Marketing in the Metaverse
If you’re like most brands, you’re trying to figure out how to market in the metaverse. It’s a new frontier, and there are a lot of unanswered questions. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get started.
One thing to keep in mind is that marketing in the metaverse is different than traditional marketing. By using the metaverse, brands can create more engaging and immersive experiences for their users. Additionally, the metaverse provides access to a large and growing audience of potential customers. As more and more people spend time in the metaverse, it will become increasingly important for brands to have a presence in this digital universe.
What is the Metaverse?
For the uninitiated, the metaverse may sound like something straight out of a science fiction novel. But in reality, it’s not that far-fetched. The metaverse is a collection of many different user-created virtual worlds that are all interconnected. Users can move freely between these worlds, and they can also create their own worlds within the metaverse. It’s a place where people can interact with each other and with computer-generated characters and objects. The metaverse is constantly expanding as more and more people create their own worlds within it.
What can you do in the Metaverse?
Think of it as a cross between a video game and social media. Users can create their own avatars, or digital representations of themselves, and explore the metaverse. Whether you’re looking for social interactions or solo activities, there’s something for everyone in the metaverse. You can meet new people and make friends, go on adventures together, or compete against each other in games. You can also shop, listen to music, watch movies, and much more. The metaverse is constantly growing and changing, so there’s always something new to explore.
What are some examples of metaverses that exist?
When people think of metaverses, they usually tie it synonymously with blockchain platforms. These include popular platforms like Decentraland and Sandbox.
However, not all metaverses are on the blockchain. For example – Fortnite and Roblox are popular games that have virtual worlds where other users can interact with each other online.
How brands can use the metaverse:
- New Marketing Platform: Instead of traditional email marketing, the metaverse will create new opportunities to test promotions and loyalty programs, just like Chipotle showed by launching their Boorito promo as digital-only this year.
- Sell More Products: A new world means a new realm and type of products to offer that help promote your business.
- Better Communication: Digital commerce will have an additional dimension and opportunity for buyers and sellers to connect in a new way.
- Enhanced Experiences: Instead of just a zoom call or a Facebook event, imagine if you could make this an occasion where people could join in person or buy a ticket for the virtual experience. The Metaverse Will Enhance Physical-World Experiences overall.
- Innovative Community Building: Since anyone, anywhere, can access the metaverse, and it is still a relatively new experience, there is a degree of shared community experience that can help evangelize your audience.
Video Credits: Montreal CityNews
The Famous Cosmos’ Diner: Metaverse Cafe
- A food & beverage small business utilizing the metaverse.
- A local, unique Canadian Diner invested $15,000 to develop an experience in Decentraland.
- Due to its cult-following, the experience allowed fans of the restaurant to engage with it in a new way.
- People can explore the recreated restaurant, learn recipes, and interact with other users in the virtual space.
Fidelity: The Stack
- Invested in a plot in Decentraland.
- 2×2 space with an interactive building that allows players to learn about investing in ETFs and index funds.
- Players go through the building collecting orbs and reading signs.
- Once all the orbs are collected they can be converted into an NFT.
Dolce & Gabbana: Fashion Week.
- Dolce & Gabbana unveiled 20 full looks of Metaverse wearables that they specifically designed for the Metaverse Fashion Week. Playing on the term catwalk, they used cat-faced avatar models to showcase the collection.
- After the show, the full collection became viewable in an exclusive Dolce & Gabbana pop-up in Decentraland’s Luxury Fashion District, curated by luxury-focused marketplace UNXD.
- UNXD, as well as Vogue Arabia, were core partners of Decentraland in curating the traditional fashion brands at MVFW.
- Recently, Dolce & Gabbana sold a series of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) for about $6 million as part of another collection co-created with UNXD.
- D&G‘s next step into the Metaverse is the launch of the DGFamily NFT Community, which intends to give members exclusive access to physical and digital drops and wearables.
- DGFamily holders will receive airdrops from this MVFW collection.
As the metaverse continues to evolve, it will likely become an increasingly important part of our lives, offering new and unique opportunities for connection and collaboration.
There are already many metaverse platforms available, and the number is only expected to grow in the future. As a result, marketing your brand in the metaverse is likely to become increasingly important for businesses of all types.
If you’re looking for a partner to help you integrate innovative strategies for your brand, contact us!
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Our Picks: Top 3 PRIDE Campaigns of 2022
This week we are digging into Pride Month and taking a look at the best brand campaigns highlighting the LGBTQ+ community. According to Nielsen, 11M US Adults identify as LGBTQ+, which is an increase of nearly 5% since 2017. As a result, brands are working to engage LGBTQ+ customer segments and the $69.4B annually they spend on consumer packaged goods.
However, Pride marketing campaigns are not just for the LGBTQ+ community, but also for allies. LGBTQ+ allies make up $143.9B in CPG spending and have an affinity for brands that are inclusive in their messaging and culture.
With Pride month concluding, Recreation has picked out 3 of the most eye-catching campaigns or ads to celebrate Pride month. The list is not in any hierarchy or order, all 3 were amazing.
#3: Microsoft
Microsoft has stepped up its efforts to appeal to LGBT+ minority groups and promote itself as a progressive company compared to previous years. In the video ad, Microsoft speaks on the LGBTQ+ community using their voices to unite and embrace being different. Artists explain their artistic background and what inspires them when expressing themselves and telling their stories. On top of the original video, Microsoft’s actions and products also celebrate Pride month. Microsoft is donating $170,000 to LGBT+ non-profits OutRight Action International, African Rainbow Family, National Center for Transgender Equality, Mermaids, Lavender Rights Project, and Fulcrum UA. Also, for XBOX, profile items, controllers, and even in-game themes are tied into Pride Month.
#2: LEGO
LEGO, a favorite toy maker of children and hobbyists alike, has also joined with its latest inclusive project, The A-Z of Awesome, through which the company hopes to make conversations and vocabulary about LGBTQ identities more accessible. The toy sets are created by members & artists of the LGBTQIA+ community, expressing their backgrounds and experiences, like a butterfly-themed art piece for the trans community and a multi-perspective letter “Q” to honor the diversity of the queer community. The A-Z of Awesome is LEGO’s latest campaign celebrating Pride month. The first Pride set, called “Everyone is Awesome,” included various monochrome figures in the Pride flag colors, with the intent that people could customize and build whatever kind of LEGO figures they wanted.
#1: Skittles
The Skittles brand is reintroducing Pride Packs to support Pride Month in June. For the second year, Skittles is releasing limited-edition packs featuring gray packaging and candies to draw attention to the rainbow symbolizing the LGBTQ+ community. The all-gray Skittles pack for Pride Month will instead feature work by Kah Yangni, MegEmigoArt, Mia Saine, Chi, and Ash + Chess. The brand also partners with GLAAD, the world’s leading LGBTQ+ media advocacy group. There are so many reasons to love this campaign, but the first point to mention is the corporate responsibility shown by the Skittles brand. For every Pride pack of Skittles purchased, $1 goes directly to GLAAD. This campaign shows that Skittles has a genuine passion for supporting LGBTQ+ rights and isn’t just doing it for the spotlight.
Check it out here: https://pride.skittles.com/
Whether or not a brand’s Pride campaign will be a success comes down to a few critical factors: authenticity, commitment, and selflessness. When it comes to marketing, storytelling is vital as it helps consumers to further connect with your brand. It also takes people on a journey and allows them to understand different perspectives. Overall, a great Pride Month full of a lot of compelling campaigns & ads.
Recreation is committed to being an inclusive workplace both internally and externally, and while we are encouraged that more brands are championing LGBTQ+ causes because of the economic opportunities, we believe the real gains from celebrating Pride comes from treating people fairly and with kindness. There is still much work to be done for LGBTQ+ visibility and rights in this country, and we are in support of the community members who have paved the way for us to get to where we are today.