Unity Forma, Powerful 3D Image Software, Released for Digital Marketing Production

Unity Forma will provide the power of 3D rendering to marketing professionals.

Unity Technologies has been operational since 2004 as a leader in game engine technology. Unity, its most popular software, can create games, experiences, scenes and images in 2D and 3D. While Unity Technologies is best known for developing Unity, the company also developed a suite of other software services, such as Collaborate, Asset Store, Ads, Analytics, and Cloud Diagnostics. Now, Unity Technologies has developed Unity Forma, meant to give the power of 3D rendering to those who are not coders, such as marketers. 

Announced in December 2020, Unity Forma is a software set to disrupt digital marketing production. It gives marketing experts the tools they need to easily create and publish interactive experiences in 3D. The greatest benefit Unity Forma provides is the ability to reduce production timelines, thereby allowing marketing experts to dedicate more time to what they do best—being creative and inspiring shoppers.

The process flow of Unity Forma. (Image courtesy of Unity Technologies.)

The process flow of Unity Forma. (Image courtesy of Unity Technologies.)

Key Benefits of Unity Forma

The following are the key benefits of Unity Forma. 

Codeless Workflows—Being able to create 3D interactive experiences and preview them in real time, without a single line of code, gives creative and constructive power to marketing teams. 

Faster Time to Market—Unity Forma’s API can connect to source data, to process model changes quickly and in real time. 

Collaboration—Unity Forma comes with a variant management system that allows configuration sets from the model to be shared with teams, agencies and partners around the globe. 

Multichannel Publishing—Unity Forma provides the capability to publish configurators to multiple channels, such as mobile devices or web browsers via cloud streaming or WebGL. 

Immersive Experiences—Buyers can interactively explore products in true-to-life visual quality.

Maximum Extensibility—There are many customization options available to tailor Unity Forma however a team sees fit. The open API custom tools and interfaces can be used to deliver brand-specific experiences. 

Artificial Reality and Virtual Reality Experiences Are Rising

Today artificial reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences are gaining traction as marketing tools. VR can be used to showcase product development and allows customers to join the development journey. It also changes the dynamic of advertisements, as VR experiences are more intriguing than run-of-the-mill advertisements and may retain customers longer. According to Smart Insights, 61 percent of shoppers prefer retailers that offer AR experiences over those that do not. This might be because AR allows consumers to try products before buying them. Google Cardboard is an example of an inexpensive device that can power VR on almost any smartphone that runs Cardboard-enabled applications. The scope for VR and the experiences it can deliver goes beyond what is currently on the market.

Unity Forma allows for interactive 3D, AR and VR experiences. This can lead to faster time to audiences and provide cost advantages over more standard approaches such as photo shoots and productions. By providing a more “real-life” virtual experience, especially in the current COVID-19 landscape, companies can improve consumer engagement. However, this approach works best with products that come with high variations or customizability, such as cars, airplanes, appliances, furniture and luxury goods. 

Unity Forma’s First Use by Volkswagen

Unity Forma was debuted by Unity’s CMO Clive Downie and featured a first use by Volkswagen (VW). VW has worked with Unity for real-time 3D access across its business, using Unity to render images in real time for website car configurations and mobile applications. To highlight Unity Forma’s uses, VW collaborated with Katana Studio for the 2020 Volkswagen ID.4 EV campaign video. It provides angle capabilities that would not be possible using a live camera production. Watch the 45-second spot here. 

Walk-through of Unity Forma with Volkswagen. (Image courtesy of Unity Blogs, Unity Technologies.)

Walk-through of Unity Forma with Volkswagen. (Image courtesy of Unity Blogs, Unity Technologies.)  

With the onset of COVID-19, time spent online increased, led by a rise in time spent on social networking, instant messages, and news sources. Unity Forma can help businesses to bring realism to the forefront of their customer experiences, without the need for a brick-and-mortar business.

However, Unity Forma is so new that it has no established community to help aid marketers in their journeys, apart from the official Unity team. In the coming months, marketing teams might be making use of the customization that Unity Forma can provide. For more information about Unity Forma, click here to visit its website.