Brand Engagement in the Metaverse: February 2024
Published 29 February 2024
Author
Saska Graville
3 min read
Tapping into the Fan-Tastic Trading trend flagged in Look Ahead 2024, this month, the US National Basketball Players’ Association (NBPA) hosted player meet-and-greets and merch-buying via American AI and metaverse company MeetKai. And Burberry established a venue for Harrods on Roblox, echoing the British fashion house’s IRL London Fashion Week takeover of the luxury department store.
- The NBA’s Phygital Fan-Tastic Trading: The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) fanbase is growing, with US research revealing that 60% of men and 40% of women are fans (YouGov, 2024). The players themselves are the main draw (for 38% of men and 30% of women, beating supporting a hometown team or growing up in a family of fans), giving virtual meet-and-greets strong appeal – especially since less than 10% of basketball fans attend actual games.
Launched by the NBPA over the annual NBA All-Star weekend (February 16-18), the virtual Brotherhood Deli World (anchored in a recreation of 2023’s real-life NBA pop-up Brotherhood Deli) granted exclusive access to NBA players and merchandise, which could be tried on virtually before ordering for home delivery. Stars including New Orleans Pelicans’ player CJ McCollum made real-time visits for avatar-to-avatar selfies with fans, while a media lounge showed exclusive NBPA content.
NBPA
NBPA
 NBPA |  NBPA |
NBPA
NBPA
 NBPA |  NBPA |
- Burberry’s Harrods Takeover on Roblox & In Real Life: Burberry’s metaverse project with Harrods coincided with a physical store takeover marking London Fashion Week (February 16-20) and Harrods’ 175th anniversary.
Created by US multi-platform production company Sawhorse, the virtual storefront featured Burberry’s iconic check in its new Knight Blue colourway, and was staffed by non-playable-character (NPC) doormen. Avatar wearables to buy included bucket hats, hot water bottles and horse-shaped carabiner locks. Scavenger hunt prizes hidden in an equestrian knight-themed maze, forest, garden and pond included Burberry-branded coffee cups and Knight Blue roses.
In the real life version, Harrods’ famous green awnings and exterior lights turned Knight Blue, doormen wore blue Burberry uniforms, and a Burberry food truck served Knight-branded coffees.
Burberry x Harrods
Burberry x Harrods
 Burberry x Harrods |  Burberry x Harrods |
Burberry x Harrods
Burberry x Harrods
 Burberry x Harrods |  Burberry x Harrods |