Immersive technologies, encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and artificial intelligence (AI), are profoundly reshaping the marketing landscape (Dieck & Han, 2022; Wang et al., 2022; Zagni & Baima, 2023). These technologies can seamlessly transpose real-world scenarios into partially or entirely virtual experiences, amplifying engagement and communication (Yawised et al., 2022). Over the past decade, immersive technology has garnered substantial attention across diverse sectors: education, tourism, healthcare, and entertainment. In these domains, applications of immersive technology have vividly demonstrated their capacity to craft captivating experiences and enhance educational outcomes (Ambika et al., 2023; Chylinski et al., 2020; Gursoy et al., 2022). The retail sector has adopted immersive elements such as virtual mirrors to enhance customer journeys (Hilken et al., 2022). The emergence of the concept of "immersive marketing technology (IMT)" underscores that immersive technology is evolving beyond mere entertainment, transitioning into a strategic marketing tool that carries implications for customer engagement and brand strategy (Alfaro et al., 2019).
Despite the growing prevalence of immersive technologies, their strategic ramifications for marketing functions remain largely unexplored terrain. Scant empirical research delves into how immersive technology integration influences aspects like marketing strategy, execution, and resource allocation. The transformative potential of immersive technologies prompts inquiries about their implications for business models, strategic development, and customer engagement. Thus, a pressing need exists for a deeper understanding of how immersive technologies intersect with and impact strategic decisions within the marketing realm. This special issue aims to address several crucial questions that remain unanswered, such as:
- How can businesses strategically incorporate immersive technologies into their marketing endeavors to secure a competitive advantage, and what challenges and opportunities might arise from this integration?
- In what ways does the strategic deployment of immersive technologies shape consumer engagement, brand perception, and value co-creation across the various touchpoints of the customer journey?
- What are the ethical and privacy considerations associated with utilizing immersive technologies in marketing, and how can businesses adeptly navigate these concerns to foster consumer trust?
- How do immersive technologies reshape the strategic orchestration of customer experiences, and what actionable strategies can businesses adopt to ensure impactful, immersive, and distinct interactions?
- What novel strategic metrics and frameworks can be formulated to assess the influence of immersive technologies on marketing strategies, performance, and return on investment?
- How can businesses ingeniously leverage immersive technologies to drive strategic innovation and establish a competitive edge, and what are the consequential implications for business models, industry positioning, and long-term sustainability?
- How do immersive technologies enable and shape multi-stakeholder value co-creation within the context of marketing strategies, and what strategic frameworks can facilitate collaborative innovation?
- How can immersive technologies be harnessed to bolster digital transformation initiatives within organizations, and how can businesses strategically align these technologies with broader organizational objectives?
