CSR in the metaverse: Why marketers must prioritize inclusivity and diversity
Big tech’s vision of the metaverse is coming. But as the hardware and software are created, we can build our new world as it should have been - and culture should be top of mind
The metaverse is the next step in the internet’s evolution
We must ensure that there is a safe, inclusive space for a wide range of people involved with the metaverse’s creation from the start
This includes representation in development, broad access, and ensuring safety
Our internet is once again entering a seismic shift. To properly characterize this monumental moment in tech history, Will Page coined the term Tarzan Economics. Simply put, the framework refers to how the internet and technology can transform the way consumers and brands interface, forcing companies to jump from one vine (their old business model) to a new vine (the emerging model).
In this environment of Web3, which encompasses the evolution of the metaverse, NFTs, and blockchain – we are amid one of the biggest vine swings in the history of the internet.
For many brands, the swing into Web3 starts with the metaverse, giving brands both an opportunity to establish their presence in a new medium and a responsibility to craft it as an inclusive and safe place for generations to come. We can create the 3D world we want by improving upon the shortcomings of the one we live in.
Diversity and inclusion have always been top-of-mind issues for internet users. For example, it was found that 49% of transgender and nonbinary people do not feel welcomed and safe on social media, with 84% of LGBTQ+ adults agreeing that there are not enough protections on social media to prevent discrimination, harassment, and/or disinformation.
The metaverse appears to be taking a different course of action. According to a global study by Momentum Worldwide, 80% of people feel more included in the metaverse than in real life. The study found that consumers are now looking to the metaverse to fill three core aspects of life—inspiration, individuality, and inclusion.
For many brands, inclusion and representation have been a priority, matching the importance that DEI needs to play in the metaverse. According to the Summit Leadership Partners 2021 CEO study surveying 200 CEOs, 95% of participants said DEI is a focus for their companies over the next one to two years.
With an alignment between brands and metaverse users on their commitments to diversity, it is more important than ever that both parties have the tools and assets needed to create an inclusive space.
As we build this new world, it is important we learn from the shortcomings of our real world, and provide the right tools, content, standards, policies, and procedures to help make the Web3 experience as best and equitable as possible.
Practically, this means brands should offer grants and support to artists from underrepresented backgrounds. This is to ensure variety and diversity in the models and assets that will build our virtual presence and future, as well as ensure that diverse creators are represented through their work.
Safety in the metaverse is another prominent issue for users. According to a recent report by Morning Consult, 55% of adults said they have major concerns about how their data could be tracked and misused in the metaverse, while 44% said the second-biggest worry was cyberbullying and online abuse.
Parental controls should be employed to help parents understand the way teens are using the metaverse, including to whom they are exposed. They should also be able to view their children’s purchases and be provided with access to information about how their privacy is protected.
Many of these factors are available on today’s internet, but metaverse-specific safety features should continue to be created. Meta has introduced personal boundaries for avatars, which provide personal space, despite it being in a virtual setting.
While these are all great steps forward, the battle to provide continual safety to those using the metaverse must be fought together. Tech companies will withstand most of it, but they should be joined by other groups, including academia, lawmakers, and society itself, all of whom must find a way for people to peacefully coexist online.
What the metaverse means for users and brands
The metaverse in its most simplistic form is a 3D version of the internet and computing at large. It is a digital ecosystem that parallels the real world. It gives internet users an opportunity to not only be on the internet but be fully immersed in it.
This experience moves the internet from a “lean in” model to a “be in” model. Internet users are beginning to replace browsing through web pages or swiping through apps for a complete digital immersion experienced through users’ avatars, powered by the advancements of augmented Reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
For users, the metaverse will make the internet a more tangible experience, particularly as the technology we use to access it becomes more advanced. For brands, the metaverse represents an opportunity to increase profits and enter what is predicted to become an $8 trillion market opportunity.
Technology and strategy are catching up with the vision
While the metaverse was the buzzword of the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show, it is by no means a new concept. Second Life, for example, launched almost 20 years ago in 2003 and gave us our first glimpse of a virtual avatar world – but it was a reality short-lived due to elevated expectations from the technology available.
Today, with new advances in technology, the expectations of a metaverse have become more realistic and brands are seeing the long-term possibility of these digital strategies.
JP Morgan’s metaverse lounge, Onyx
Gucci, for instance, started its Gucci Town experience in Roblox, and Warner Music Group created a virtual venue and music experience in The Sandbox. Even companies like JP Morgan opened a lounge in Decentraland to capitalize on what it says is a “limitless” opportunity in the virtual world.
As more brands enter this space, it is clear they will need to be considerate of the people who will experience and use the metaverse, and therefore build DEI into their strategy from the very start.
Creating an inclusive future begins now
Brands have an influential role to play in shaping the nascent metaverse. Already, companies like Nike and Sony have recognized the commercial potential it possesses. As early adopters with vast resources, they are in a position of responsibility to build their metaverse platforms to promote acceptable behavior, inclusivity, and safety from the get-go.
When the internet first became a part of our lives, nobody was sure how it would evolve. It went from a handy place to post movie reviews to now hosting billion-dollar businesses. But with the metaverse, we are more aware of what is to come. We must use this knowledge to prepare and grow a space that is fair, inclusive, and safe for all.
Inclusion is not simply about getting an invite to the dance, it is about being invited to join the planning committee.
As VP of Brand at Shutterstock, Skip Wilson is responsible for leading the company’s global brand and creative strategy and producing results-driven, world-class activations to further build brand affinity and awareness.
He is a proven brand builder with expertise in leading and producing marketing experiences that improve performance, increase value, and drive global brand awareness, and used to serve as the Head of Global Brand & Corporate Marketing at Peloton, with prior experience at Sony, Ralph Lauren and MTV. He has a dual degree in Music and Communications from Vanderbilt University, and an MBA from Tulane University.
Subscribe to the ClickZ newsletter for insights on the evolving marketing landscape, performance marketing, customer experience, thought leadership, videos, podcasts, and more.
As voice technology extends beyond the home we explore its growing usage in public settings and the implications for brands and customer experiences… Read more
QQ is one of the biggest social media platforms in the world, but chances are that you’ve never come across it. What is QQ, and why is it so unknown outside of its home country of China, despite its huge size? And what do brands who are considering marketing on QQ need to know about it?… Read more
Streaming has become a staple of US media-viewing habits. Streaming video, however, still comes with a variety of pesky frustrations that viewers are ...
Whitepaper|Analyzing Customer Data
Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics for Media Groups
5y
Winning the Data Game: Digital Analytics Tactics f...
Data is the lifeblood of so many companies today. You need more of it, all of which at higher quality, and all the meanwhile being compliant with data...
Whitepaper|Digital Marketing
Learning to win the talent war: how digital marketing can develop its people
1y
Learning to win the talent war: how digital market...
This report documents the findings of a Fireside chat held by ClickZ in the first quarter of 2022. It provides expert insight on how companies can ret...
The Merkle B2B 2023 Superpowers Index outlines what drives competitive advantage within the business culture and subcultures that are critical to succ...
Metaverse
Measuring metaverse success without traditional identity resolution capabilities
11mJason Alan Snyder
Measuring metaverse success without traditional id...
The metaverse allows users to express their personality completely separately from their identity. This creates a challenge for marketers who aim to m...
Metaverse
The new rules for success in the metaverse era
11mSofia Papadopoulou
The new rules for success in the metaverse era
In a new age of experience-driven web, brands need to expand their tools for engagement into a technology-driven palette. What are the key guiding pri...
Metaverse
The omnipresent owl: How Duolingo propelled its mascot to the metaverse
1yBenjamin Broomfield
The omnipresent owl: How Duolingo propelled its ma...
"Although our main goal was to build brand love, we could also get a taste of how this move would benefit us in the future. It led to sign-ups that sh...
Metaverse
How Honda used Twitch to drive its audience to the Metaverse
1yBenjamin Broomfield
How Honda used Twitch to drive its audience to the...
Each of the episodes added value to Honda’s metaverse launch. The Honda DreamLab (evolving from Honda’s Head2Head Twitch gaming channel that launched ...