URBANDALE, Iowa -

Car dealers will be able to create virtual reality vehicle videos through a new service launched by video marketing solutions provider Flick Fusion.

On Monday, the company announced the launch of 360VR, a platform that lets dealers generate VR inventory videos for use on their websites, in email marketing and mobile ads, and on social media and third-party car shopping sites.

“Virtual reality images are three-dimensional with a sense of depth that gives viewers a feeling of complete immersiveness,” Flick Fusion chief operating officer Tim James said in a news release. “Auto shoppers feel like they're actually sitting in a vehicle, giving them a realistic experience and helping to set expectations for that vehicle.”

A 360-degree camera is required to produce a 360VR inventory video. These typically cost anywhere from $200 to $1,000, Flick Fusion said.

Once the VR video is recorded, the user uploads it to Flick Fusion’s SmartFlicks video marketing platform. Additional information can be added to the video, as well.  

SmartFlicks distributes the video to vehicle details pages, social media and third-party car-shopping sites using the Flick Fusion 360VR player. The videos are hosted on the video marketing platform.

“Dealerships that are first to offer virtual reality inventory videos will be marketing trail blazers,” James said. “VR videos offer an incredibly high level of engagement and are especially appealing to millennials, who are the fastest-growing consumer segment in the U.S. and who purchased more than 4 million vehicles last year.”