The Future of Social Virtual And Augmented Reality, with Cathy Hackl

What is new in the world of VR and AR? How can PR and marketing professionals prepare for new technologies? Social PR Secrets’ favorite guest Cathy Hackl is here to update us on the state of the VR/AR/MR/XR industry and give tips to marketing professionals on the up and coming innovations.  In this new episode of Social PR Secrets, Lisa Buyer sits down with regular guest Cathy Hackl to discuss recent developments in the VR/AR industry. A futurist, Cathy is a PR, XR, MR, VR, and AR expert who got her start in journalism and television. After working in media storytelling, she pivoted to PR and marketing, before becoming one of the top women in the tech business.  VR and AR: Recent Developments Because of coronavirus, the tech industry has seen as many developments in the past two months than it usually does in an entire year! For example, Cathy has been using platforms such as Spatial.io to lead augmented reality meetings from her home. This allows for better collaboration and an in-person feel that cannot be matched! Another interesting development in the industry is marketing to robots. Some brands are already using AI and being able to market to those will be the next big thing for a lot of businesses. Another smart move for PR firms would be to start providing 3D assets to media companies. Indeed, most of them are already investing in AR technology, and brands that are ready to jump on the opportunity will be the ones best rewarded. How PR Firms Should use VR and AR When asked how PR firms can start getting into AR, Cathy advises to invest in a set of Oculus Quest. She also recommends to start using VR for media training and start exploring other ways your company can use VR. She also says that CMOs should be prepared for AR and VR because once Apple and Google will get into it, marketing will become a totally different ball game. When it comes to getting some media coverage, Cathy emphasizes the importance of innovation, which often goes a long way.  How can companies use digital personas? What potential does AR hold? How will specific industries be affected by virtual and augmented reality? Cathy’s upcoming book, the Augmented Workforce, answers all of these questions, and more! Her goal when writing it was to demonstrate that machines are not here to replace workers but to complement them and augment their capabilities. Listen to this episode of Social PR Secrets to find out what’s to come in the VR and AR world! “Always live in the future.” - Cathy Hackl Some topics discussed in this episode include: Social VR Switching career paths VR and AR in the age of coronavirus  VR sets and equipment Contact Cathy Hackl: CathyHackl.com Cathy’s Facebook Cathy’s Twitter Cathy’s Instagram Cathy’s LinkedIn Other Links:  Microsost HoloLens :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIHPPtPBgHk