Generation Z + Metaverse = New Marketing Direction, Are You Keeping Up With It?

According to Google Trends, Metaverse as a search keyword will peak in search volume in the last week of October 2021.

It will soon be a year since the Metaverse first became hot. During the year, we can see the Metaverse in all major media, forums and marketing fields. From another point of view, Metaverse, the "new favorite" of the marketing industry, is also the most "fresh" user group of the current brand - the favorite of the Z generation group.

According to a survey by Wunderman Thompson, a global marketing firm, 62% of Gen Zers who have heard of the Metaverse believe it will be the future of e-commerce. They would be willing to trade in the metaverse if the way into the metaverse was easier.

This is seen in Nike's metaverse marketing.

Last November, Nike established its own metaverse Nikeland world on the metaverse gaming platform Roblox, which has attracted more than 21 million players so far.

So how exactly should brands develop metaverse marketing for Gen Z?

Combining official views and features from top marketing agencies, well-known consulting firms, and social media platforms, we believe brands can start from the following angles:

Speak to Gen Z users

AJ Dalal, vice president of the data strategy group at Publicis Sapient, a well-known consulting firm, said that it is important to share brand goals with Gen Z when talking about brands entering the metaverse.

"Once you make these statements to them (Gen Z), you're being true to your consumer base and they can assess that from that perspective."

That is, if your brand can't achieve the metaverse experience on a technical level (such as building a metaverse space), but show Gen Z that your brand is embracing the metaverse and will join the metaverse in the future of.

For example, the mobile phone brand Infinix recently launched its own customized NFT, and its related content has become the most popular TOP3 posts on the mobile phone’s Facebook global homepage in the past 28 days.

NFT is an important carrier and concept in the metaverse, and social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have also launched functions to support NFT display. Therefore, it is also a good choice to start with NFT and show the interest and confidence of your brand in the Metaverse to Gen Z users.

Creating a Metaverse's "Sense of Community" on Social Media Platforms

One of Gen Z's aspirations for the metaverse is a true "sense of community" that people can interact and connect with. As mentioned above, platforms such as Roblox that can build a metaverse space still have certain technical and financial thresholds for most brands, and also have access thresholds for Gen Z people.

Therefore, when Generation Z is eager for a metaverse community, brands can choose to build a metaverse community on social media platforms, and strengthen communication and connections with them on social media platforms.

For example, the sports brand Li-Ning announced the joint launch of the "Li-Ning Ape Sports Club" with #4102 of the Boring Ape Yacht Club to demonstrate its avant-garde, fashionable and future-oriented marketing concept, as well as an exclusive community for Gen Z sports users.

Visually close to Gen Z and the metaverse concept

In addition to co-branding and co-marketing with Metaverse-related IP, there is a quick way to help your brand connect with the Metaverse, and that is to incorporate the Metaverse concept into the visual design of your products and social media platforms.

For example, vivo recently launched its new color matching machine of "Yuan Universe Green".

Hongqi Motor launched three Metaverse concept cars, which also attracted widespread attention.

Designs full of futuristic and technological sense are more likely to attract the attention of Generation Z consumers, and after arousing their ideology, they will bind their brand to the concept of the metaverse earlier, and it will be easier to implant the brand in the market. NIO Generation Z's metaverse consumption experience.

Epilogue

From a concept to landing, the Metaverse has quickly passed a year. If your brand wants to gain a firm foothold in the future marketing battle, it needs a metaverse marketing strategy.

If you still need more materials and inspiration for Metaverse marketing, welcome to use the "Material" function of Marketing Cloud, through which you can search mainstream social media with keywords such as "Metaverse", "NFT", "GenZ", etc. Relevant content created by major brands on the platform. And you can also bookmark the content that is helpful to you, so that you can browse and view it centrally in the future.

If you are interested in how to do metaverse marketing on social media, if you want to get more support from leading social media marketing capabilities, or you are interested in the functions of Marketing Cloud, please leave your contact information and we will arrange a special person contact you.