Of Course Our Brand Has a … Metaverse Strategy?
Is the metaverse a truly novel terra nova — or just the latest way for companies to pervade every click and pixel of your online presence under the guise of gamified immersion?
Coming soon to the metaverse: corporate ball-pits.
Instagram via: Color Factory; Museum of Ice Cream; Candytopia; Egg House, Human’s Best Friend; Rosé Mansi
In recent months an accelerating hokey cokey of stellar brands have dipped at least one pixelated foot into the metaverse — the persistent, user-defined, digital simulation sold by Mark Zuckerberg as “an embodied internet where you’re in the experience, not just looking at it.”
For example: Nike acquired the digital studio RTFKT, which “uses the latest in game engines, NFT, blockchain authentication and augmented reality … to create one of a kind sneakers and digital artifacts”; Coca-Cola created a set of NFT collectibles to support Special Olympics International on International Friendship Day; Disney patented a “virtual-world simulator” to digitally augment its theme parks; Hyundai launched a “Mobility Adventure” where users can “experience Hyundai Motor’s mobility offerings in the form of avatars”; Warner Bros. partnered with Roblox to host an “immersive, virtual launch party” for its movie, “In the Heights”; and Gucci is busy “transcending the confines of time and space” with a range of meta-ventures, including “#SUPERGUCCI NFTs created by @superplastic.” Even Walmart is paving a trademark path to launch its own cryptocurrency, NFTs and “Verse to Store,” “Verse to Curb” and “Verse to Home” services.