A guide to Metaverse advertising bonuses!

Since the concept of the metaverse was proposed, it has brought disruptive impacts to all walks of life around the world. Of course, it takes time and reality to put a concept into practice, but it is undeniable that the metaverse has, in a sense, fundamentally changed our understanding of the world and our expectations for the future.

The traditional marketing field is no exception. The metaverse has opened up a new dimension of marketing work, but will the road ahead be smooth? This article provides a comprehensive analysis from the perspectives of demand, technology and business, supplemented by rigorous data support, and makes a relatively objective analysis of both successful cases and potential risks, presenting you with the realistic soil for a colorful future from a rational perspective amidst the rapidly sweeping trend.

Everything has two sides. Weigh the pros and cons and choose the more important one. I hope this article can provide you with some reference.

Key points:

1. An introductory test of video game metaverse advertising

2. The first crab feast supported by Gucci+Vans

3. AR + VR: The dimensional upgrade from flat to immersive advertising

4. The road ahead is long and arduous. The dual barriers of technological breakthrough and user iteration cannot be ignored.

5. Make plans before you act. Success or failure is a hero in good times or bad times.

The Metaverse will bring profound changes to the field of digital marketing, at least when major technology platforms find the right approach.

Currently, video games and augmented reality and virtual reality (AR and VR) are the two main ways advertisers can be the first to experience the Metaverse, but as hardware developers like Meta, Snap and Samsung launch better and cheaper VR headsets, or as game companies like Fortnite launch new multi-purpose virtual spaces, advertisers will have more ways to take advantage of the Metaverse's multiple social and technological advantages.

1. Video Games: An Introduction to Metaverse Advertising

Advertisers can use video games to test the social features of the Metaverse without having to worry too much about the technical requirements.

Of course, we wouldn’t consider all games to be part of the Metaverse, but many do demonstrate qualities that meet Metaverse standards, such as personalized virtual humans, the ability to interact with the world around them, and multiple player online modes.

Roblox, Animal Crossing, and Fortnite are among the few that currently fit the bill, allowing players to design their own gear, host other players in custom universes, and otherwise entertain themselves in unconventional ways. These have attracted a large number of advertisers, who regard them as an effective way to explore future advertising experiments.

Key data: Players can see various brands in the game, but what is important is how the brand products can naturally integrate into the game environment. Comscore conducted a survey in June 2021, and 42% of respondents said they hope that product placement can be related to the game scene.

2. Gucci+Vans: The first crab feast supported by a big brand

For paid partners like Gucci Garden experience, which has had experience on Roblox, they have reaped great rewards. The Gucci Garden experience allows users to explore the dreamlike Gucci garden and purchase or win a virtual Gucci handbag.

At the same time, the fact that games can use customized spaces for free also allows brand owners to have a place in the metaverse and build a continuous and permanent brand presence, which is difficult to do in reality.

For example, Vans' Roblox Skateboard World has attracted 57 million visits since its launch in 2021, according to data from its landing page.

Big events in the game also have huge appeal: in November 2020, the Lil Nas X concert series was held on Roblox, attracting more than 33 million people.

Similar to AR and VR, extended reality (XR) technology also allows brand owners to explore metaverse technology at all levels. AR is the most popular and widely used metaverse marketing tool. Currently, almost all social media platforms provide some AR filter products.

Although these are not new, they provide advertisers with a wider range of user reach and a chance to test the waters before deciding to invest heavily.

At the same time, VR can create a deeper immersive experience. The only drawback is that to get these exciting experiences, you first need to own an expensive helmet.

Key data: AR's biggest opportunity is still in the social aspect. Among the more than 100 million AR users this year, more than half are expected to be exposed to and use AR through social media.

At the same time, of the 64 million VR users in the United States, only about half use helmets, and this number will be difficult to change unless technological advances drive prices down.

3. AR + VR: The Dimensional Upgrade from Flat to Immersive Advertising

There are currently a large number of successful cases of brands using AR filters as a marketing tool, but at the same time they may have advantages in metaverse technology, but relatively few social elements.

Snapchat is working hard to change this situation. In 2020, Snapchat officially launched Local Lenses, which supports third parties to create AR filters based on geographical location.

Unlike its map-focused competitors, Snap plans to let users use digital content to change the look of their neighborhoods, with users being able to "decorate nearby buildings with colorful paint" and the effects will be visible to their friends.

Previously, Snap has launched a series of AR filters based on tourist attractions. Now the function of creating such filters will be open to the public. The spatial location information required to make LBS AR filters comes from the data previously taken by users. Snap will extract and 3D map model this data.

In 2021, Snap also partnered with Lego to launch Connected Lenses, which allows two people to play AR games together, such as building Lego models together.

At the same time, the epidemic in the past two years has further accelerated the pace of brand owners creating virtual stores. Big brands like Dior, Lancome, and Nars have set up virtual flagship stores that users can view through VR helmets or mobile phones.

At present, most users prefer mobile phones, but brand owners' move to create VR spaces will undoubtedly prepare for future metaverse marketing.

In the field of video games and VR technology, there are a lot of potential business opportunities for metaverse performance advertising.

Early patents submitted by Meta show that it wants to transplant real-world advertisements into the VR metaverse while extracting more user data, such as what makes the advertisements eye-catching.

Meta has also been testing some ads in its VR headsets. These ads will appear in the form of billboards or posters in digital scenes, but cannot be clicked directly to the brand's official website.

Although Meta’s ad testing is still in its early stages, advertisers are getting ahead of the curve with video games. Bidstack and Anzu let game developers put their ads into games, whether it be sponsored ads next to virtual sports stadiums or digital billboards as users drive around Roblox cities.

4. The road ahead is long and arduous: the dual barriers of technological breakthrough and user iteration cannot be ignored

What are the restrictions on Metaverse advertising?

First, the advertising format is still in the experimental stage and is highly dependent on emerging technologies. For advertisers seeking stable results, video game and VR advertising may be risky, given that there are only a few companies trying metaverse advertising, and even fewer are willing to share advertising data.

In terms of technology, AR and VR each have their own advantages: AR can be widely accessed and used through existing smartphones, but VR's immersive experience is more superior.

Due to current technical limitations, there are only a few advertisers willing to use VR helmet advertising. In particular, VR advertising cannot guarantee that it can quickly reach key target user groups. At present, there is still a long way to go before VR can achieve the goal of ideal advertising effects.

The second is the issue of user iteration. Currently, platforms like Roblox have specific user groups, such as children and teenagers, so advertisers are confident that they can reach these user groups.

Likewise, the fact that advertisers rarely use VR headsets means they have reason to believe that the audience for VR ads is limited to die-hard fans who are keen on the new technology. If more and more people come into the Metaverse, then obviously the number of users will also increase, and the technical requirements will become lower and lower.

This is good news for advertisers, but from another perspective, user positioning may become more difficult for those early brands testing the waters.

5. Plan carefully before taking action: Success or failure is a hero in both good times and bad times

If advertisers want to get involved in Metaverse advertising now, what should they pay attention to?

Since the Metaverse is still new and in the early stages of development, advertisers should try to remain flexible when placing ads. In particular, don't lock too many resources on one aspect.

Considering some changes on social platforms, such as the shift from chronological input to algorithmic input, flexibly adapting should be a more rational choice.

If the Metaverse can be successfully implemented in the future, advertisers will have been prepared for future technological changes in the process. Placing advertisements in games allows advertisers to collect first-hand information on brand performance during player gameplay. By using VR technology, advertisers can establish connections with virtual reality developers in advance, allowing them to be one step ahead when placing Metaverse ads in the future.

But even if it fails in the future, the marketing potential of AR/VR and games is huge and well worth exploring. Some brands have already invested heavily in AR filters and Roblox worlds, so regardless of whether the metaverse is ultimately feasible, the advancement of these technologies cannot be ignored. Not to mention, early advertisers who took the plunge have already generated good public relations effects when announcing their companies’ entry into the metaverse, and have already reaped the benefits.

Author: Media 360

Source: Media 360