REI Leverages 360-Degree Video To Reach Multicultural Audience

What Happened
Outdoor gear retailer REI is leveraging Facebook’s 360-degree videos to reach multicultural Millennials in Austin, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The company teamed up with eight local artists in the three cities to create videos chronicling the creation of their art projects. REI worked with publisher Vix to produce and share the 360-degree videos, which have racked up over 822,000 views on Facebook.

What Brands Need To Do
With 360 video content gaining traction among consumers, it is important for brands to start working closely with content creators to produce engaging and immersive content. The localized approach that REI took helps establish a more intimate connection with the multicultural consumers in each city through the immersive experience. Brands wishing to stay ahead of the curve need to take a cue from this initiative and start developing immersive content that can engage their audience in innovative and fun ways.

 


Source: Digiday

Hyperlocal Search Soars As Mobile Usage Grows

Read original story on: USA Today

On Wednesday, Google released new search data highlighting the surge of localized searches. The report shows that Google’s location-specific “near me” searches have increased 34 times since 2011, and have nearly doubled in the past year alone. The vast majority of these local searches—80% in the last quarter of 2014—come from mobile devices, cementing mobile’s dominant position in the hyperlocal market. 

Moreover, the “here and now” immediacy of hyperlocal searches is great at moving consumers down the sales funnel. Half the consumers who conduct a local search visit a store within that day, with 18% of them making a purchase. Among people who are looking for places to dine out, nearly half of them—and 60% of millennials—search for nearby restaurants within an hour of going.