Going into current times, trends are moving towards a digitally-driven world with talk of the metaverse, digital currencies and NFTs becoming more and more apparent. As brands look toward the same direction to come up with fresh, engaging ideas with selling and building branding to catch the attention of consumers. Based on key statistics like Citi's predictions of the Metaverse economy to value at $13T by 2030, the metaverse seems more like a way forward with technology and consumer behaviour, rather than a short-term trend train to hop onto. If you too, are looking to explore the metaverse (just like how Nike, Starbucks and HSBC has), here's 3 ways to extend your marketing and brand creatively today with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).
1. Identify what great extension of your product/property/solution would work well in the digitally-forward environment
Entertainment companies have a huge aperture on bringing their properties to life through AR/VR/XR, but brands in different industries can bring their brand promise or product features to life by utilising immersive experiences as an added advantage when extending their messages to a wider audience.
An example of fashion brands incorporating Augmented Reality would be JD Sports' futuristic Augmented Reality (AR) game. For a chance to win a year's worth of Air Max products, customers will have to play a game that requires you to unlock a cryptic message by exploring a futuristic AR interface. Read more about it here.
2. Collaborate with influencers, communities, makers or agencies who know the digital space to bring the idea to life
It's tough doing it alone, especially in a new environment. And while companies have a host of marketing expertise, it doesn't always translate to AR/VR/XR. By collaborating with experts well-versed within the realm, you'll create a better experience for devotees quicker and with fewer false starts.
Just look at how Ralph Lauren manages to keep its brand fresh and modern by collaborating with Snapchat to create digital wearables that take it to the next step with curating personalised avatars.
3. Incorporate it in your marketing
If it's too big a leap to fully be involved in the AR/VR/XR space, you should extend it through your advertising initiatives. This is what Pizza Hut did with pizza boxes that let you play 'Pac-Man' with AR - they even threw in a touch of nostalgia for a thematic touch.
The metaverse community and consumers alike, will respect and appreciate that you are calling attention to the development of current times, and you get the imprint of cool by demonstrating you are participating in the next generation of entertainment. Undoubtedly, they have proven themselves to outperform regular ads. For context, 360-VR ads have shown to perform 15-20x better than standard ad units by a significant margin.
There is no doubt that the metaverse will continue to dominate conversations - within both marketing and culture - for years. But there's no need to sit on the sidelines as the new paradigm of 3D or "spatial" communication emerges; it's already here and consumers are engaged and creating. Get active in AR/VR/XR today to reach your audiences effectively by keeping your brand top-of-mind for the influencers driving the next revolution in creativity.