LogInIntegrating interactive 3D content into marketing strategies is a new trend for non-gaming brands.
3D Content: A New Era for Non-Gaming Brands
In the dynamic marketing world, brands continuously explore creative approaches to connect with their audiences and distinguish themselves in a competitive digital environment. One such approach is 3D virtual content, which can be implemented in fields like fashion, real estate, tourism, and education.
August Wasilowski, Chief Executive Officer & Technical Artist at Big Shoulder Games (Full interview)
Big companies want 3D content to simulate virtual environments to do research. Companies like Level Ex mostly use video games to simulate medical procedures to help salespeople sell medication and medical equipment. We made a lot of pharmaceutical video games, like where you click a pill many times to break it, get points, and it tells you what the drugs do.
By developing virtual items, interactive product configurators, and AR/VR experiences, brands can differentiate themselves from competitors and offer customers unforgettable experiences.
Luxury Brands Connect with Young Generations
The topic of a generational gap in media consumption habits attracts a lot of attention from non-gaming brands. As Gen Z and Gen Alpha demonstrate a shift away from TV towards gaming as their primary source of entertainment, traditional advertising methods are facing a decline in effectiveness. Gen Z and Alpha tend to spend a lot of time in games and immersive experiences, especially in well-known ones like Fortnite and Roblox. According to a 2023 Global Gamer Study, gaming ranks as the top source of leisure time for both Gen Alpha and Gen Z.
The root causes of these platforms' popularity lie within the consumption needs of these young generations. According to Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, 65% of Gen Z individuals preferred a world where brands prioritize evoking an emotional response and creating unforgettable experiences.
It may seem that there is a significant mismatch as luxury brands try to use Fortnite and Roblox to attract a very young and potentially less financially “capable” audience. However, luxury brands pursue different objectives.
Luxury brands aim to tap into the massive user base of platforms like Fortnite and Roblox to increase brand visibility and improve their brand image. This way, they want to be perceived as forward-thinking companies that follow trends. At the same time, brands can still profit from creating and selling limited-edition items in Roblox and Fortnite.
Michal Kozluk, Founder & Lead Developer at KoZLabs (Full interview)
I don't think it's necessarily a misconnection. I think it's building brand appeal. Not everybody can afford a Ferrari: you can't buy it in real life, but you can buy a Ferrari Lego set. Ferrari is still getting some of that money. Building that connection with an audience still keeps your brand going and keeps your interest in that brand alive. I can't drive a real Ferrari, but I could drive it within Fortnite. I could drive it within Roblox. It's not the same thing, but you could say: "Hey, look at this car I'm driving. It's so cool". I think giving people access or visibility into this is what the brands are really looking for.
Even though these new generations are still too young to buy products of luxury brands, the goal of big companies can be to establish early connections with potential future consumers, building brand loyalty from a young age.
Bogdan Lomakin-Moroz, Founder & CEO at Trend Surfers (Full interview)
Brands prefer to use Roblox for marketing because this platform has a huge base of Z-generation users. The key idea is to build close relationships with users now so that in 10-20 years, they will become the brand's main ambassadors and buyers. This is an investment in the brand's future because this concept does not pay off in most cases.