The Apple Vision Pro: What Does This Mean For The Future Of Marketing?

Tech pioneer, Apple, is in the spotlight once again for doing what it does best. Launching ground-breaking technology in accordance with Jobs’ mantra of creating products that people don’t even know they want today, but will in the future.

On today’s chopping block is the new Apple Vision Pro, the company’s “first spatial computer that blends digital content and apps into your physical space, and lets you navigate using your hands, eyes and voice”.  Essentially, an interactive AR & VR headset experience that allows you to do more than just play games. 

Being in development for the last 16 years, securing headset patents way before the likes of Oculus and Samsung, the Apple Vision Pro already stands leagues above its competitors with immensely accurate eye and head-tracking capabilities and unmatched 3D video experience. But while Apple has all the specs nailed, where does this leave the Vision Pro in terms of integrating into the wider community given its hefty price point of $3500?

After going up for pre-order on the 19th January and becoming available in-store on the 2nd February, discussion about the new technology began almost immediately, with users and consumers from the tech world chipping in with their first impressions. Notable brands, such as Alo and e.l.f. Cosmetics have also tried their hand at running early AI marketing efforts here to gauge the opportunities this new technology will bring to the beauty and fashion industries. 

As the gradual shift towards an AI-powered digital marketing future looks more and more likely, the Apple Vision Pro will undoubtedly come in handy for brands looking for new ways to market their products. Read on as we analyse the performance of the marketing efforts that have already been made on the Vision Pro and whether or not this is likely to spark a new wave of consumer behaviour. 

Be ‘your best e.l.f’ on the Apple Vision Pro

The Vision Pro’s revolutionary prospects are backed by its catalogue of 600 games and apps, including that from e.l.f cosmetics called ‘Your Best e.l.f.’, making it one of the first beauty brands to launch an experience on the mixed-reality headset. 

The app itself mixes wellness with beauty, a trend we recently predicted will prosper among the spring beauty trends of 2024, by providing consumers with the opportunity to shop all e.l.f. products while unwinding with certain wellness activities, including meditation, yoga, and paint-by-numbers to the tune of tranquil tones. The app also includes landscapes modelled after popular e.l.f. products, including the Camo Cove, Halo Glow yoga mat, and Big Mood speaker.

E.l.f. ‘s Chief Digital Officer, Ekta Chopra, describes the move to launch e.l.f. on the Apple Vision Pro as “not only natural [..] but critical to continue to meet [the] community – and entertain them – wherever they are”.

This isn’t the first time the digitally-led beauty brand has explored outside of the traditional beauty industry realms, either. In November 2023, e.l.f. Cosmetics and e.l.f. Skin launched on the popular gaming app, Roblox, with its tycoon-style open world game, ‘E.l.f UP.’ The game allows players to become entrepreneurs by setting up a shop selling 4 holy grail e.l.f. products in exchange for Robux. 

It’s clear to see that e.l.f. Cosmetics has its fingers in many pies when it comes to its marketing strategy, but does making its mark on the release of the Apple Vision Pro really come with optimal benefits?

Is this sustainable for future AI marketing endeavours?

While engaging in mixed-reality brand experiences will become more common in the future, there doesn’t yet appear to be an addressable market keeping these AI shopping apps in constant development. This is, in part, due to the technology being unattainable for the average person, given that its price point sits within the thousands. Additionally, despite all industries now making their gradual shift towards AI marketing and other gen AI efforts, the beauty and fashion target markets still aren’t typically found within tech. Instead they tend to gravitate towards platforms like TikTok where the average basket value is low. This suggests that, for the time being, any marketing campaign efforts made for the Apple Vision Pro will fall on deaf ears.

What this does do, however, is show investors that the brands leveraging new technology, like the Apple Vision Pro, are attuned to what’s happening in other industries and that their social listening skills are worthy of investments in future campaigns. 

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@ Socially Powerful