Academic Research
The Metaverse: Lessons from the Front Lines of Brand Innovation
Few concepts in modern business have captured as much attention—and sparked as much debate— as the metaverse. For some, it represents the next great digital frontier; for others, it’s a cautionary tale of overhyped technology. Over the past few years, my team and I have engaged deeply with this evolving space, experimenting across platforms and technologies to better understand how brands can connect with customers in meaningful ways. Our exploration revealed that the metaverse isn’t one singular concept—it’s a spectrum of emerging digital experiences. To bring clarity to this complex territory we've categorized our approach into three key areas: web-based spaces (Web3), novelty digital experiences (XR), and gaming. Each offered unique opportunities and tuaght us invaluable lessons about what works, what doesn’t and where the future is headed.
Paper Link: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/735285?af=R
Authors: David Lehman
ABSTRACT
Few concepts in modern business have captured as much attention—and sparked as much debate— as the metaverse. For some, it represents the next great digital frontier; for others, it’s a cautionary tale of overhyped technology. Over the past few years, my team and I have engaged deeply with this evolving space, experimenting across platforms and technologies to better understand how brands can connect with customers in meaningful ways. Our exploration revealed that the metaverse isn’t one singular concept—it’s a spectrum of emerging digital experiences. To bring clarity to this complex territory we've categorized our approach into three key areas: web-based spaces (Web3), novelty digital experiences (XR), and gaming. Each offered unique opportunities and tuaght us invaluable lessons about what works, what doesn’t and where the future is headed.
Consumer Activism in the Metaverse: a Framework for Virtualized Protest as Playful Resistance
Is the metaverse a worthwhile venue for collective action? While some argue the virtual world empowers marginalized actors in the democratic process, the prevailing view dismisses metaverse demonstrations as cartoonish avatars parading down 3D-rendered streets with digital flags and picket signs. Through a netnographic investigation of a start-up metaverse platform dedicated to protests, we explore how four ostensibly depoliticizing processes—gamification, dematerialization, emotionalization, and decentralization—are reimagined by an online community as tools for playful resistance and subversive digital politics. Participants recognized that virtual protests offer unique opportunities to engage and empower activists globally, foster inclusive movements, and evade institutional control. Our findings challenge assumptions about the trivialization of virtual protests, positioning the metaverse as a potential complementary setting for sustained grassroots activism. We conclude with an agenda for future research on how platform design features—including modding, interoperability, encryption, and polycentricity—can balance corporate interests with sincere collective action.
Paper Link: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/734652?af=R
Authors: Andrew B. Edelblum, Markus Giesler
ABSTRACT
Is the metaverse a worthwhile venue for collective action? While some argue the virtual world empowers marginalized actors in the democratic process, the prevailing view dismisses metaverse demonstrations as cartoonish avatars parading down 3D-rendered streets with digital flags and picket signs. Through a netnographic investigation of a start-up metaverse platform dedicated to protests, we explore how four ostensibly depoliticizing processes—gamification, dematerialization, emotionalization, and decentralization—are reimagined by an online community as tools for playful resistance and subversive digital politics. Participants recognized that virtual protests offer unique opportunities to engage and empower activists globally, foster inclusive movements, and evade institutional control. Our findings challenge assumptions about the trivialization of virtual protests, positioning the metaverse as a potential complementary setting for sustained grassroots activism. We conclude with an agenda for future research on how platform design features—including modding, interoperability, encryption, and polycentricity—can balance corporate interests with sincere collective action.