Zooming-in With Apple Vision Pro: How Immersive Marketing Can Take Business Relations to Another Level

This study investigates the potential of leveraging emerging mixed-reality (MR) technology to enhance business relations within industrial, B2B markets. MR technology represents a groundbreaking innovation wherein virtual objects seamlessly integrate with real-world environments, offering profound implications for business and management practices. Yet, the impact and value creation opportunities for business relations are currently not explored. We use the recently launched Apple Vision Pro as a case to emphasize the increased technological advancement, and the need to advance marketing research in this domain. First, we conduct a systematic literature review to explore the recent immersive marketing literature in the context of purchasing and sales, with the aim of gaining understanding on the status quo. The findings reveal that B2B articles are underrepresented in the immersive marketing literature, as currently the dominant technologies - virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) - are being considered largely at the intersection with end-customers (e.g. retail, online shopping). Then, we use the findings from the literature and the ARA model to explore MR expected impact for actors, resources, and activities. Furthermore, we differentiate between internal and external business environments, as we explore similarities but also differences in the MR implementation and usage. Finally, the paper discusses the present need for businesses to consider a new immersive capability development for value creation and proposes several fruitful research avenues for future research.