We spoke with Anita Fontaine and Geoffrey Lillemon, creative directors of Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam’s Department of New Realities, who are blending speculative fiction with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to create a new medium.
Could you explain what the Department of New Realities is and the type of work that you do?
The Department of New Realities is a future-forward creative entity at Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam. We’re driven by new technologies, but led by art, to create innovative experiences that people have never had before. VR, theatre, AR and installations are some of the practical outcomes of our future-forward speculative fiction machine, which aims to bring together clients and consumers.
At present, VR is primarily used for entertainment purposes, such as gaming, brand activations and social networks. Looking ahead, do you think VR will be a viable platform for retailers?
Soon it will be easier to tap into these dimensions. Already, major communication platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are starting to seriously consider how to integrate spatial design and dimensional layers into our realities. VR and AR installations in retail will become the norm – as soon as we solve where to put your handbag and the hygiene issue. But, seriously, we could be on the cusp of building a new kind of enlightened retail environment for consumers, one where you offer people more than just a product or passive media, but the chance to explore and play inside a new kind of playground.