Guest Column: Niraj Ruparel, Head Of Mobile & Emerging Tech – GroupM India, Emerging Tech Lead - WPP India, writes how metaverse encapsulates Virtual Worlds, AR, VR, NFTs and blockchain The term Metaverse is fast becoming the buzzword in tech and business. Metaverse is intrinsically a visual interface that expands the capability of the eyes, ears, and brain - to see, feel, believe, and do what we could not see, feel, believe, or do before. Metaverse seems to encapsulate Virtual Worlds, AR, VR, NFTs and blockchain. How big is the metaverse opportunity?

For years, we have been adding mediums to communicate with users through our innovative technology partners. From print to radio to television, Internet (digital) to Voice, and now Metaverse. Metaverse For Good is the most important aspect and the reason I find “Metaverse for Good” so conceptually important is that this “for good” objective should apply to all stakeholders creating many opportunities. Marketers must follow the ‘Metaverse For Good’ framework by • Incentivizing better social behaviours • Safe-guarding consumer privacy and security • Embedding diversity and inclusion • Securing brand safety and copyright • Moving towards crypto sustainability • Narrowing digital divide Our brain has been millions of years in the making. It is not about to change in the next few years. Once we appreciate this fact, it can serve us well to focus on this unchanging aspect of humanity as we try to navigate the changing tech landscape. Use Cases 1. In today’s world where consumers are culture creators and replicators, it is critical to build symbols that can be used, remixed, and built upon by the consumer - "Cadbury: Secret Love Notes & A Date on the Moon". This Valentine's Day, Dairy Milk Silk ads were used to convey love notes, viewable only via your mobile device, creating a secret world where your secret love could send you a secret note. As part of the campaign, one lucky couple was treated to a virtual date on the virtual moon on the metaverse. 2. Be where the attention of your consumers is converging. For instance, Matrimony.com was present at the first Indian wedding on metaverse. 3. A brand that experiments with new ideas conveys to the world that it is intellectually curious. Coca-Cola and ITC created unique experiences at India's first metaverse wedding. Virtual stores were set up by these brands inside the platform where any guest could come to the storefront and buy an item of their choice. The guests also received discounts and gift cards as return gifts. Coca-Cola pulled off one of the best brand integrations in India on the metaverse, bringing alive the theme of Sip A Coke, Shake A Leg With Daljeet, at India’s first metaverse wedding. 4. Metaverse can be the safe space, a safe springboard for new users to launch their hope and dreams in real lives. WPP enabled new kinds of experiences for employees with WPP’s First NFT forest! - They prepared a gift to enable their employees to experience the world of Web 3.0, along with wishes for the new year. Through this, many of them stepped into the world of Web 3.0, excited to have bought NFT for first time. With this special gift project, they had a brand new and wonderful moment where they got to share the sprit of WPP and the excitement of the new year.