The top takeaways from our webinar – ‘future-proofing brands for the metaverse’

We were delighted to see so many of you at our recent webinar on how to future-proof your brand for the metaverse. And we were thrilled to share insights from such brands as Wunderman Thompson, Deutsche Telekom, Publicis Groupe and Porsche Digital – each working on their metaverse applications today.

With huge thanks to our panelists, we covered a lot of exciting ground – from metaverse definitions, to future opportunities and how you can get started right now. Like seriously, now!

In fact, the discussions were so far-reaching and (hopefully you’ll agree) actionable, we decided to list some of our favorite takeaways. We’ve compiled a video of some of the best discussion points and listed some killer quotes below too.

Of course, if you’d like to watch the full replay, you can find all UneeQ webinars on demand here. Happy watching! Or check out our recap below.

Our top takeaways and quotes about the metaverse

Let’s get phygital: A definition of the metaverse

“It’s essentially an extension of our daily lives that’s enhanced by technology, and brands need to care because they care about our lives. And if it’s connected to our lives, then brands need to be part of it.” Emma Chiu – Global Director, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence.

“A general definition [of the metaverse] is a ‘phygital’ world where people can interact with each other, trade with each other, learn and work with each other, all in one place – and it’s independent of any platform or technology.“Arno Selhorst – Innovation Manager, Deutsche Telekom.

Web 3.0: Will the metaverse really happen?

“I liken the metaverse – or how we’re talking about the metaverse – to the internet and how we talked about it in the ‘90s. We were asking whether it’s something that would take off and whether people can even connect to the internet in the first place. And look where we are now!” Emma Chiu – Global Director, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence.

Will the metaverse just be used for gaming?

“Gaming today really leads in use of the metaverse. A number of games today support community and those sorts of experiences. But the demand for metaverse and the acceleration of the metaverse won’t solely sit on gaming driving that. I think there are a lot of forces at play now.”Danny Tomsett – CEO and Founder, UneeQ.

People power: What’s the real value of the metaverse?

“If it’s just about a [virtual] space then it’s not interesting. It’s ultimately about the people – the people you engage with – and really focusing more on that human part of the interaction.”Gana Meissner – Senior Venture Designer, Forward31 by Porsche Digital.

How will brands and businesses benefit from the metaverse?

“[Think about] the way brands are trying to fire content through traditional media channels – who watches advertising these days? How do you create emotional connection and how do you build experiences that draw your target audience? You need something like the metaverse to really change the game and reconnect back to those brand experiences.”Danny Tomsett – CEO and Founder, UneeQ.

What technology should brands get familiar with today to prepare for the metaverse?

“The first technology is Xbox, PS5 or your PC. Gaming engines are the places where the metaverse is emerging. Fortnite is a metaverse; it’s got an incredible creative environment where you can build all kinds of things. Just getting in and playing around and seeing what individuals are making in these spaces – because we are pre-brand in most of these spaces – that’s a great place to be.”Matt Marcus – Chief Experience Officer, Publicis Groupe North America.

What could happen to brands who don’t plan ahead for the metaverse?

“We saw a huge change during the pandemic. Things we were anticipating in five to seven years with technology started happening in 2020/2021. From our study, 78% of people said their everyday lives depend on technology, and 62% said they have a stronger relationship with brands that have a digital presence. If a brand isn’t digitally savvy or offering something to [customers] that they can get quickly or at their convenience, they will get to a stage where they just create something on their own.”Emma Chiu – Global Director, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence.

What’s the best way to prepare for the metaverse?

“I think it’s really the moment where in this ambiguous kind of reality, you just have to dive in and get your hands dirty. You need to be involved. You need to start creating.”Gana Meissner – Senior Venture Designer, Forward31 by Porsche Digital.

“Sometimes the way in isn’t starting from the bottom up; it’s finding someone you want to connect with, a partnership or acquiring a company that fits in. So how can brands stay ahead? Really, it’s about hiring the right people. We’re looking at how to build from within.”Emma Chiu – Global Director, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence.

“The most pressing issue for brands is to figure out how to have a corporate crypto wallet that your organization can use to buy services to build things in the metaverse and Web3 worlds. To feel comfortable putting U.S. dollars into a crypto fund that you can spend in the digital world. That’s a big hurdle. And the sooner you start to work that out as an organization, the better off you’ll be.”Matt Marcus – Chief Experience Officer, Publicis Groupe North America.

“We have to get our mind into a new way of thinking: what it means to collaborate, to work with each other, to build new communities and to take an active role again after Web 2.0, which was maybe a little bit more passive. That’s my personal hope.“Arno Selhorst – Innovation Manager, Deutsche Telekom.

‍

‍