How Brands Co-Create Virtual Worlds to Reach Younger Audiences
In the dynamic digital age, capturing the attention of younger, tech-savvy audiences is becoming increasingly challenging for brands. Traditional marketing methods, while still valuable, often fall short in resonating with this demographic.
Enter the realm of virtual worlds, where brands are finding innovative ways to engage and co-create with younger audiences. Let's explore this transformative shift.
Why Brands of Virtual Co-Creation
Co-creation, the collaborative process between brands and their audiences, has found a new playground in virtual worlds. We’ve seen it taking place on traditional marketing channels like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for years now. But the younger generations continue to levitate more and more towards brands that understand they care about gamified worlds, immersion, and innovative ways of connecting with them.
These social, gamified worlds offer real-time interactions, allowing brands to engage younger audiences in immersive experiences that are both entertaining and meaningful.
Brands Pioneering the Virtual Frontier
Several leading brands have recognized the potential of virtual worlds and have embarked on collaborative ventures:
Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Pepsi in Fortnite: By co-creating a virtual food court, these brands offered a unique blend of gaming and brand interaction, resonating with younger gamers and fans.
Disney, Universal Studios, and Warner Bros in Roblox: This collaboration brought cinematic magic to life, allowing younger fans to explore, ride, and meet characters from their favorite movies in a virtual theme park.
Gucci and Gucci Garden in Roblox: Merging the world of high fashion with virtual reality, Gucci showcased a digital fashion show, introducing its brand to a new generation of fashion enthusiasts.
Vans and The Hundreds in Roblox: Their virtual skate park became a hub for younger skating enthusiasts and streetwear aficionados, emphasizing the power of niche collaborations.
Adidas and Prada in Fortnite: This partnership introduced a limited-edition collection of in-game skins, blending luxury fashion with the gaming world, appealing to younger fashion-forward gamers.
yondr's Perspective on Virtual Co-Creation
At yondr, we're at the intersection of technology and creativity. We believe in the power of virtual worlds to transcend traditional marketing boundaries. Our mission is to guide brands in harnessing the potential of these platforms, ensuring they connect authentically with younger, digitally-native audiences.
We recently partnered with Belgian giants Proximus and Pukkelpop, the iconic music festival, to create a digital twin of the festival within the online game-creation platform, Roblox. Proximus and Pukkelpop was able to get partner brands onboard (Foodmaker, Beltaste, and OnePlus) as well, further widening their visibility.
This innovative method of brand collaboration is something we passionately believe in moving forward. The fact brands can get more exposure, and piggyback off each other’s communities while lowering production costs risks is simply too good to ignore.
Tangible Benefits for Brands To Collaborate
Deeper Engagement: Virtual worlds foster immersive experiences, leading to deeper emotional connections.
Real-time Feedback: Engage younger audiences in real-time, allowing for immediate insights and adaptability.
Cost-effective Marketing: Virtual platforms often offer a higher ROI than traditional marketing channels given the changing behavior of Gen Z and, soon, Gen Alpha. It also allows brands to lower the production cost of building their virtual worlds as partners can split costs.
Cultural Relevance: Stay relevant and resonate with younger, tech-savvy demographics that value digital experiences substantially more than your average 39-year-olds.
In Conclusion
The fusion of branding and virtual worlds is more than just a marketing tactic; it's a strategic move to remain relevant and connected with younger audiences. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, brands that embrace virtual co-creation and team up will undoubtedly be at the forefront of this new era of engagement.
Join the journey with us as we help brands navigate the digital revolution, ensuring genuine connections in an ever-evolving world.
Head on over to our website to find out more about our work and don’t hesitate to shoot us an email. We’ll gladly help you get a tailor-made blueprint for your business!
Talk soon.
Team yondr
