Attention spans are what they are, and digital clutter is at an all-time high. Traditional content formats no longer captivate audiences the way they used to. The once-static digital experience has evolved into something much more dynamic, driven by the desire for deeper, more authentic engagement. 3D and immersive experiences have become the new frontier of digital marketing, offering brands a powerful way to create memorable, interactive moments that resonate with their audience.

However, with these advancements come new challenges. As more brands attempt to stand out in the crowded digital landscape, consumers are becoming increasingly selective about the types of interactions that earn their attention. Flat content, generic ads, and standard websites simply aren't enough to compete in this environment. Audiences can sniff out content created just to garner shallow click-based engagement. Brands now face the critical task of adapting to this shift by embracing innovative technologies that can deliver the interactive, personalized experiences customers see as helpful, interesting or just delightful. Failing to keep up with these changes risks losing audience engagement and relevance in a saturated market.

This is where 3D and immersive experiences step in to create resonance. By crafting interactive campaigns that pull users into the brand's world—whether through virtual product demos, 3D storytelling, or immersive environments—companies can build emotional connections and foster higher engagement. This post will explore how brands can leverage cutting-edge technologies like Three.js, Babylon.js, Spline, Webflow, Gaussian Splatting, and custom development for the web to create these experiences. We’ll also highlight how Triptych has successfully used these tools in various projects, showcasing our potential to revolutionize the way brands interact with their customers.

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The Tools

Three.js

Three.js is one of the most popular JavaScript libraries for creating WebGL-based 3D content on the web. It allows developers to build complex, interactive 3D scenes, animations, and visualizations directly in the browser. Whether you’re looking to create a virtual product tour, an immersive brand experience, or dynamic 3D storytelling, Three.js provides the flexibility and control needed for highly customized projects.

Use Cases: Brands can leverage Three.js for interactive product configurators, virtual environments where users can explore products or experiences in a 3D space, and intricate data visualizations that bring stories to life through movement and interaction.

Why Choose Three.js: Three.js offers an unparalleled level of customization, making it ideal for brands that require complex, highly interactive experiences. The ability to manipulate every detail, from lighting and textures to motion and interaction, allows developers to tailor the experience precisely to the brand’s vision.

Pro Tip: If you already have 3D assets like GLB, CAD, FBX, or GLTF files the process of working with a partner like Triptych is seamless and Three.js can help you build immersive, fully customized 3D environments that respond to user interactions, creating a more engaging and memorable experience with the assets you already have. We may have to perform some optimization like reducing geometry, but with files or assets ready to go, we can move quickly and easily.

Babylon.js

Babylon.js is another open-source framework that simplifies the creation of rich 3D experiences for the web. While it offers similar capabilities to Three.js, it’s often chosen for building more complex and immersive environments, such as virtual reality (VR) experiences. Babylon.js is particularly known for its ease of integration with AR and VR, making it an ideal choice for brands looking to push the boundaries of digital interactivity.

Use Cases: Perfect for creating interactive 3D showrooms, branded VR worlds, or even immersive gaming experiences. Babylon.js also supports augmented reality (AR) applications, giving brands the ability to blend real-world environments with digital content.

Why Choose Babylon.js: Babylon.js offers more built-in features for VR and AR experiences, making it a good choice for brands that want to create immersive digital environments quickly. Its robust set of features allows brands to explore more adventurous, multi-dimensional marketing strategies.

Pro Tip: Babylon.js makes it easier to experiment with AR and VR without having to build everything from scratch. This makes it ideal for brands looking to test immersive environments, like virtual product showcases or interactive brand universes, before committing to a larger-scale project.

Spline

Spline is a web-based tool that allows designers and non-developers to create real-time 3D designs with ease. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it accessible to marketing teams and creative professionals who may not have coding expertise but still want to incorporate 3D elements into their campaigns. Spline is ideal for lightweight interactive experiences or static 3D objects that can be embedded in websites or digital ads.

Use Cases: Brands can use Spline to create basic but engaging 3D product models, interactive landing pages, or dynamic visual elements like floating logos or animated product showcases.

Why Choose Spline: If your brand is new to 3D and you’re looking for a low-barrier entry point, Spline offers an easy way to create interactive, visually engaging elements without the need for a full development team. It’s a great way to test out 3D content and add dynamic visuals to your digital marketing campaigns.

Pro Tip: Spline is perfect for creating small but impactful 3D moments on your website. Use it to introduce 3D product views on landing pages or as interactive icons that can capture attention without requiring the heavy resources of a fully immersive experience.

Webflow

Webflow is a popular no-code platform that allows designers to build fully responsive websites without needing to write code. While primarily known for its web design capabilities, Webflow also includes features for adding 3D transforms and interactions, making it a great tool for integrating simple 3D elements into your site without additional development. They even have Spline ready components that you can drag into your website to connect your Spline 3D creations and animations quickly and easily.

Use Cases: Webflow can be used to add subtle 3D animations, such as hover effects or parallax scrolling, as well as interactive 3D objects like rotating product models or animated call-to-action buttons.

Why Choose Webflow: If your team is already familiar with Webflow, incorporating 3D elements through its visual interface is a straightforward way to enhance your site without extensive development. It’s ideal for brands that want to add dynamic elements without overhauling their entire site architecture.

Pro Tip: Use Webflow’s 3D transforms to create more engaging web experiences by adding subtle motion to key elements on the page. For instance, interactive buttons or scroll-triggered animations can help keep users engaged while navigating your site.

Gaussian Splatting

Gaussian Splatting is an emerging technology that allows for the efficient rendering of high-quality, complex 3D scenes. It’s particularly effective when it comes to rendering large-scale 3D environments or intricate visualizations that need to maintain performance across various devices. Gaussian Splatting simplifies the process of managing heavy 3D scenes by reducing the number of points required to display complex shapes while maintaining visual fidelity. You can see some of the things we have created using Gaussian Splatting here and here.

Use Cases: Ideal for large-scale virtual environments, intricate 3D visualizations, or scenes that require fast rendering across multiple devices without sacrificing quality. It’s particularly useful for industries like architecture, gaming, or automotive, where detailed 3D models are often necessary.

Why Choose Gaussian Splatting: If you need to render highly detailed environments that require fast load times, Gaussian Splatting can help balance the need for high-quality visuals and smooth performance. It’s especially beneficial for brands looking to create interactive experiences that involve complex models or environments. The primary web-based source that we have utilized for creating these is called Luma.ai

Pro Tip: If you’re considering creating large, detailed 3D experiences like virtual worlds or expansive brand universes, Gaussian Splatting can help ensure those environments run smoothly and look stunning, even on lower-end devices. Record a small environment by moving your camera through a small area multiple times ensuring the camera captures the entirety of the area, then upload to Luma.ai to see how it renders. Do this multiple times to see what angles and paths give you the best results. You can then embed that into almost any website.

Custom Development

For brands seeking full control over their 3D experience, custom development remains the most powerful option. Custom-built 3D campaigns offer unmatched flexibility and scalability, allowing for completely bespoke solutions that are tailored to the brand’s unique needs. Whether creating a full-scale virtual reality experience, an interactive game, or a deeply immersive brand world, custom development ensures that every element is designed for performance, engagement, and impact. Generally, custom development mixed with Three.js, or Babylon.js is what we choose at Triptych.

Use Cases: Fully custom-built 3D brand environments, virtual reality experiences, interactive product configurators, or highly detailed digital marketing games or experiences.

Why Choose Custom Development: If your brand’s vision requires a completely unique 3D experience that can’t be accomplished with out-of-the-box tools, custom development offers the flexibility to build from the ground up. It’s the best solution for high-impact, large-scale projects that require unique features and seamless integration with other systems. You still have to utilize the Canvas elements and WebGL, but if you can build and scale custom 3D, go for it. As mentioned above, mixing custom dev with Three.js or Babylon.js is typically a great route.

Pro Tip: If you’re pro enough to build a completely custom 3D interactive experience, then you don’t need any pro tips.

Practical Tips for Implementing 3D and Immersive Campaigns

Building 3D and immersive campaigns is more than just choosing the right tools. A successful implementation requires careful planning, user-centric design, and ongoing optimization. Whether you’re experimenting with 3D for the first time or looking to enhance an existing strategy, these practical tips will help you get the most out of your 3D and immersive experiences.

Start with a Clear Goal

The first and most important step in creating any 3D or immersive experience is to define your objective. What are you trying to achieve with your 3D content? Is it to boost engagement, drive conversions, educate users, or create a memorable brand moment?

Align with your marketing objectives: Your 3D campaign should have a purpose that ties directly into your overall marketing goals. For example, if your goal is to increase product sales, your 3D content might focus on providing an interactive product demo or a virtual try-on experience.

Measure success: Define KPIs (key performance indicators) that align with your goals, such as engagement time, conversion rates, or user interactions with the 3D elements. Knowing what success looks like will help you make data-driven decisions when refining the campaign.

Focus on the user journey. Understand how the 3D experience will fit into the overall customer journey—from awareness to conversion—and design it accordingly. If it’s just a flashy gimmick, users will drop off without taking action. A well-implemented 3D campaign should guide users naturally toward your goal, whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for a service, or simply engaging more deeply with your brand.

Optimize for Performance Across Devices

While 3D content is visually engaging, it can also be resource-intensive. Poor performance—such as slow load times or choppy animations—can frustrate users and harm the experience. It’s critical to ensure that your 3D experiences are optimized for both desktop and mobile devices.

Compress and reduce file sizes: Reduce the complexity of 3D models, use image compression tools, and implement lazy loading to ensure faster load times without sacrificing quality. Simplifying textures, reducing polygon count, and using modern file formats like GLTF for 3D models can drastically improve performance.

Test on multiple devices: Ensure your 3D experiences are optimized for different browsers and devices. What works on a high-end desktop might not function as smoothly on mobile or older devices.

WebGL optimization: If you’re using WebGL-based tools like Three.js or Babylon.js, make sure you’re leveraging best practices for optimizing shaders, lighting, and textures to ensure the experience runs smoothly across all platforms. 

Always balance visual complexity with user experience. While it might be tempting to create a highly detailed 3D scene, simpler models that load quickly and run smoothly across devices will lead to better engagement. Performance issues are one of the quickest ways to lose users in the middle of an immersive experience. We use and recommend tools like GLTF Viewer and Specter.js to view, test and optimize our 3D experiences.

Keep User Experience (UX) at the Center

At the end of the day, usability is key. No matter how visually stunning your 3D content is, it won’t be effective if users find it hard to navigate or interact with. A smooth, intuitive user experience is crucial for keeping users engaged and driving results.

Simplicity is key: We can’t emphasize this enough. The more complex your experience, the harder it will be for visitors to decipher what’s going on. Having a simple, yet nuanced and well designed 3D experience is enough. Make sure the interactive elements are easy to understand and navigate. Avoid overwhelming the user with too many complex features or options. The goal is to enhance the experience, not distract from it. A more minimalist approach will be easier to optimize as well.

‍Offer guidance: Provide subtle prompts or onboarding instructions to help users understand how to interact with the 3D elements. For example, you could include tooltips, icons, or brief tutorials to guide users through their first interactions.

Ensure accessibility: Remember that 3D experiences should be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Consider offering alternative navigation methods, text alternatives, and ensuring color contrast for users with visual impairments.

Focus on interaction design. Your 3D elements should serve a purpose in the overall user journey. Keep the user’s goals in mind—whether it's exploring a product, completing an action, or learning something new—and design the interaction to flow naturally toward that goal.

Test and Iterate Continuously

3D campaigns often require multiple iterations to optimize for the best user experience and performance. Just like any other form of digital content, it’s crucial to test and refine your 3D experiences based on real-world data.

A/B testing: Test different elements of your 3D experience—such as color schemes, interaction methods, or entry points—against one another to see which leads to better user engagement or conversion rates.

User feedback: Gather feedback directly from users to learn about any friction points they encounter. Analyze how they interact with the 3D content and identify areas for improvement.

Performance monitoring: Regularly check performance metrics, including load times, frame rates, and engagement rates across different devices and networks. Make ongoing optimizations to improve the user experience.

Just because you’ve launched your 3D campaign doesn’t mean it’s time to sit back. User data should inform ongoing improvements. Make sure your development process allows for easy iteration—small tweaks in performance or design can lead to significant increases in engagement and conversions.

Consider Integrating XR (Extended Reality - MR, AR, and VR)

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are powerful tools that take 3D interactivity to the next level by immersing users in a branded environment. While VR might still be in the early stages of mainstream adoption, AR has become more accessible thanks to the proliferation of smartphones.

Augmented Reality (AR): Brands can use AR to allow users to interact with digital objects within their real-world environment. For example, furniture companies might offer an AR app that lets users place 3D furniture models in their homes to see how they’ll look.

Virtual Reality (VR): VR offers a fully immersive experience that allows users to explore virtual spaces. Whether it’s a virtual tour of a property or an immersive product experience, VR can be used to create memorable brand moments.

AR is already integrated into many social media platforms (such as Instagram and Snapchat filters), so consider how you can create social AR experiences to drive viral engagement and UGC (user-generated content).

Plan for Scalability and Long-Term Use

While a 3D campaign may be designed for a specific product launch or marketing event, you should think long-term about how you might reuse or expand these assets. Investing in a 3D experience can pay off if it’s part of a broader strategy that supports multiple campaigns or ongoing engagement.

Modular design: Build 3D experiences in a way that allows for future updates and scalability. For example, a virtual product configurator could be expanded to include new products or features over time.

Repurpose assets: Consider how the 3D assets you create (such as models, textures, or animations) can be reused in future campaigns, on social media, or in educational content.

Cross-platform integration: Ensure that your 3D content can be deployed across multiple platforms, from your website to social media channels to virtual events, to maximize its lifespan and reach.

Think beyond the initial campaign. Can this 3D content evolve into an ongoing part of your customer engagement strategy? Modular, scalable designs allow you to refresh the experience without starting from scratch.

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Real-World Case Studies: Brands Successfully Using 3D in Digital Campaigns

In recent years, some of the most innovative and engaging digital marketing campaigns have used 3D and immersive technologies to stand out in an oversaturated market. These experiences create memorable interactions that foster deeper emotional connections with audiences. Let’s look at two Triptych projects that showcase how these technologies have been effectively implemented, as well as a couple of examples from other brands to illustrate how 3D and immersive experiences are reshaping marketing.

Meta Main Street (Triptych Project)

Meta’s Main Street campaign was an interactive 3D virtual environment designed to highlight and support small businesses. This project allowed users to explore a virtual “Main Street,” where they could click on different shops, learn more about the businesses, and even make purchases directly through the platform. The experience was designed to create a sense of community and local support, all within a fully immersive digital environment.

Technology Used:

• Three.js and WebGL were used to render the virtual environment with seamless interactivity.
• Custom development allowed for deep user interaction with each store on the Main Street, integrating clickable elements that led to unique, branded experiences for each small business.

Campaign Highlights:

• Interactive Exploration: Users could "walk" down a virtual street, interacting with 3D storefronts and learning more about each small business. This mimicked the physical experience of visiting shops, offering a more personal connection in a digital format.
• Support for Small Businesses: Each business on Meta Main Street had a customized ad similar to what you find on Facebook, which users could engage with to learn more about their stories, products, and services, creating a memorable and engaging way to shop and explore.
• Results: The Meta Main Street project successfully increased engagement, showcasing small businesses, drawing users into extended virtual interactions. It was particularly effective during a time when physical shopping was limited due to the pandemic, allowing small businesses to gain digital exposure and drive real-world sales as well as highlight how Facebook uses localized ads to support these small businesses.

The use of a 3D immersive environment allowed Meta to create a digital experience that felt more human and local, fostering a sense of community. This campaign gave small businesses a powerful platform to showcase their uniqueness, and users were able to connect more deeply with the stories behind the businesses.

FBI Safe Online Surfing (Triptych Project)

The FBI Safe Online Surfing (SOS) campaign is an interactive, gamified platform designed to teach children about online safety. The project is aimed at elementary and middle school students, helping them learn important lessons on internet safety while completing a series of educational challenges in a fun, engaging 3D environment.

Technology Used:

• WebGL and Three.js were used to create the interactive 3D environments in which students navigated challenges and quizzes.
• Custom development ensured that the platform was both interactive and educational, combining gamification with educational content.

Campaign Highlights:

• Gamified Learning: The platform turned online safety education into a game, where students completed various 3D challenges while learning valuable lessons about staying safe online. This made the educational material more engaging and memorable for a younger audience.
• Real-Time Feedback: As students completed tasks, they received immediate feedback on their progress, helping reinforce the lessons they were learning.
• Results: The FBI’s SOS program saw a significant increase in student participation and engagement. The interactive 3D environment helped make complex topics more accessible and enjoyable for students, leading to higher retention rates of the educational content.

Why It Worked: By gamifying the experience and leveraging 3D interactivity, the FBI was able to turn a traditionally dry topic—online safety—into something fun and engaging. The project’s success lay in its ability to educate through play, a perfect fit for the target demographic of school-aged children.

Nike’s 3D Custom Shoe Builder

Nike has long been at the forefront of innovation in marketing, and their 3D custom shoe builder is no exception. The tool allows customers to create personalized versions of popular Nike shoes in real-time, using a 3D configurator to visualize their designs.

Technology Used:

• Three.js powers the 3D interactive configurator, allowing users to see their custom designs from every angle in real-time.
• The tool integrates with Nike’s e-commerce platform, enabling users to easily purchase their customized shoes once they’ve finished designing.

Campaign Highlights:

• Customization: The 3D configurator allows users to choose colors, materials, and even add custom text to their shoes, giving them full control over the design process.
• Real-Time Interactivity: The real-time 3D preview gives customers a fully immersive experience, letting them see how their designs will look before committing to a purchase.
• Results: Nike’s 3D shoe configurator has been a huge success, with customers spending more time engaging with the brand and increasing their likelihood of purchasing a product they’ve designed themselves.

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Why It Worked: The success of Nike’s 3D custom shoe builder lies in its interactivity and personalization. By giving customers the ability to fully customize their products in real-time, Nike created a deeper emotional connection to the final product. This not only boosted sales but also created a more engaging and memorable shopping experience.

IKEA’s Augmented Reality Room Planner

IKEA’s AR room planning tool, IKEA Place, allows users to visualize how IKEA furniture will look in their homes using augmented reality. Customers can place 3D models of IKEA products into their rooms through their mobile devices, allowing them to "try before they buy." IKEA Augmented Reality Room Planner (IKEA 

iOS Version | Android Version

Technology Used:

• ARKit and ARCore for iOS and Android devices, respectively, power the augmented reality functionality.
• High-quality 3D models of IKEA furniture are used to give customers a realistic sense of how the products will look in their own space.

Campaign Highlights:

• Virtual Try-Before-You-Buy: Users can move virtual furniture around their home, experimenting with different arrangements and products before making a purchase.
• Highly Realistic 3D Models: The high-fidelity 3D models ensure that users can see every detail of the furniture, helping them make informed decisions about their purchases.
• Results: IKEA Place has become one of the brand’s most popular digital tools, driving both in-store and online sales by giving customers greater confidence in their purchases.

Why It Worked: The augmented reality experience adds a practical dimension to the online shopping process, solving a key pain point for customers—uncertainty about how furniture will look or fit in their homes. By offering a helpful and interactive solution, IKEA has increased customer satisfaction and reduced returns, leading to stronger sales and greater brand loyalty.

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Future Trends in 3D and Immersive Marketing

The landscape of digital marketing is continually evolving, and 3D and immersive experiences are poised to be at the forefront of this shift. As the demand for more engaging, interactive, and personalized experiences grows, brands will need to stay ahead of the curve by adopting emerging technologies. This section will explore the key future trends that are shaping the future of 3D and immersive marketing, from the growing accessibility of AR/VR to the integration of AI and dynamic storytelling.

The Growth of Web-Based AR/VR

While virtual reality (VR) has long been a tool for large-scale, specialized projects, web-based VR is becoming more accessible, allowing users to experience VR without the need for dedicated hardware. WebXR is a significant advancement in this area, enabling brands to create both VR and AR experiences directly in the browser, without requiring users to download an app or use expensive headsets.

Interactive Storytelling: The Rise of Gamification and 3D Narratives

As consumers become more sophisticated in their expectations, interactive storytelling will play a major role in keeping them engaged. Instead of passively consuming content, users will want to explore brand stories in a more personalized and gamified way, where they can actively participate in the narrative.

AI and Personalization in 3D Experiences

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way brands create personalized marketing experiences, and this will extend into the realm of 3D content. By integrating AI into 3D environments, brands can offer dynamic, data-driven experiences that adapt to the user in real time.

The Convergence of 3D and Social Media

Social media platforms are becoming increasingly receptive to 3D and augmented reality experiences, enabling brands to create interactive social content that users can engage with directly in their feeds. The convergence of 3D content and social media provides an exciting avenue for brands to reach their audience where they already spend a large portion of their time.

Real-Time Collaboration in Virtual Spaces

One emerging trend that’s still in its infancy but poised to grow is real-time collaboration in 3D virtual spaces. As remote work and virtual interactions become more prevalent, brands are increasingly looking to create virtual environments where teams or customers can meet, collaborate, and engage in real time.

Begin thinking about how virtual environments can play a role in customer or employee engagement. While not every brand is ready for full-scale virtual events, smaller virtual product launches or collaborative environments can provide an early foothold in this space.

Sustainable and Lightweight 3D Solutions

As immersive experiences become more widespread, so too will the focus on sustainability and efficiency. Large, resource-heavy 3D experiences can be a strain on both the user’s device and the environment due to the energy required to power high-performance digital content. Brands will increasingly prioritize lightweight 3D solutions that deliver visually engaging experiences while minimizing the environmental footprint.

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Looking Ahead: 3D and Immersive Experiences Are Here to Stay

The future of digital marketing is interactive, immersive, and deeply engaging. Brands that embrace 3D technologies now will be well-positioned to lead the next wave of digital transformation. From AR/VR integration and AI-driven personalization to sustainable 3D content, the opportunities are endless. As the digital ecosystem continues to evolve, 3D and immersive experiences will be crucial tools for brands looking to build stronger emotional connections, improve customer engagement, and stay ahead of their competitors.

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By exploring these future trends and beginning to experiment with the available tools and platforms, brands can unlock the potential of 3D and immersive marketing, ensuring they are ready for the next chapter in digital experiences.

If you’re looking for help exploring what this could look like for your organization, we’d be happy to help. And if you already have a plan and need a partner to design and build your vision, we can help with that as well. Let’s build something together.