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GroupM Asia Pacific has signed a strategic agreement with augmented reality and virtual reality company Happy Finish. _The announcement:_ > GroupM, the world’s leading media investment
group owned by WPP, > today announced that GroupM Asia Pacific has signed a strategic > agreement with Happy Finish, a pioneer and world-leader in > augmented reality and virtual
reality. Happy Finish’s offices in > India and China will work closely with GroupM’s content teams > across the Asia Pacific region to help develop creative solutions > in the VR
space for GroupM clients. > > As the virtual reality sector heats up globally with hardware, > software and creative services solutions, advertisers are starting > to explore
the endless possibilities for consumer engagement with > creative and immersive VR experiences. The deal gives GroupM’s > agencies and clients in Asia-Pacific access to Happy Finish’s
> creative and technology resources to develop powerful and > first-to-market VR campaigns. > > Virtual Reality simulates physical presence in the real or imagined > world
and a number of marketplace developments indicate the > technology is at the precipice of mainstream adoption by 2020. The > Oculus Rift VR headsets expected to start shipping in Q1
2016 and > total sales for the category are expected to hit 11 million users > in 2016 [according to SuperData]. Additionally, > Google’s Cardboard VR headset is anticipated to
allow consumer > participation in VR at almost zero cost. With awards recognition at > the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and Spikes > Asia, and an impressive
array of work for broadcasters including > ITV and brands like Ted Baker, Volvo, Nike and Hugo Boss, Happy > Finish are world-leaders in VR production. > > GroupM Content CEO
for Asia Pacific, Josh Black said of the deal, > “The VR space is about to explode and as usual, GroupM will be > ahead of the curve helping clients to get there first with >
impactful communications and marketing programs. Happy Finish’s > award-winning creativity and innovative technology has already been > harnessed for several clients of GroupM
agencies, and this deal > means we can scale to deliver incredible results for more of our > brands.” > > Commenting on the agreement, Stuart Waplington, Group Chairman of >
Happy Finish, said, “Recent developments in Virtual and Augmented > Reality technology have laid the foundations for the next digital > revolution. This technology has the power to
change every area of > our lives, digital experiences will merge with the physical world > and virtual experiences will affect us on a deep emotional level. > > GroupM are
global leaders and are very forward thinking with a > disruptive mindset that makes them the perfect partner for Happy > Finish as this technology moves into the mainstream. Our
emphasis > is on using this technology to deliver measurable results for > GroupM clients.” Source: GroupM media release