The Metaverse Doesn’t Always Stay in the Metaverse

Editor’s note: This piece is part of our Columnist Network series, which explores the tactical thoughts and actions from Adweek’s community of high-level experts. Today, Roblox's Christina Wootton expands on the crossover marketing potential between real and virtual worlds. Below, in her own words, she says brands are only scratching the surface. The challenge The metaverse has become an elevated and heightened extension of the real world, so it follows that the trends we see IRL are reflected in the metaverse—from Gucci handbags to popular TV shows, real-life cultural phenomena bleed from the physical world into the virtual one. As it expands, it appears that the reverse also holds true: Trends that begin in the metaverse are transcending virtual boundaries and becoming part of our physical reality. If the happenings in the digital world are precursors to real-world trends, how can brands leverage the metaverse in their marketing efforts? It not only creates opportunities for marketing campaigns and customer activations that combine the digital and physical worlds, but there is also the potential for brands to use metaverse trends for understanding their next generation of consumers and experimentation. The process One brand exploring this symbiotic relationship is Chipotle, which is taking its iconic “Boorito” Halloween campaign to the metaverse while also utilizing it to drive customers to its real-life restaurant counters. First, the brand listened to fans on social media, looking at everything from memes to quick videos, to gather insights on which items the community would be most excited about and turn them into creative virtual merchandise. Chipotle's newly launched virtual experience will feature these items and become part of its fan favorite “Boorito” campaign that rewards costumed customers for showing up in Chipotle restaurants on Halloween. In the metaverse, costume-clad avatars that come to the virtual Chipotle counter on certain days and times of the activation will get free burrito codes to redeem in the real world. To help visitors dress their avatars, the brand has created a collection of virtual costumes based on popular menu items, and with the physical-digital interconnection, we fully expect to see people dressing up as the "Burrito Mummy" and "Guacenstein" both on Roblox and on the streets of U.S. cities this Halloween. Experiences that begin in the metaverse also have the potential to cross over into the physical world to engage new and existing audiences across multiple platforms. We can imagine a day where people design their own shoes, clothing and accessories on Roblox and then have them delivered in real life—similar to how some brands give consumers options to customize online, but in an immersive, social experience. Finally, actions in the metaverse can not only drive real-life behavior, like in the case of Chipotle, but they can also help businesses better understand their customers and anticipate real-world demands. For example, one day we may see the likes of fashion labels using their virtual collections to collect pre-orders and determine production quantities, putting it in a more favorable position amid pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and financial uncertainty. The takeaway Brands are only scratching the surface of the innovative and experimental marketing opportunities in the metaverse. According to Wunderman Thompson’s report “Into the Metaverse,” the virtual world is a “battleground” for new marketing tactics. While there is a clear relationship between actions in the metaverse and in real life, the extent of the brand opportunities has yet to be fully realized. In order for brands to remain current and sustain their growth in the real world, they must be willing to take risks and be bold in virtual spaces.

Columnist Network

The Metaverse Doesn’t Always Stay in the Metaverse

As digital trends become increasingly reflected in the physical world, your brand’s virtual marketing efforts can have real-life results

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Christina Wootton

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Christina Wootton