360° Videos for GBD’s Marketing

Explosions, fire, dizzying heights, teams of burglars, and projectiles made of ice: we experienced all of this in this project. It was very impressive for us on site and for the users who explore the Austrian group’s interactive 360° app.

In Europe, almost everything has to be tested and certified, from roof tiles to carpets. In Germany, the first testing organization that comes to mind is TÜV, but it is only one of many. The Austrian GBD Group, for example, has built an excellent international reputation for a whole range of testing procedures.

360° videos say more than a thousand words

The GBD Group has invested a lot of know-how and money in inventing new and innovative methods for testing products and materials. But how can it present these innovations properly when winning new business? It would actually be very simple if a prospective client came to the test rigs and looked at them. On site, an expert can see at a glance what is special about a test rig, how it works, and whether it suits the product. In less than a minute, all the key points are clear, if only it weren’t for the journey.

Planning the trip with 360° video

GBD thought of everything when planning its test halls. A carefully designed layout of driveways, gates, and cranes makes it possible to move huge facade elements from the truck to the test rig efficiently and safely. However, the roads in Austria, especially near the halls, are often narrow and winding. For truck drivers arriving with their semi-trailers from all over Europe, the last few yards can be a challenge. In the 3D 360° video, drivers can get a feel for the layout and distances before they set off.

This is a big help especially for the engineers who accompany the tests: they can plan the tools and supplies they need in Austria much better once they have seen an installation process in a 3D 360° video in a VR headset. A preliminary trip and site visit are no longer necessary.

Showing in 360° what can’t be shown

Some tests take place only rarely or in places a prospective client can hardly reach, for example the testing of a cable car. We accompanied and documented one such test with the 360° camera. Now you can look over the shoulders of GBD’s staff at dizzying heights while sitting comfortably on a chair in the office or at a booth with a VR headset on.

The VR headset replaces the trade show booth

When managing director Heinz Pfefferkorn first saw the 360° footage in our interactive app on the VR headset, his comment was: “Best company presentation ever!” That is certainly no exaggeration, because he immediately calculated how much money the app could save him. Shortly afterward, he and his staff took the VR headsets to the next industry trade shows. Not with a booth of their own, but as visitors.

A booth of its own makes little sense for GBD, because it can’t exhibit its test rigs. Traditional brochures can hardly convey what sets the company apart. With the VR headset, GBD now turns the trade show concept on its head: many potential clients are exhibitors themselves at the industry shows. So the GBD team takes its VR headsets to the booths of their potential clients. This is inexpensive and effective (learn more on our page “VR simulation for sales”).

A VR app makes the 360° videos interactive

In the app’s main menu, users can learn about the group of companies and all its locations. Simple, intuitive controls let them select any of the tests. That way, every user can look at exactly what interests them. All stations are presented in short video sequences, so even in a hectic setting (for example at a trade show or during a sales visit), everyone sees exactly the content that matters most to them.

The VR headset has another advantage: when a prospect puts on the headset at a trade show, they are no longer distracted by their surroundings. They no longer see other visitors, are shielded from the noise, and are fully immersed in GBD’s world. One hundred percent focus. A short break from the hustle and bustle through a virtual trip to Austria. And if you watch the cable car test, you even get a great view of the Alps.