As we all know, the Metaverse is a concept shrouded in mystery, a continuously evolving virtual ecosystem that challenges the laws of reality.
The real, authentic, and complete Metaverse does not yet exist. Currently, the term refers to digital, three-dimensional, and open environments where one can work, play, or interact. However, to make them Metaverse ready, the key attribute of cross-platform interoperability is still missing—meaning the full interconnection of objects, people, data, content, and resources across different virtual worlds.
Despite its apparent revolutionary nature, the concept of the Metaverse is not entirely new. Originally coined in the cyberpunk novel Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, it was later adopted by Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. The term is used in games such as Fortnite, The Sandbox, Roblox, and Decentraland.
In 2021, Zuckerberg announced the rebranding of Meta and the project for a platform aimed at revolutionizing human interaction, transitioning from a Social Media Company to a Metaverse Company.
Zuckerberg defines it as “An embodied internet,” a physical internet enabling direct, continuous interaction with real-world elements fully integrated into the digital realm. This vision is shared by marketing and innovation consultant Vincenzo Cosenza, who describes it as the “next evolution of the Internet,” a three-dimensional internet offering immersive experiences where we are no longer mere spectators but active participants in these experiences.
Human Centricity
Human Centricity
The Human Centricity approach highlights the importance of respecting and enhancing each user’s individuality, allowing them to shape the virtual environment according to their own imagination.
The identity of people in the Metaverse is a valuable strategic asset, enabling users to express themselves, fulfill personal aspirations, and connect within communities based on shared moral and social values.
In the Metaverse, people embody desired avatars that reflect real-life ethics and values, serving as a form of personal expression and fostering an emotional connection with their authentic selves.
The technology underlying the Metaverse allows human imagination to become reality, enabling users to express their personalities through detailed Digital Twins (from simple static characters to Meta Humans) that reflect our imagination.
People and their lives remain the central focus of our Metaverse, as increasingly human aspects like anthropology, ecology, circular economy, and sustainability take precedence over mere technology. In general, first and foremost, there is us.
The Metaverse, therefore, seems to be whatever people’s imagination dreams it to be.
Developer and technical writer Aaron Brancotti, co-author of Metaverse Architect, emphasizes the role of humanity as the Metaverse's primary resource. According to Brancotti, integrating sociological and anthropological dynamics within the Metaverse’s technological realm is essential. Building a Metaverse is not like making a film but is more akin to creating an event schedule. The Metaverse represents a fusion of technology and humanity, embodying a paradigm of human-technology interaction known as interaction design.
Big Players: Successful Brand Experiences
Big Players: Successful Brand Experiences
Both individuals and major brands are already exploring their daily activities in the Metaverse. According to statistics from the multinational consulting firm McKinsey & Company, around 60% of the population expresses a preference for at least one activity in the virtual world over the physical one.
Statistics indicate a strong trend toward user engagement in the Metaverse. As a result, numerous companies are aligning with a common goal: to convey a distinctive identity, expand their presence, engage users, and translate their brand identity into the Metaverse.
Initiatives in the Metaverse span various sectors, including entertainment, retail, gaming, tech, and luxury. Brands are taking key actions in the Metaverse focused on customer engagement, product marketing, digital sales, brand loyalty, customer service, education, training, brand awareness, recruiting, phygital strategy, and virtual tourism.
Below, we review some of the major success stories that have become exemplary models, demonstrating how companies and brands are dedicating resources to anticipate change.
The Sandbox and Adidas
Recently, Adidas Originals, in collaboration with Prada, launched a user-generated NFT project on Sandbox, in partnership with artist Zach Lieberman. Adidas for Prada Re-Source is an extension into the Metaverse of the existing partnership between the two brands for Adidas for Prada Re-Nylon. The community is invited to participate actively by contributing an image: with 3,000 selected contributions, the final artwork will be created.
Roblox and Nike
The brand launched Nikeland, its own city in the Metaverse, through a partnership with the well-known gaming platform Roblox. Nikeland is a carefully designed world to communicate the brand's mission and values, with the stated goal of “transforming sport and play into a lifestyle.”
Decentraland and Heineken
To mark the launch of the new Heineken Silver beer, the brand created the first virtual brewery in the Metaverse on Decentraland. In this space, designed in collaboration with Spanish street artist J. Demsky, visitors can learn about the beer’s qualities, speak with experts, and explore pairings.
Meta-graphics trend
Graphic trends in Metaworlds are evolving alongside technological and social progress. Current Metaverses reflect a variety of styles, including playful '70s motifs, psychedelic art, holographic backgrounds, abstractions, bright colors, animated 3D graphics, Y2K aesthetics, retro-futuristic designs, and sci-fi influences.
Younger generations, particularly millennials and Generation Z, are drawn to the Y2K aesthetic, which evokes feelings of happiness and tranquility linked to their childhood or adolescence. This universal nostalgia translates into designs featuring pastel palettes and retro-futuristic vibes, enhanced by cinematic post-production.
Creative projects go further, using extraterrestrial shapes, intelligent robots, and space themes to offer a new visual dimension. These elements not only stimulate visual interest but also encourage the audience to reflect on the future and take action for a better tomorrow.
The Connection Between Young People and the Metaverse
In this “phygital” experience revolution, experts from McKinsey explain that the Metaverse is generating real excitement worldwide. All generations show interest, though younger people are the most enthusiastic. Consumers are increasingly open to new technologies.
With the Metaverse, we are entering the next wave of digital disruption, likely to have a profound impact on economies and society. Nicoletta Boldrini, an expert in Futures Literacy, describes the Metaverse as a space to rediscover creativity and imagination. She believes virtual platforms could serve as immersive worlds for fostering critical thinking and preparing us to face the unknown, restoring our ability to create rather than rely on tools to make choices for us.
Cosa aspettarci dal futuro?
As we can deduce, the Metaverse represents far more than a simple technological concept. It is an open door to the future, a digital extension where human imagination and new technologies converge to create scenarios that challenge our understanding. This ecosystem offers both a promise and a challenge—a world for exploring alternative, uncharted futures. As individuals and companies, our role is to embrace this new virtual dimension with openness and creativity, understanding that the future is complex and uncertain.
The Metaverse will become part of our daily lives, extended into the virtual realm, offering new, fully immersive experiences that enable fluidity and the ability to explore and travel beyond physical boundaries. If we can make the Metaverse a meaningful, emotional, and valuable experience, we’ll hold an infinitely powerful tool capable of transforming even ourselves—creators at heart, technologically minded. Perhaps we’ll become more emancipated, though undeniably more virtualized.
Sources
Bibliography
Lorenzo Montagna. “Metaverso. Noi e il Web 3.0” Mondadori, Verona, Settembre 2022
Sitography
Vincos – Vincenzo Cosenza Website
Veronica Festa