The metaverse is just a “pipe dream” according to VCCP, which why the agency is putting its energies into the gaming “multiverse” with the launch of VCCP+ in New York.
Instead of being “distracted” by the sprawling metaverse, VCCP+ will focus on the business end of Web 3.0 — gaming. The idea is to help brands wake up to the full potential of the space and “build value” in the “complex, thriving multiverse,” where it says 2.7 billion people are active.
It’s a brave move to keep off the metaverse bandwagon, and while the multiverse might not sound that different – it’s described as a place of “distinct and diverse platforms” that includes content, influencers, lifestyle, design, entertainment and sports – it’s a more tangible concept than Mark Zuckerberg’s endless, lonely metaverse.
VCCP says more people watch gaming content on YouTube than watch HBO, Netflix and Hulu combined, but investment in gaming is 100 times less than ad spend on Facebook, and four times less than print. Gaming isn’t only about the playing, but also in-game content, partnerships, community and events.
The new division will get support from VCCP CX and from the group’s content studio Girl&Bear. It will be run by Irish CEO Jonny Shaw, previously chief strategy officer at VCCP New York, who has worked in the gaming space for more than 20 years in London, Tokyo, and San Francisco at agencies including BBH, TBWA, and Naked. He will work with Sashi Nair, who joins from Havas Sports & Entertainment as head of strategy.
Shaw said: “The gaming space is completely misunderstood, misused or relegated to being an experiment for marketers. It is the biggest unmet audience opportunity there is in marketing. VCCP+ is here to challenge the status quo and offer brands a way to engage and tap into this demographic in a way that is authentic and will reduce media wastage.”
Nair said: “The multiverse aptly describes the far-reaching impact of gaming. This cultural tidal wave that is right now defining the future of media and advertising is repeatedly swept under the rug. Gaming is now the heart of popular culture and the future of entertainment. I’m excited to help brands and marketers unlock the potential the gaming multiverse has to offer.”
