Session Link: https://youtu.be/10RBE28zFUI​

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Session Title: Marketing Implications of Immersives Technologies​​​

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Speaker: Ms.Yujin Lee, PhD Candidate, University of Cincinnati

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Session description:   In the fast-evolving marketplace, immersive technologies are transforming digital experiences by blurring the boundaries between the physical and virtual worlds. As these technologies become increasingly integrated into consumers’ everyday lives, the extended reality (XR) market continues to grow rapidly. The term XR encompasses virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). With their diverse applications, immersive technologies are expanding into industries such as retail, healthcare, education, and hospitality. Notably, three out of four of Forbes’ top global brands now use either VR or AR, underscoring the strategic value of adopting immersive technologies to drive brand innovation.
 
  In marketing, these immersive technologies shift the paradigm of consumer experience by enabling brands to move beyond static messages and toward experiential engagement, inviting consumers to step inside a branded world or virtually try on a product rather than merely viewing it. This immersive dimension enhances presence and interactivity, allowing consumers to explore, touch, and participate in experiences designed by the brand. For example, Warby Parker allows customers to virtually try on eyeglasses using AR, giving them a realistic sense of fit and style. Volvo offers VR test drives that immerse users in lifelike driving experiences to convey performance and comfort. Similarly, Lowe’s has employed MR through its “Holoroom” project, allowing customers to design and visualize home renovation projects by interacting with virtual tools and furniture within a real-world setting. These mechanisms matter because they shape how consumers form brand attitudes, make decisions, and behave both in the moment and over time.
 
  In sum, this presentation argues that immersive technologies represent a strategic frontier in marketing that warrants serious attention. By defining what immersive technology is, demonstrating how brands are currently leveraging it, and exploring why it matters for marketing
 
  and consumer psychology, this session aims to generate actionable insights. For marketers, the key takeaways include the importance of designing experiences rather than traditional ads, reframing consumer behavior through the lens of immersion (presence, multisensory cues, engagement), and evaluating how these experiences influence brand metrics and behavioral outcomes. For scholars and practitioners of consumer behavior, immersive marketing opens new questions: How does immersion moderate established psychological processes such as memory, persuasion, and decision-making? What opportunities and pitfalls arise when brands create virtual worlds or augmented interactions? This presentation will provide both a conceptual overview and practical implications for harnessing immersive technologies in consumer-facing marketing.

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Bio: Yujin Lee is a fifth-year PhD student in Marketing at the University of Cincinnati. Her research focuses on the psychology of technology, examining how consumers perceive and respond to emerging technologies (VR) and voice-based AI. Specifically, her work investigates how these technology-driven experiences influence subsequent decision-making in the real world. Her dissertation explores how virtual reality experiences shape consumer preference. In addition to her research, she has taught multiple undergraduate courses in digital marketing and marketing research, emphasizing hands-on, technology-driven learning experiences

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