‘Seeing Is Believing’ for Virtual Reality and Immersive Technologies, According to New Study from Ad Tech Pioneer YuMe

YuMe, Inc. (NYSE:YUME), a leader in brand video advertising software and audience data, today released a new report and companion infographic on consumer attitudes toward immersive ad formats, including mobile Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and 360-degree video. The survey results reveal individuals engage more and pay greater attention with immersive advertising. For those who have experienced VR, 63% believe it’s “the next big thing.”

Check out VR Camera Report 2017

The halo effect of immersive experiences also extends to marketers and brands, with 51% of consumers agreeing that brands that use VR are more innovative. In terms of brand perception, because a majority of consumers believe that brands that incorporate immersive technology into their marketing strategy are more innovative, they may be more inclined to pay attention to their ads. In fact, over half of surveyed consumers who have tried 360-degree video agree that they pay more attention to ads in this format.

“We believe the appetite for immersive ad experiences is growing rapidly and that savvy brands and agencies who want to interact authentically with consumers and drive higher engagement should explore these ad formats,” said Tripp Boyle, VP of Emerging Platforms, YuMe. “We’re proud to be a leader in this latest industry innovation arc, as we see tremendous value for brands in vertical markets, including auto, entertainment, travel and retail, to offer interactive experiences and deepen consumer bonds with their brands.”

Key takeaways from the study include:

• Immersive technology is now a well-known, mass-market category. 86% of consumers have heard of immersive technology and 29% of consumers have tried it.
• VR leads the immersive technology category. VR is the most recognized immersive technology, followed by 360-degree video and AR.
• Seeing is believing: Consumers who have experienced an immersive technology are often more likely to respond favorably.
  • 60% of consumers who have tried VR believe it creates a positive view of brands.
  • Over half of consumers who have tried 360-degree video report they would be more likely to engage with an ad in this format.

• Immersive technology drives more meaningfully engaging experiences. 60% believe VR can help create engaging experiences, while 53% believe the same of 360-degree video.

“Our survey indicates a strong, favorable perception of VR, AR and 360-degree video,” said Mireya Arteaga, Research Lead, YuMe. “We believe the value for marketers is that it can also create a halo effect over brands that incorporate these immersive experiences into their marketing strategies. Overall, brands are often perceived as more innovative and therefore we believe consumers are more likely to pay attention to their ads.”

Additional insights from YuMe’s survey can be found within YuMe’s report and companion infographic at http://www.yume.com/research/seeing-is-believing.

Study Background

YuMe surveyed more than 800 connected U.S. individuals to understand current attitudes about and potential demand within the immersive technology space, and to better understand potential advertising opportunities.

About YuMe

YuMe, Inc. (NYSE:YUME) is a leading provider of global audience technologies, building relationships between brand advertisers and consumers of premium video content across a growing range of connected devices. Combining data-driven technologies with deep insight into audience behavior, YuMe offers brand advertisers end-to-end marketing software that establishes greater brand resonance with engaged consumers. It is the evolution of brand advertising for an ever-expanding video ecosystem. YuMe is headquartered in Redwood City, California, with worldwide offices. For more information, visit www.YuMe.com/pr, follow @YuMevideo and like YuMe on Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including those in management quotations. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the words “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “objective,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue” and “ongoing,” or the negative of these terms, or other comparable terminology intended to identify statements about the future. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements about the future of immersive technologies, the impact and value of immersive technologies, and the benefits derived therefrom; market trends; and quotations from management. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from future results that are expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks are discussed under “Risk Factors” in YuMe’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2016 that has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and in our future filings and reports with the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to YuMe as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements