028: Starbucks Ends Web3 Loyalty Program

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TL;DR

1. Starbucks: Announces End of ‘Odyssey Beta’ Loyalty Program

2. Gucci: Launching Vision Pro App Experience on April 3rd

3. Don Julio: Becomes First Beverage Company with Vision Pro App

4. Warner Bros: Launches Godzilla x Kong ‘Playable Movie Trailer’

5. Forbes: Announces Permanent Virtual Presence in The Sandbox

Around the Block…

1. Starbucks: Announces End of ‘Odyssey Beta’ Loyalty Program

• Starbucks sent an email on March 15th, announcing that its 'Odyssey Beta’ loyalty experience would close on March 31st

• The experience originally launched in December 2022 & has been considered a trailblazer to many, showcasing the potential blockchain-backed technology could bring to loyalty programs

• While Starbucks never removed ‘Beta’ from the program’s nameplate & continually had a waitlist to join, it is unclear if the ending of the program is tied to performance, changing business initiatives, or if it was a true testing ground

  • Starbucks has communicated the latter, indicating there is more to come within its closure announcement by teasing ‘The Journey Continues’ & also within their FAQ - mentioning excitement for the community to see what is next from the brand, as well as indicating the learnings will be used in broader initiatives in the future

• Sources: Starbucks 

2. Gucci: Launching Vision Pro App Experience on April 3rd

• Gucci announced it’s launching an immersive experience on Apple’s Vision Pro that will be available through the App Store on April 3rd

• The experience will include an augmented version of the short film ‘Who Is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci Story’, which is about the fashion house’s newest creative director - including a look behind the scenes of his first show: ‘Ancora’

• The Vision Pro experience will allow users to interact with Gucci Anchora products & create their own virtual spaces

• Gucci had previously re-created the Ancora show across metaverses last September, including experiences in Roblox, Zepeto, & QQ

• Sources: X (Gucci) / Jing Daily

3. Don Julio: Becomes First Beverage Company with Vision Pro App

• The tequila company launched an immersive experience on Apple’s Vision Pro, available through the App Store on March 4th

• Don Julio partnered with TriggerXR to create the experience, which showcases the ‘people, places, & processes behind the brand’ - including touring Mexican agave fields

• The brand touts more experiences to come including ‘guided tastings & mixology demonstrations’, as well as content that celebrates the people & culture of Mexico

• Sources: PR Newswire (Diageo) / Diageo

4. Warner Bros: Launches Godzilla x Kong ‘Playable Movie Trailer’

• Legendary Pictures & Warner Brothers partnered with immersive gaming studio, The Gang, to create the first ‘playable movie trailer’ as an experience in Roblox supporting the new motion picture ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’

• Once players enter the Roblox experience, the ‘Godzilla x Kong’ movie trailer begins, eventually pulling the player into the trailer where they can run & jump through the cinematic environment

• Players of the Roblox experience can unlock free avatar wearable UGC, including a Godzilla tail and a Kong head

• At the time of publishing, the experience has over 3 million visits

• Sources: Roblox (Godzilla x Kong Obby) / Radio Times

5. Forbes: Announces Permanent Virtual Presence in The Sandbox

• Forbes announced a new metaverse experience in The Sandbox & alluded to virtual land ownership with their mention of a ‘permanent presence’ in the space

• Visitors of the experience can ‘enjoy the legendary Forbes party atmosphere’, while learning about the brand’s history & consuming content such as the Forbes 30 Under 30 list that has been etched in the blockchain

• Forbes affirmed that their presence in The Sandbox ‘is a testament to Forbes’ commitment to embracing the forefront of technological innovation’

• Sources: Forbes / The Sandbox (Forbes)

Chain Reactions!

• Starbucks’ Unexpected Announcement: The news that Starbucks is closing its Odyssey program was abrupt & surprising; I am curious to see what they’ll do next. I am optimistic that the Odyssey program gave them insights that will help them integrate blockchain functionalities within their mainstream rewards program - while selfishly also hopeful this is the case, so they can continue to be a playbook for other brands as we navigate the complexity of adding value to existing loyalty strategies

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