For generations, entertainment brands have been on the cutting edge, showing people what’s possible through technology. Consider how films like the original Star Wars used imaginative storytelling to help people consider a future with limitless possibilities. Aside from the storytelling, entertainment brands have also always been at the forefront of innovation, continually pushing the boundaries for how consumers discover, and eventually adopt, new forms of technology.
Of course, Netflix changed the way we consume new content with their early catalogs of DVDs by mail. But even a century ago, forms of media like radio broadcasting unleashed revolutionary new modes of storytelling, advertising and celebrity that continue to exist in some form or fashion today. In short, entertainment brands know that technological experimentation can lead to foundational breakthroughs.
The idea of the metaverse—or the greater alignment of physical and digital worlds—is the latest technology rage, and it should come as no surprise that entertainment brands are among the first to jump into the deep end. In this article, I'll examine four key ways entertainment brands are propelling the metaverse forward and inching it closer to the mainstream. (Full disclosure: As an early or exclusive dev partner for Niantic and Snap Inc., Trigger contributed to the development in the Verizon and PGA projects mentioned below.)
1. Immersive Storytelling
Why fix it, if it’s not broken? Just like legions of their predecessors, today’s entertainment brands continue to deploy the idea of immersive storytelling to engage with consumers through new technologies, turning to mixed reality (MR) applications to form a deeper connection with fans. In fact, the core components of augmented reality (AR) center around how story, characters and world elements spill out into an audience’s reality. No other medium does this.
In earlier iterations of immersive storytelling, this meant focusing on more touchpoints (from retail to theme parks), but, there is a deliberate focus on deeper engagement with the metaverse, making stories more “real” through extended reality (XR).
Verizon, for example, partnered with Disney, Google and Snap to create AR lenses that enabled fans to interact with iconic Avengers. In this instance, brands utilized reactive tracking and social filter technology to allow users to simulate being the heroes. These kinds of experiences take immersion to a whole new level and have truly become a best practice because fans are not only adopting their favorite IP but also showing off themselves.
2. Character And Celeb Integrations
Going hand in hand with immersive storytelling, character integrations are a great way to leverage sponsorships for the brands themselves and power further consumer engagement from fans who adore the featured celebrity or character.
Of course, fans are unlikely to meet these beloved characters in real life, but metaverse experiences can bridge the physical and digital divide. Verizon used volumetric capture technology (volcap) to create its AR Pro Interactive App. They then leveraged sports sponsorships to allow fans to interact with athletes in 3-D as they shared a breakdown of their signature move. Imagine seeing a frame-by-frame breakdown of Megan Rapinoe’s kick with augmented reality making it feel like she’s right in front of you.
In our world of 24/7, on-demand content, live events often serve as the last stand to unify audiences, create real-time buzz and introduce audiences to new experiences through technology. Remember how real-time polling and voting during awards shows created more engagement, or how Super Bowl ads left viewers hanging with storylines to push them to consume digital content and allow for one-to-one relationships. Now, there are new ways to interact with the live event or even transport the user to an event they can’t attend in person.
Currently, VR is used mostly for gaming. But the future of the metaverse will be used for almost anything the imagination can dream up. Think work, play, movies and socializing. The biggest opportunity will be found across live events such as concerts, in which millions of individuals will be able to connect from all around the world. A prime example of this was the collaboration of Epic Games and BTS, which led to the debut of a music video on Fortnite.
Speaking of which, gamification is a tried-and-true technique to create longer lasting connections. With new metaverse technologies at the helm, brands can incentivize audiences with new approaches to participate and even see increased engagement time.
One very intentionally gamified app was released by the PGA. Using Niantic’s Lightship ARDK technology, the PGA’s Jr. League Safari Par-tee app was designed to engage with youth golfers and introduce the sport to new audiences. Kids and families were able to bring a playfully designed golf course using plane technology into their own space and collaboratively play through their smartphones.
Entertainment brands know metaverse early adoption is key.
Other businesses can learn from the entertainment industry as any consumer company should understand the metaverse can be a driving force to supercharge marketing plans in a unified, engaging way. Fun fact: Every year, $54 billion is spent on virtual goods, almost double the amount spent buying music.
To keep on pace with consumers and competitors, the best ways to get started include:
1. Assess relevant opportunities for your business. There’s no denying the metaverse will scale across many industry verticals as early projections demonstrate.
2. Create and drive experience through internal development. Explore creative consumer engagement and social experiences through emerging channels, products/services and digital goods. Start small and move fast.
3. Join a network of metaverse ecosystem participants. High-value collaborations and partnerships are available at a reasonable level of investment. Connect with younger Gen-Z audiences and tap into unconventional talent pools to evolve with XR trends.
4. Position your business to capture the mindspace of tech-forward consumers who respond to authentic marketing.
Businesses are at a key pivot point, where it seems that not a day goes by without a brand announcing an AR or VR activation. As a result, we’ll see companies of all shapes and sizes entering the metaverse in unique ways that will evolve into new ways of connecting to consumers.
