Virtual reality is still very much a “try it before you buy it” proposition, but in Facebook’s latest Oculus Go advert, they’re reaching out to the masses with the help of A-listers Jonah Hill, Adam Levine, Wiz Khalifa, Awkwafina, and Leslie Jones.
Pulling from the rolodex of SNL cast members and long-time featured guests, Facebook no doubt spent a pretty penny assembling the mix of comedic actors and rappers—a possible sign that the company is going all-in this holiday season to drum up public awareness of Oculus Go, the $200 standalone VR headset.
Here’s the ad in case you haven’t seen it yet:
While we don’t suggest watching Netflix VR in a hot bath (lens fog is real, folks), or leaving an open flame unattended when wearing a VR headset—Oculus warns that following Leslie Jones’ example “may cause injury or device damage”—it’s an interesting look at what Oculus thinks is important to people.
What the ad is really trying to get at is this: Oculus Go is supposed to be your own private media device and occasional chat platform, featuring Netflix, Hulu, Oculus Venues and 360 concert app MelodyVR at center stage.
The ad makes no mention of games, with three-quarters of the usecases showing off solo watching experiences, peppered with comic relief to fill what would otherwise be silent, still people sitting back and relaxing. Playing off the egocentrism of rappers in general, Wiz neglects his friends and groupies at a party to watch his own 360 concert. If it weren’t for the obvious comedic value, it could be construed as a counter argument to VR adoption, e.g.: neglect your friends and play alone in VR instead.
Flawed or not, it’s decidedly the most pronounced ad the company has put out for Go to date, and probably the most expensive too.
What do you think of the latest Oculus Go ad? Have you seen it on TV or at the movie theater? Let us know in the comments below.