009: A Platform Launch, IRL Products, & Enhanced Experiences

Introducing:

Brands on the Block’s Activation Repository

We’ve created a database of brand activations that can be used as a resource tool. Information will be refreshed weekly & can be sorted by industry, date, technologies, partners, etc.

Click here to check it out.

Around the Block…

• Macy’s: Introduced their new digital fashion platform, mstylelab. Users can create an account to claim a personalized digital fabric & view their new women’s apparel collection, On 34th, larger than life in a Journee-created metaverse experience (Macy’s / mstylelab).

• UGG: Partnered with AR tech company, Zero10, to bring interactive smart mirrors to their flagship NYC location until January 19th. Visitors will be virtually transformed into ‘UGGextreme’s arctic tundra’ where they can play with different body-conforming AR visuals (hypebae).

• Hasbro / Monopoly: Along with WS Game Company, partnered with NFT brand, World of Women (WoW), to develop the first NFT-branded version of the beloved game. In addition to World of Women’s creative-spin, the game features blue chip tokens from other blue-chip NFT projects including Bored Ape Yacht Club, CryptoPunks, RTFKT’s Clone X, CoolCats, and VeeFriends. The game is available to all for $249, with special rewards for WoW NFT-holders (nft now).

• Nike / RTFKT: Is finally making its Dunk Genesis IRL sneakers available for purchase to holders of the RTFKT x Nike Dunks Genesis CRYPTOKICKS NFT that was originally available April 2022. Items come in three colorways and are available for sale to NFT holders, who can purchase up to five pairs of shoes. Additionally, Clone X NFT holders will be able to purchase two pairs of the Clone X colorway. The sneakers will be made to order with delivery starting April 2024 (RTFKT).

• Mattel / Barbie: Announced rollout of their ROBLOX experience called ‘Barbie’s DreamHouse Tycoon’, created in partnership with Gamefam, which allows visitors to create their very own DreamHouse. The experience was previously in beta and saw over 3M visits prior to launch on October 6th (MarketWatch).

What is…?

• Journee: Immersive technology provider for web-based applications, allows for brands and agencies to create fully custom video-game quality metaverse experiences (Journee).

• Zero10: ‘Fashion AR try-on company’. Leverages real-life smart mirrors and their branded mobile app to deliver enhanced experiences through AR body-tracking technology. Some of their brand partners include Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, & Louis Vuitton, in addition to UGG (Zero10).

• World of Women (WOW): An NFT project whose origins come ‘from the dream that representation and inclusivity should be built into the foundations of Web3’. It started as a collection of 10,000 generative NFTs featuring women-based art that grant ‘access to our network of artists, creators, entrepreneurs, and executives who are championing diversity and equal opportunity on the blockchain’ (World of Women).

• Gamefam: Metaverse game development company that specializes in ROBLOX, Minecraft, & Fortnite experiences - among others. They ‘operate the largest network of games on ROBLOX with over 25 million daily game sessions’ (Gamefam).

Chain Reactions!

Project-Based vs Long-Term Activations

Although the total volume may be small, there have been a wide variety of brands setting foundations for longer-term roadmaps & sustained activations off the heels of prominent launches from Nike (.Swoosh), Adidas (ALTS), & Starbucks (Odyssey).

Brands are building community through Discord launches (Louis Vuitton last month), rolling out platforms (Macy’s mstylelab, Fiat’s FiatPass, Mercedes-Benz’s NXT, Tommy Parallel), & creating loyalty program extensions (Lufthansa via their Uptrip app, Grab Singapore app, Etihad’s Horizon Club).

While there continue to be project-based activations & technology / platform testing, there is clearly a subset of brands that have started making longer-term moves — seeing a viable new path to deepen engagement & brand advocacy (& in many cases to attract a new audience through innovation & unexpected experiences).

DISCLAIMER: This content does not contain investment, tax, legal, financial or other advice & is not intended to be used in this way. It includes the opinions of the author & is strictly for informational purposes. Please do your own research.