No, metaverse billboards are not a dumb idea
If you had the budget, would you sponsor a billboard ad in New York Time Square on New Years Eve?
I would.
But… would you sponsor a billboard in the metaverse?
I would do that too. But only after knowing these facts.
Too often, we scoff at new technology and call it nonsensical, especially when it’s popular with younger generations. So you’d probably be likely to think “why would I ever pay real money for a billboard in a virtual world?”
Well, most likely, your company already has a digital presence of some kind. So feasibly, you’ve already asked and answered the same question about digital ads on FB, Instagram, Google, TikTok, or whatever else.
And the basic answer is always the same:
“because that’s where the people are.”
And as long as you can track engagement and effectiveness, you’re going to keep spending advertising dollars wherever the people are.
So why is spending ad money on billboards in a metaverse any different? All the same factors are there! ESPECIALLY… the people.
“On New Year’s Eve, I was DJing in the Maldives. It was my honeymoon and I was playing and there were more people at “Paris World” than there were at New York Times Square,” Paris Hilton said. “At the Neon Carnival we had almost half a million people there and in the real life party there were 5,000. That’s the power of the metaverse, where you can have people from all around the world be able to enjoy and experience things that are usually, you know, exclusive events.” from CNBC
That’s right: Paris Hilton’s New Years party had 5x as many people as the Times Square ball drop.
Not all metaverses are created equal
Now, I’m not saying any specific “metaverse” platform should be used. Remember, we haven’t yet arrived at what we call the “philosophical metaverse,” that completely interconnected dreamland where a user is the constant throughout every virtual experience.
Right now, we just have different “metaverse-style environments” created by different companies (Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, Meta Horizon Worlds etc.).
And just like the physical world, not all billboards see the same traffic.
The 405 highway goes straight through LA and sees an average of 400,000 cars per day. Assuming your billboard is any good… you’ll see a boosted brand awareness and a clear return.
The James W. Dalton Highway, however, is famous for being the quietest highway in the US with only 196 cars per average… not such a great spot.
This is no different in the metaverse. Even the most popular metaverses will have areas that hardly see any traffic. But even the less popular metaverses will have concentrated areas that might see the traction you need! No matter what, you’ll have to dig into the numbers and monitor your ROI.
Just remember: as in the physical world, a well-traveled area in a popular metaverse is going to be your best bet for marketing in most cases — and the cost of that advertising will be higher as well.
The best part about metaverse advertising is two-fold.
➊ It’s just normal marketing, so it’s easier than you think.
You can run ads. You can sponsor an organization’s event. You can get a celebrity to wear your brand or rep your platform. And of course, you can buy a literal (virtual…) billboard!
➋ It’s METAVERSE marketing… so the sky’s the limit for creativity and immersion.
Simple ads? Not anymore. Now they can be fully immersive!
Imagine promoting your latest shoes with a micro-game that rewards the user with a new pair of your best shoes every time they level up…
Imagine promoting a Chinese restaurant with a crazy dragon-riding scenario…
You can even work directly with the game creators of the various Roblox worlds, or folks that own various plots of land in metaverses like Decentraland to promote your products while also adding value to their spaces.
Simple sponsorships? Not anymore. Now they can be extra memorable!
Imagine collaborating with the organization you’re sponsoring a metaverse event for by creating NFT offerings (read about those here) such as wearables for a game or art for a specific world, and give them fully certifiable exclusive ownership of that limited run.
Imagine if the evening’s entertainment could be from a famous celebrity who created a 3D animation for you personally thanking everyone for attending.
Simple celebrity brand partnerships? Not anymore. Now they can be way more engaging!
Imagine having Travis Scott open up your drink on stage with 12.8 million people attending!
But don’t stop there. Imagine he tosses a drink out to everyone in the crowd for them to “sip” on… or shake up and make a fun mess… or whatever you can dream up.
Simple billboards? Not anymore. Now they can be interactive!
Billboards and signs in the metaverse can have engaging 3D entertainment, or be responsive to certain individuals that interact, or even offer interactive entertainment or simulations.
These metaverses may not be “real,” but the marketing opportunities definitely are. And they’re full of potential that will help you set yourself apart from your competition! So don’t hold back because it’s different; venture out of your comfort zone, run some creative experiments, and reach a brand new audience in a unique way!
Do you need further guidance on how to navigate this for your business specifically? DM me on LinkedIn and we can chat!
