GUILLERMO CARVAJAL

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WE SHOULD ALL COOL IT WITH THE META-TALK

 

There's way too much buzz about something that doesn't even exist just yet. Instead, we should take a step back and ask ourselves how this new technology can help us improve our connection with customers.

There's a lot of marketing hype around the Metaverse. It seems that everyone wants to own the term as a way to cash in commercial benefits, but no one seems to agree on what is it exactly. Some say it is the future of the internet. Others say it is a video game, while others describe a really annoying version of Zoom.

Like it or not, this thing is coming. After all, the building blocks are there, but it's hard to envision what it will be like, and whoever tells you otherwise is lying.

The paradox about the Metaverse is that in order to describe something that doesn't exist just yet, you do it by depicting a new and exciting version of the use of current technologies - virtual worlds, digital concerts, online avatars and video conference calls. And you achieve that by referring to the same (and probably only) two examples: 

First, the term's origin, initially coined by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 sci-fi novel "Snow Crash", where the Metaverse is the virtual refuge from an anarchy-laden world controlled by the Mafia. And the second is by Steven Spielberg's film Ready, Player One, where everyone spends almost all of their time with a VR headset on their face navigating the OASIS, a virtual game.

Suppose we put aside the science fiction references and combine the more credible definitions. In that case, the Metaverse is a persistent (you don't restart every time you join), immersive virtual 3D space where you can interact with other users, intersecting the real-world economy and integrating with other online platforms. At this moment, nothing is doing this at any notable scale, so that's why video games are the closest thing to a so-called Metaverse.

Here are a few examples:

Travis Scott + Fornite 

Post Malone + Pokemon

Gucci + Roblox

A Gucci themed garden inside Roblox, a two-week installation to build brand awareness.

CocaCola + Decentreland 

CocaCola released a set of digital clothes NFTs that could be worn inside the open-source platform Decentreland.

Loui Vuitton

Loui Vuitton went the extra step and created their own video game world where you can run around and collect items while customizing your character in Louis Vuitton fashion wear.

Balenciaga + Fornite

Players of the open-world video game could purchase digital outfits inspired by real-life Balenciaga pieces from its virtual boutique.

Nike+Roblox

Nike took a deep dive into the Metaverse by creating user-driven, fully immersive digital experiences that blend the digital with the physical in their NYC store. In a virtual world called "Nikeland" (inside the Roblox platform), consumers can play virtual games such as tag, the floor is lava, and dodgeball with their friends.

Should your brand join the “Metaverse”? 

Let’s be honest, but not all brands have the right product, personality and target audience to be doing anything inside a videogame. As you can tell from the examples above, most of them are well-established brands looking to connect with a younger audience by providing entertainment in the form of in-game experiences and digital wearables. 

I think the future of the Metaverse is a big unknown and a huge gamble. In a way, the people building it are betting against humanity, hoping we enter apocalyptic time, being bored at home and avoiding real-world interaction. On top of that, the cost involved in owning a VR headset makes the idea of living in an interconnected Metaverse world even more unrealistic for the time being.

It's essential to keep all this context in mind when we try to compare the current pre-metaverse with the early stages of the internet, thinking that everything will evolve in a similar fashion. There is no guarantee people will even want to hang out in virtual spaces, much less whether VR and AR technology will be widely adopted and replace our current mobile tech.

For example, is this really an improvement on our current online-shopping experience?

Are avatars a better way to interact with each other and do business?

Whatever the case, there is no doubt that this new technology will offer a unique opportunity for brands to interact with customers in a more engaging and personal way. But for now, maybe we all need to cool it down a bit with the meta-talk and approach new tech opportunities for what they are - a new way to serve our customers.

Guillermo Carvajal is an innovative creative working
for clients in Australia, South America and the US. www.gc-ad.com

 
Guillermo Carvajal