Lincoln: Lincoln Navigator 360 VR

 

Campaign Summary

Lincoln created a 360-degree VR content campaign for the 2018 Lincoln Black Label Navigation, which focused on utilizing technology in a way to let people step inside the 2018 Lincoln Navigator while also giving clients an experience they might not be able to have in a typical test drive. When consumers test drive vehicles, they are not able to experience out all of the capabilities in various climates and road conditions.

Since the vehicle is in high-demand and therefore is rarely available at a dealership to display, the VR allowed users to experience the luxurious interior but also observe the environments that a Navigator can easily handle with the seven drive modes. The execution of the VR is a state-of-the art immersive experience that gives clients the opportunity to click through the drive modes of a Navigator but explore the inside at the same time with or without goggles.

Strategy

Objective and Context:

Clients want to spend their time with emotionally engaging experiences that are personally crafted and customized to their needs. Lincoln wanted to set the brand apart by introducing thoughtful, highly personalized, time-saving luxury experiences alongside every new vehicle and in as many media channels as possible to make the shopping experience seamless and enjoyable.

The creative strategy was to build an immersive interactive experience on Lincoln.com demonstrating the luxurious interior features of the Lincoln Navigator while also showing how the vehicle is designed to handle all driving conditions.

Target Audience:

The target audience includes all Lincoln Navigator shoppers who visit Lincoln.com to learn more about the vehicle. Lincoln.com capabilities allow clients with or without VR goggles to interact. The 360 video was produced to run on multiple channels. In addition, the video was designed to be used by dealerships to show off one of the rare Navigator interiors and drive modes.

Creative Strategy:

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator 360 VR launched April 6, 2018 on Lincoln.com, and on YouTube June 11, 2018 for organic traffic and use by dealerships. This was the brand’s first use of 360 video or VR in any channel. There were no existing benchmarks for comparison.

Execution

Overall Campaign Execution:

On all of Lincoln digital channels, the company finds ways to make client experiences with the brand warm, human, and personally crafted. The 2018 Lincoln Black Label Navigator 360 VR is an immersive 360 experience that carries through that ethos. In the VR experience, the stage is set to display the interior showing the Yacht Club theme with a view through the front window. From the entry point, the client can sit in the driver seat, look around in 360-degree angles and utilize the drive modes as the vehicle transitions through seven different environments. Each environment represents a road condition that a drive mode will handle. While the environments animate the user can look around inside of the vehicle and see through the windows to view the environment and the conditions of the road.

On the Lincoln website, in the VR modal window, clients are able to easily navigate drive modes from a list view or click arrows to go from one drive mode to the next:

  • Normal Drive, general city driving
  • Conserve Drive, highway driving
  • Excite Drive, a sporty drive mode that lets the driver feel the road
  • Slow Climb Drive, developed for incline condition, in particular when towing
  • Slippery Drive, rainy or icy conditions
  • Deep Conditions, deep snow

In the luxury automotive space, consumers have grown to expect brands will provide new and interesting ways to learn about their products. The extensive market adoption of smartphones allows for easy consumption of emerging technology in the area of 360 VR that would allow for more immersive brand experiences.

Mobile:

The 360 VR experience is responsive for desktop and mobile. The mobile execution is unique in that it gives a 360 experience without or without VR Goggles.

Results (including context, evaluation, and market impact)

The Lincoln Navigator 360 VR launched April 6, 2018. Since launch it was accessed more than 98,000 times, which equates to 9.1 percent of traffic visiting the homepage. Upon entering the 360 VR, engagement increased by 95 percent. Clients interacted with the experience for an average of 104 seconds.

The clients who engaged with the VR were also likely to participate in other key buying activities at higher rates. For example, gallery visits increased by 68 percent over those who did not launch the VR. Also, dealer locator increased by 16.9 percent and incentive views increased 24.3 percent more than those that did not engage with the VR.


Categories: AR/VR, 360-Degree Video | Industries: Automotive, Technology | Objectives: AR/VR, 360-Degree Video | Awards: NA Bronze Winner, Gold Global Winner