The Social Power of Virtual Reality (part 1): A Deeper Way for Brands and People to Connect
- Emma Mankey Hidem
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
In the ever-evolving world of immersive content, 360-degree video and virtual reality (VR) are often discussed in terms of their “wow factor” or newness. But as someone who creates VR content for brands and nonprofits, I believe there’s something deeper happening. VR isn’t just a novelty, it’s a social technology. A way for brands to build genuine emotional connection with their audiences, and for people to connect with each other in entirely new ways.
Why “social” matters
When you step into a VR environment, your sense of space and presence changes and that change creates room for emotion, memory, and meaning. For a brand or nonprofit, that means you’re not just reaching someone; you’re immersing them. And that immersion builds a different kind of relationship.
A nonprofit can use 360° video to place donors inside a community project instead of just describing it. A brand might invite customers into a virtual space where they experience its mission or product from the inside. It’s no longer passive consumption, it’s co-participation.
Meeting customers on an emotional level
VR allows brands to meet audiences in a shared emotional space rather than broadcasting a message at them. A few key ways this shows up:
Shared virtual presence: Imagine users exploring a VR showroom together or walking through a charity’s impact story side by side. That shared experience builds both brand-user and user-user connection.
Empathy and storytelling at depth: Walking through someone’s world — seeing what they see, hearing what they hear — creates human connection that no flat video can match.
Community in virtual spaces: Instead of one-way messaging, brands can design VR spaces where people gather, interact, and feel part of something larger. That’s where loyalty and advocacy grow.
VR as a connector for people
Beyond brand storytelling, VR is transforming how people connect with each other. Virtual social platforms and even VR dating spaces are experimenting with shared environments that make online interaction feel more human with body language, tone, and spontaneous conversation returning to digital life.
For those isolated by distance or circumstance, VR can serve as a social lifeline — a way to “be” together. For creators and marketers, that’s a huge opportunity: build experiences that don’t just inform but bring people together.
Looking ahead
The next evolution of VR isn’t about better graphics, it’s about better connection. The brands and organizations that thrive will be those that design for shared presence, empathy, and belonging.
Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow, where I’ll share real-world examples of how brands and nonprofits are already using social VR to create meaningful, human-centered experiences.
