Comic Relief aims to broadcast and take payments in VR by 2018

CTO Zenon Hannick expects VR to be in the trough of disillusionment in 2017, but become mass market in 2018

Comic Relief expects its broadcasts to happen in virtual reality by 2018, and for micropayment donations to be possible within the experience.

Discussing the future of payment mechanisms with Computing recently, Comic Relief CTO Zenon Hannick explained that he is looking for new ways to engage with the next generation of consumers.

"We need to keep on top of how we engage with the next generation of consumers, and digital is obviously central to that," said Hannick. "We need to provide easier ways to donate. So we're looking to create the next experience that fits with where the audiences are and how they like to pay."

Hannick also explained that Comic Relief has recently implemented payment services from Braintree, replacing an old and no longer fit-for-purpose system.

He continued: "There's something interesting about making immersive experiences with VR [virtual reality] and how you embed micropayment payments. When you provide an experience that's long-lived and provides a continuous engagement, can you have a micropayment strategy across that long-lived engagement?"

Hannick explained that the challenge for Comic Relief is to provide an engagement that lasts throughout the year rather than simply over the course of its Red Nose and Sports Relief campaigns.

"You have to show the audience where the money has gone so they feel engaged," he added. "We as a charity fund other projects, so it's about telling their stories. There's a powerful story we can create about how the money we take can change people's lives, and VR can be a big part of telling that story."

Although Hannick clearly sees VR as the future platform for Comic Relief, he explained that he doesn't see widescale adoption for the technology coming until at least 2018.

"2017 will be the trough of disappointment for VR. There'll be some interesting story-telling experiences next year, but 2018 will be when it goes mass medium."

He concluded by stating that his organisation needs to "nail digital story-telling".

"In the linear TV world we've occupied, we show comedy followed by showing the need [for donations] and then allowing those donations, then showing where money's gone. In the VR space it'll be much the same, but not so linear, so we're exploring those spaces," said Hannick.

Social media is another field Hannick is examining for its potential as a donation mechanism.

"Another area we're looking at is a payment mechanism around social. We're exploring that this year, so we're trying to see where that world is moving."