About Lesson
Gaze into the future: Marketing in the metaverse
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– These days, it’s hard to blink without seeing a reference to the metaverse. And if you’re in marketing, where do you fit in? Well, before you get lost in your VR goggles, let’s step back to get a wider view. First of all, the metaverse you’ve been hearing about isn’t here yet. Right now it’s more high concept than reality. And because there’s so much hype around what the metaverse is or will be, it’s a good idea to approach it with a curious, yet critical eye. But when it’s fully operational, the metaverse will blend digital and real life customer experiences in a whole new way. Today, while it’s still on the drawing or coding board, there are some virtual worlds you can check out. These include Meta’s Horizon Worlds, Decentraland, Roblox, and a site many of you may remember from a long time ago, Second Life. But will the metaverse be more virtual or augmented reality? You could make a case for both sides. So it’s a good idea to keep up with what’s happening on both the VR and AR fronts. When it comes to immersive marketing, the virtual sky’s the limit. Say you’re a creative bakery like Topsy Turvy. Well, your agency might design you a flock of birds that come together to form a colorful birthday cake in the virtual sky, complete with a Topsy Turvy logo. Or maybe you’ll bump into an avatar representing a high profile sports star, who stops to chat about their new sponsorship deal with a brand like h+ Sports. This is just a tip of the creativity you may see, but there’s a dark side to metaverse marketing, and issues that will need to be addressed. One of your customers don’t realize the person or bot they’re talking to is being paid to hawk clothes, software, or even digital makeovers. If your brand’s avatar doesn’t disclose, and a customer realizes they’re being fooled, that interaction could be considered spam. How will your company deal with user privacy and safety? Then there’s a whole notion of interoperability. That is the ability to move your avatar and digital assets seamlessly from one world to the next. That requires universal standards and regulations. It’s a complex environment, that’s for sure. And marketers will have many roles to play. You can start by checking out sci-fi books, films, and TV, as a source for out of this world ideas. Then reflect on the surfaces and places your customers encounter from a fresh POV, and don’t be afraid to defy gravity or other physical constraints. Consider the partners in tech you might need to bring your concepts to life, then step into your customer’s shoes and imagine what their perceptions might be. Ultimately, you want to build a digital bond your customers will carry into real life. and then back to the metaverse again.
