360-Degree Video and Virtual Reality to Attract Future Investment in Duncan, Oklahoma

As communities continue to respond to the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on their local economy, Duncan, Oklahoma is positioned to stand out from the crowd of economic developers who want to attract attention that will result in future investment.

The Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation has just launched a 360-degree video that will allow potential site selectors, investors, and visitors to experience what they have to offer through virtual reality.

Produced by the PlaceVR division of Golden Shovel Agency, the community tour (or Familiarization Tour) sets people inside of scenes of the community as a narrator relays information about the business climate, workforce, attractions, and livability.

"When you're a smaller market, you have to do things differently," said Lyle Roggow, President of the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation (DAEDF). "When I first saw PlaceVR demonstrated, I recognized that this would be a great way to get site selectors without even having to come to see us."

360-degree video and virtual reality overcome obstacles of distance, time, and cost by taking the economic developer's message right to the people he wants to reach. Virtual reality has a physiological effect on the person experiencing the video when they're wearing VR goggles. The brain responds as though the person was really in a new place and the outcome is that they remember the message and become open to the next step such as having a meeting.

Golden Shovel Agency just launched a virtual meetings app that makes it possible for Roggow and his team to meet with site selectors in their custom virtual room where they can interact together as if they were in person.

"When Lyle decided to move forward with this project, none of us had any idea that a global pandemic would change the world so much," said Aaron Brossoit. "He knew that he was being innovative, and now he's got the best tool there is for reaching people while travel restrictions and concerns linger."

The Duncan Area Familiarization (FAM) tour is one of five videos that are being produced for DAEDF. The other videos are focused on industrial land for sale, workforce training, hospital recruitment, and quality of life.

DUNCAN AREA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION- In 1993, the citizens and businesses of Duncan created the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation (DAEDF) to promote the development of existing businesses, attract new businesses, and diversify Duncan's economic base. By simultaneously building up the local infrastructure, establishing relationships throughout the community and state, and ensuring that there is a well-trained and vital workforce, DAEDF created an attractive business climate. DAEDF has attracted businesses that provide competitive wages and make capital investments in the community, which means they are more likely to remain in the area s long-term employers.

GOLDEN SHOVEL AGENCY'S PLACEVR is a Minnesota-based full-service economic development firm specializing in workforce attraction for economic and community development. PlaceVR is a revolutionary new approach to economic development that harnesses emerging 360-degree video and virtual reality technologies to create immersive experiences that drive business and workforce recruitment. Our productions combine a depth of experience in both virtual reality production, marketing, and communications to bring to life an entirely new strategy for attracting businesses, talent, and visitors.