Stop with the Metaverse speculation already

VCCP

Advertising/Full Service/Integrata

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VCCP Group, the global challenger network, has today announced the launch of a global gaming proposition, VCCP+. On a mission to help brands navigate and leverage the 2.7 billion person Gaming Multiverse, VCCP+ will deliver data-backed solutions to help brands build long-term value in the space and challenge the ways gaming is traditionally viewed and activated. With a unique approach and offering, VCCP+ will aim to upskill and tip the balance for modern marketers.

The current obsession with the Metaverse pipe dream is distracting the much needed attention away from the single largest unmet audience opportunity in marketing. The power of gaming as a medium and culture has been alarmingly misunderstood for too long. Gaming today is much more than just playing video games. It is a complex, thriving multiverse of distinct and diverse platforms, media and cultures - from content, to influencers, lifestyle, design, entertainment, and sports. With a third of the world’s population^[1] in its mix, gaming has a larger audience than even Facebook. But it's not just its sheer size. Every touchpoint across the multiverse surpasses that of existing social and traditional channels of communication. Gaming content viewership on YouTube, for example, is bigger than HBO, Netflix, and Hulu combined. And these numbers will only continue to accelerate with a new generation of audience where gaming is a core part of their identity and social life.

Despite its popularity and abundance of opportunities, brands, marketers and even agencies have only really scratched the surface of gaming’s potential as the force in marketing to leverage. Investment in gaming is currently 100 times less than ad spend on Facebook and four times less than in print. VCCP+ aims to disrupt this status quo and will arm future-facing brands with the right data, expertise, ideas, and partnerships for an immediate marketing future where a gaming strategy and an always-on plan will be a critical necessity.

Jonny Shaw, CEO of VCCP+ said: “The gaming space is completely misunderstood, misused or relegated to being an experiment for marketers. It is the biggest unmet audience opportunity there is in marketing. Gaming represents the biggest entertainment vertical in the world and is constantly ignored by brands. As 90% of Gen Z identify as gamers, the audience of tomorrow is everyone. VCCP+ is here to challenge the status quo and offer brands a way to engage and tap into this demographic in a way that is authentic and will reduce media wastage.” 

The traditional one-size-fits-all model will not work in the gaming multiverse. Launching with a proprietary methodology and tools built from the ground up to aid brands and marketers in making the right decisions, VCCP+ brings data-rich, actionable insights from the complex landscape with the goal of delivering long-term engagement and value, with the capabilities to measure and optimise marketing activities in the space.

Backed by a worldwide network of talent and partners, VCCP+ will tap into coders from VCCP CX and makers in the world of design and art, motion and 3D tech, from VCCP’s recently launched global content studio, Girl&Bear. Supporting this and working at the speed of culture, VCCP+ will also team up with leading production and content partners, collaborators at the intersections of sports, lifestyle and entertainment, as well as gaming publishers and influencers.

VCCP+ will be led by CEO, Jonny Shaw and Head of Strategy, Sashi Nair. Shaw has worked in the game space for over 20 years, leading teams in London, Tokyo, San Francisco and New York. He has worked on both endemic games brands, PlayStation, Xbox, EA and Rockstar games, to name a few, as well as helping some of the world’s best consumer brands navigate the world of games including Coca Cola, Fanta, Adidas, Google, and many more.

Nair joins from Havas Sports & Entertainment where he led the strategy practice on gaming, partnerships, sports and music. An award-winning, multi-disciplinary strategist, Nair delivers meaningful vision and solutions based on today’s popular culture across geographies for organisations like The Coca-Cola Company, Beam Suntory, Michelin, Tracfone, Fidelity, Titlelist, P&G, Pringles, Emirates, HSBC, Sony and Volkswagen.

International CEO at VCCP, Julian Douglas said: “The mainstream marketing industry is finally waking up to the opportunity gaming provides. Marketers are realising this isn’t a niche space; it is where their audience is. Gaming is about socialising, connecting, meeting new people and deepening existing relationships. It’s about experiences and culture, and simply having a good time. VCCP+ is here to navigate and unlock this space in an authentic, unique and commercially valuable way for brands all around the globe.”

Sashi Nair, Head of Strategy at VCCP+ added: "The Multiverse aptly describes the far reaching impact of gaming. This cultural tidal wave that is right now defining the future of media and advertising is repeatedly swept under the rug. Brands and marketers need to wake up and evolve their perception of gaming being a channel for siloed, experimental initiatives. Gaming is now the heart of popular culture and the future of entertainment. I’m excited to take on the challenge of transforming the perception of the space, helping brands and marketers unlock the potential the gaming multiverse has to offer, and creating the correct solutions for them to deliver value and business goals."

VCCP+ launches as a new practice within all VCCP offices worldwide, including New York, where it is headquartered, Madrid, Prague, San Francisco, London, Singapore, Sydney and Shanghai, and will be offered as core service to VCCP clients such as White Claw and O2.

For more information about VCCP+ visit www.vccpplus.com.