While the metaverse is possibly tech’s biggest buzzword right now, many are still confused as to what it actually is.
In the simplest of terms, the metaverse promises to become an immersive three dimensional version of the internet where we will work, play, shop and socialise in virtual worlds.
The honest reality is that the metaverse doesn’t actually exist – but that isn’t stopping businesses and brands exploring what it could look like and their interpretation of it.
Epic Games has already established what a metaverse economy might look like in their game Fortnite with virtual currency. Similarly, Roblox introduced selling new digital products on the platform. Nvidia took a more serious approach with its Omniverse allowing creators to collaborate on anything from product design to large film productions in a seamless, connected 3D production environment.
So what does this new technological development mean for other businesses?
At Creative Content Works, we’ve been working on our own ‘mini-metaverse’ for 11 years now.
Let me explain: the very same raw materials that are needed for the metaverse are used daily by our teams to produce CG imagery that rivals, if not surpasses, ‘real’ photography.
In fact, the usual response we get is: “I can’t believe it’s not real.”
What are these ingredients? Whether you are building your future metaverse showroom, advertising key visuals or CGI lifestyle images for your eCommerce website – you need good 3D models of your products. You also need good-looking architectural spaces, some well-styled props all in digital 3D form assembled by a team of experts.
So how can you prepare for the metaverse in six simple steps?
Inside PixelMax metaverse reassuring young Alder Hey patients
Digital twins
Build accurate 3D models, or ‘digital twins’ of products. Using technology, products can be recreated digitally in full three dimensional detail with all material properties translated from the real world. Similarly, exact artwork can also be replicated so that the digital twins are just that – perfect twins of real-life products.
Lights, camera, action
Place the digital twins in virtual lifestyle sets or creative environments which can also be built digitally in 3D. Virtually place cameras and lights, like photographers, and ‘render’ some great looking still and moving shots that are indistinguishable from ‘real’ photography and video to cover all your visual marketing content needs – from online to print.
Content at speed and scale
The digital realm provides more freedom, meaning that images and video content can be created for any style option, colour, flavour or variety. Essentially, any combination of products created at lightning-fast speed, helping to offer choice and engagement that’s simply not possible with traditional methods.
Improve CX using immersive content + configurators
Take all those colour, size, and product options and plug them into an engaging, interactive product configurator giving customers choice on devices they are familiar with. This can be a simple website for building a bed or an immersive kitchen configurator, all using the same digital twins made previously.
Test it. Try It. Buy it
Those same digital twins can be converted into augmented reality so that customers can view products at home or on the go without physically visiting a store. Directly from the eCommerce storefront – onto mobile phones – and into their homes, or even on their feet, faces and bodies. Soon, consumers won’t be able to live without it.
Metaverse-ready content
From here, digital and 3D content can be easily added to the metaverse. With CGI you can get an infinite number of content outputs that are versatile enough to use across any channel within an omnichannel marketing strategy: online, print, in-store, mobile and soon the metaverse.