Andrew Bosworth from Facebook: We are investing in virtual reality because we want to connect people

For Andrew Bosworth, VP Ads & Business Platforms at Facebook, one of the keys for innovation is the brand. “You have to understand what you are doing, you have to be structured, commit to take risks, start by scales.”In his speech during the closing of the 2016 IAB MIXX Conference, he explored how companies lose opportunities because they are not clear about what they are doing, which is intrinsically linked to identity. “To be clear about what one is doing is more important than what you are selling.” He gave the example of Kodak, which, in the 1960’s invented the first digital camera, but if they had pressured themselves, they would have beaten several competitors. “We are investing in virtual reality because we want to connect people, overcoming language barriers and because we want to do what mobile did, allow proximity and connection. Brands aren’t just companies’ names, they are also the technologies that connect and develop.”When he joined Facebook, says Bosworth, it was just a college network and they realized their product was connectivity, which is why their product is based on this point. “We don’t have a chance for excuses and mobile is the future of what is coming next.”