Growing prior to the pandemic.
Adopting new tech & more tech into our lives has been accelerated by the pandemic - YES! We know this!!! Gaming is yet another example of this impact on our lives.
Tapping into consumers' desire for entertainment and the thrill of gaming, July saw the industry hit a big number - “year to date spending in the US reached $26 billion 21% increase for the same period 2019.” 8/14/2020 Trilby Beresford the Hollywood Reporter.
This year saw ai concerts with paid attendees on both Fortnite and Roblox inviting gamers into the metaverse to experience music concerts through their avatars complete with the ability to buy merch!
Attending a virtual concert not really your thing? Maybe you think gaming isn’t for you? Gaming is touching our lives in so many unexpected ways. 5G will change that for all of us! 5G allows people to stream greater data volumes “inspiring Snapchat who is exploring how physical spaces can become digital playgrounds with its Local Lenses concept for shared augmented reality (AR). The experience uses 360° image capture as well as community snaps to create a volumetric map of London’s Carnaby Street. Groups of friends can step into this city block as an AR lens together and paint and manipulate its surfaces, creating a shared and persistent virtual vision on top of the physical location.” -Stylus
There are online immersive communities for fan-groups to watch programming content together and chat in real-time while watching. There is physical gaming that mixes real-world play with online play. All of these avenues are seeking ways of being monetized though in-app purchases such as gaming skins or avatar merch. Movie brands Marvel and Star Wars are creating gaming crossovers.
Fortnight & Nexus Marvel War
Movies may seem like a natural link to gaming, fashion may not be so obvious. Brands such as Louis Vuitton and Burberry are crossing over into gaming. It’s is possible to purchase Louis Vuitton clothing for your avatar and Burberry led a campaign that allowed the guest to customize their puffer jacket for an avatar and compete to win monogrammed prizes and the ultimate prize of a personalized puffer jacket.
This is a good space for start up fashion brands as well. Brands seeking options outside of the traditional fashion show circuit to get noticed. Ada a gaming a styling app launched last year features in game and physical e-commerce opportunities.
Our studio working with long time client Alex’s market saw gaming working its way into a very unique branded experience close to home. Alex’s newest location in Independence, MI is different from anything you’ve ever experienced. It is market with full made to order take away and fresh grab n go items, a wood fired pizza oven, it has a sit down bistro on the upper level with 101 craft beer tap handles. The bistro includes a dining terrace, bowling lanes, golf simulator and vr gaming room. The market also has a branded cafe and juice bar, rent-able banquet facilities and lastly it is a gas station. YEP! Amazing project!
Bowling and golf simulators are not ai and the metaverse but the unique combination of retail, play and dining make this a community destination. While we may not be able to “play” in physical spaces today - in the future the demand will be great for social interaction. How can your brand be ready to play?
Looking forward to more discovery + innovation!
Julie Dugas
One of the Heads
Studio | H2G
I’m one of the heads at Studio | H2G - I’m not a writer (which you may have picked up on quickly!) I am passionate about the business of retail, consumer behavior, trends and conversations around that thinking.