“This is still very early stage,” said Mehta Mehta, global creative director for Hogarth Worldwide, WPP’s specialist creative agency. Top customers, from a list that includes Pizza Hut, Duracell and Bombay Sapphire, are asking Mehta how to engage their brands in virtual reality experiences and launch activations on what has recently been dubbed the metaverse.
“They ask, How do you jump the curve and move forward in this new world?” Mehta said.
Foundry Metaverse. To meet the needs of marketers to develop immersive virtual reality experiences and activations, Hogarth announced the opening of The Metaverse Foundry as a resource for all WPP customers. It brings together more than 700 creative content professionals, producers, visual artists, developers and technologists.
“Brands are all in different stages, either advanced or just wanting to get into it,” Mehta said. “How do you get universal adoption? We consult about ways to get people involved.
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The cornerstones of The Metaverse Foundry’s approach are to create a creative experience that allows visitors to engage and be exposed to the culture of the virtual community where the brand appears.
“The purpose of the metaverse is community building,” said Mehta. “Brands can’t go out there with an agenda. They need to know how to make payments in this environment, how to access an experience or a product, and change the access model.
Mehta added that to adapt to these early stages of evolving VR experiences and environments, marketers need to keep in mind that the appeal of the “Metaverse” is that it is decentralized. That is why the new project is called “Foundry”.
decentralization. Decentraland is a virtual community where users can create their environments and artwork using the Builder tool, and marketers can host events, run contests and games using other SKD tools.
In December, Hogarth WW’s Under Armor teamed up with NBA star Stephen Curry and Decentraland to revitalize the NFT featuring digital replica sneakers, celebrating Curry’s achievement in becoming the leader in the three-man basketball league all-time.
Read next: Marketers: Metaverse is coming.
Decentraland is also a virtual asset destination, allowing users to trade and buy land in the virtual environment, as well as wearables for avatar users. For the basketball fan with a Decentraland avatar, he might want to show off a replica of the sneakers Curry wore when he broke the all-time record for three-point shots, according to the Under Armor Partnership.
Acura integration. Acura announced today that it will become the first automaker to open a digital showroom in the Metaverse, also in Decentraland. The showroom will be called the Acura of Decentraland and will be available to users from March 22nd.
Acura will release the 2023 Integra, and serious car buyers who have booked the new model (the first 500) will have the opportunity to claim a limited edition NFT designed by 3D artist Andreas Wannerstedt. First, the customer gets a basic NFT with the reservation. When their new vehicle is delivered, they will then upgrade to a unique Integra NFT that they can use in the metaverse.
In the virtual Acura showroom, visitors will be able to explore the 3D environment and see the main features of the vehicle. They can also play an exclusive racing game, “Beat That,” and browse a selection of avatar wearables designed by Wannerstedt as well.
Activation of the metaverse is tied to an integrated campaign timed by the collars of March Madness, and MullenLowe Los Angeles provided agency services for the effort.
Activate Skechers. Skechers brand Lifestyle is also inserting its toes into the metaverse in Decentraland. They signed a “lease agreement” in the “fashion district” of the platform.
According to a statement from the company, they have placed orders for brands to sell virtual goods, including shoes and apparel, with more announcements to come about what their virtual store will look like and what products users will be able to browse during their visit.
Why do we care. Brands are in different stages and offer different levels of commitment to at least one hypothetical metaverse outpost. Note that Decentraland is not owned by Facebook’s parent company Meta.
When speaking with Hogarth’s Global Executive Creative Director, Mehta Mehta, the advertising veteran shared what he’s heard time and time again from customers: Brands are looking for new customers and where to reach them.
New environments mean new customers, but marketers also need to think carefully about who their customers are and see if there is cross-gravity for VR users, gamers, and other digital explorers. By knowing this, marketers can gauge which platform to engage with and how deeply they want to be involved.
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