-thinking decisions to invest even before completion. It is no secret that discerning clientele love to make their mark amongst high society by being the first to own a particular product or brand that is yet to make its way into the market. It is the privilege that excites them and companies have the opportunity to cater to this niche market. In fact, there is no better way to show your audiences that your brand is avant-garde and geared for the future.
Taking it to the top
There is nothing that gets done without technology today, and hologram technology is one of the best facets to enter the market. Allied Market Research says that the global holographic display market is expected to reach $11.65 billion by 2030. Will this mean that its ‘wow’ factor will diminish due to so many people using it? This is doubtful since it is still a fledgling market with immense room for growth. To add to this, the ways in which the technology can be manipulated means that various industries can use it without replicating the usage methods, thus, creativity and innovation will be key.
So, all it takes is some creative acumen to make holographic technology work for your brand. How ready are you?
(Anouk De Silva)