How to use the metaverse for your storytelling: A Friday Zone special session

 31st March 2022    Podcasts 
 Paarul Chand

Even since Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement for the metaverse, brands have been freshly abuzz to climb into the metaverse. But, how does it work in, well, the virtual life? Can you access it without fancy equipment? Can it be used for social purpose. 

To answer all these questions take a look at what Niraj Ruparel, Head Of Mobile & Emerging Tech - GroupM India, and Emerging Tech Lead - WPP India has to say about the metaverse for brand engagement at the Friday Zone special event brought to you by PRmoment India in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies India.

Ruparel outlines some of the core use cases of Metaverse as of today. 

He says, "In today’s world where consumers are culture creators and replicators, it is critical to build symbols that can be used, remixed, and built upon by the consumer - for example, "Cadbury: Secret Love Notes & A Date on the Moon".

This Valentine's Day, Dairy Milk Silk ads were used to convey love notes, viewable only via your mobile device, creating a secret world where your secret love could send you a secret note. As part of the campaign, one lucky couple was treated to a virtual date on the virtual moon on the metaverse.

Ruparel advice is,"Be where the attention of your consumers is converging. For instance, Matrimony.com was present at the first Indian wedding on metaverse.

A brand that experiments with new ideas conveys to the world that it is intellectually curious. Coca-Cola and ITC created unique experiences at India's first metaverse wedding.

Coca-Cola pulled off one of the best brand integrations in India on the metaverse, bringing alive the theme of 'Sip A Coke, Shake A Leg With Daljeet', at India’s first metaverse wedding."

Additionally, 'Metaverse For Good' is an important aspect. 

Ruparel shares,"The reason I find “Metaverse for Good” so conceptually important is that this “for good” objective should apply to all stakeholders creating many opportunities.

Marketers must follow the ‘Metaverse For Good’ framework by Incentivizing better social behaviours, safeguarding consumer privacy and security, securing brand safety and copyright and narrowing digital divide."

Metaverse for PR 

Abhishek Gulyani, CEO, Hill+Knowlton Strategies India says, "To add to this point, the interesting part of the trend  is the research that shows that for the first time digital spends are going to take over the TV spends in 2022. That's the trend that that's been projected. 

 So,I think there is a great opportunity for PR teams and corporate communication teams to also come together to see how we could look at media interviews, press conferences, product launches very differently than what probably we are doing and I think the post COVID world has given that opportunity for us to be slightly more adventurous and you now have the ability to do something slightly different."

To find out more and view how brands such as Colgate are using the Metaverse for social good, do watch:

In partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies.