Is the Metaverse the logical progression of business practices?
The metaverse, at one point, was one of the most searched phrases across the globe. According to the search data Google has provided, it seems people are confused and trying to figure just exactly what it is. Which doesn’t surprise us, as the whole movement appeared seemingly from nowhere.
The truth is, the metaverse has the potential to be one of the most exciting online steps of 2021. Especially for those who have come along post-internet, there really hasn’t been such a seismic step forward in technology.
In this blog, we’re looking at what it means to exist in the metaverse and how businesses are already taking the leap of faith into the wide-open void.
Meta-what?
Giving you a spot-on definition is close to impossible as one way or another, someone would be shouting at us from their bedrooms, “that’s not what the metaverse is!” Well, settle down a minute there and let’s keep it simple.
Essentially the metaverse is an online existence where virtual reality overlaps with everyday tangible life. In theory, in the metaverse, a user can move freely between different locations and environments whilst showcasing the items they have bought along the way.
For example, think of a virtual JD selling online versions of your favourite tracksuit for your virtual persona, you can still show it off in the metaverse, whilst still skipping it on laundry day.
The best advice we can give you is to embrace the movement rather than be scared by it because, in all honesty, most of us don’t know what’s going on. It’s the tech-savvy brands that are leading the push, and they will be the ones who will light the way for the rest of us.
Create8 Marketing
When it comes to tech-savvy developers and designers, you needn’t look any further than Create8. Pushing the boundaries and building something unforgettable, it’s what we do. Whether you are looking to take your brand to the next level with a website that complements your inventiveness, or you’re thinking completely outside of the box and want to create something that has never been done before. At Create8, we are here to walk by your side throughout your business journey.
Balenciaga, here for the long run, not just a fortnight
If there is one collaboration that really shocked the fashion world, it was the seemingly unimaginable combination of socks and sandals, only joking, Balenciaga and Fornite.
Since appearing in 2017, the online platform has quite easily become one of the most recognisable games in the world. However, its street cred was lifted significantly when Balenciaga came calling.
The duo produced a selection of online-only products that your avatar could wear in-game. So whilst a twelve-year-old was dancing over the remnants of your character, he could do it in style. Thanks for that, Balenciaga.
Although strictly speaking, this wasn’t a fully-fledged move into the metaverse, it was undoubtedly a strategic step to lay the foundations for what is possible.
Tying into the digital offering was a physical collection of limited Balenciaga x Fortnite pieces, highlighting the flexibility of great branding and cross-platform relationships.
Balenciaga has already been touted as one of the obvious fashion houses that could align with the digital landscape visions of Meta, previously known as Facebook. We have already witnessed Mark Zuckerberg reach out to brands attempting to build exciting opportunities in the metaverse.
Don’t be shocked when your colleague rocks up to your virtual teams meeting with the latest metaverse Balenciaga hoody. It might not be business apparel, but it’s metaverse apparel.
Selfridges provides a home for Charli Cohen x Pokemon
Next up was a three brand collaboration that got people talking about the possibilities of all things fashion in the virtual world. Retail giant Selfridges offered a virtual space for what is best described as a digital shopping experience.
The event was put together by designer Charli Cohen and was in celebration of the 25th birthday of the Pokemon brand. Let’s be honest, if we get a metaverse version of Pokemon Go, that’ll be awesome. Attempting to catch a Charizard across a virtual landscape would probably be our lives completed.
The shopping experience entitled Electric/City offered three zones that visitors could traverse and choose to shop both virtual and physical products. Selfridges also provided an in-house AR opportunity for shoppers to find prizes within their store. What’s’ really cool is that the digital pieces could be worn by either a body tracking Snapchat lens or by a customisable augmented reality avatar.
More Louis Vuitton
As the universally recognisable Louis Vuitton monogram reaches out into the metaverse, it shows us that absolutely every brand can exist in the virtually unknown.
Last year, the fashion giant offered the world an RPG experience similar to that of a PlayStation or XBOX game. Where the character made its way around a virtual world, collecting 200 virtual candles to celebrate the anniversary of the business. Obviously, you could customise your character in head to toe Vuitton, which most of us couldn’t dream of in real life, allowing the brand to become instantly accessible to a whole new demographic.
To add to the experience, those who made their way around the game were able to collect 30 NFTs produced by artist Beeple. However, these NFTs were not tradable and therefore were simply to be collected on your metaverse journey.
Thirsty for metaverse attention (Coca-Cola)
The final example comes from the most recognisable brand globally, Coca Cola. Last year Coke teamed up with 3D creative team Tafi to produce a truly memorable experience. They offered virtual loot boxes as NFT’s. Within the highly desirable boxes was a whole host of cool stuff, including wearable clothing for the open-source gaming platform Decentraland. Trust us; the bubble coat is a whole vibe of its own. The winner of the NFT would also receive a real-life Coca-Cola branded fridge, so they would be winning in all realities.
It was when bidding on the NFT that some lucky users would receive varied wearable pieces of Metaverse goodness, as well as a whole host of other cool stuff. Between Coca-Cola and Tafi they managed to create a campaign that brought together the online and offline world, creating something unforgettable. This strategic approach also brought a younger, more tech-savvy audience to the already brilliant Coca-Cola brand.
What does the metaverse mean for Create8?
For us, the metaverse is probably the most exciting development in our lifetimes. It brings us that little bit closer to the crime-solving robots of Minority Report, and even closer still to being able to afford a Louis Vuitton suit.
As a graphic design agency, it’s fair to say we are pretty well placed when it comes to the creation of a virtual reality setting. We know how design works and how it interacts with the body and mind to create something truly memorable or breath-taking. At Create8, we want to keep moving forward with our capabilities as an agency and build virtual bridges into that world.
Understanding design is one thing but knowing how design elements should work and feel is where we truly see our skillset. So, who knows! Maybe there’s a create8 universe where you can visit our virtual office (obviously, they’ll be Pokemon, if the cushions aren’t made from a Snorlax, what’s the point) and decide the direction you want to go in with your project.
If anything you have read in this blog has blown your mind, feel free to contact us. We love to talk about design and all the brilliant elements of the metaverse. Follow the link below and reach out.
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