The latest brand to enter the metaverse is UPS, with the launch of a venue in blockchain-based Decentraland. The shipping firm is squarely targeting small businesses.
Many brands see the metaverse as an important fourth dimension touchpoint, adding to in-person contact, phone and web support. UPS is no different, but at this stage, it’s not offering one-to-one interaction. That would involve having UPS staff on hand 24/7 when metaverse stores don’t yet receive massive traffic.
Instead, it’s embracing one of the metaverse’s key advantages: for events. It will host talks by well-known small business experts on various topics such as raising funding, cashflow management and taking advantage of the latest technology.
Additionally, it partnered with Fast Company and Inc for a small business newsstand, and there’s a “Be Unstoppable Academy” providing education on small business topics such as sales and marketing.
To date, Decentraland has done an excellent job of attracting massive brands. Unilever launched its web3 initiative by unveiling a Magnum Pleasure Museum for the ice cream and a Closeup City Hall of Love for the toothpaste brands. It has managed to attract brands across soft drinks (Coca Cola), fashion (Forever 21, Wrangler), beauty (Estee Lauder), media (Netflix), sport (La Liga), and numerous financial services brands (Mastercard, JP Morgan, Fidelity, Santander).
