Inside Marc Jacobs’ Web3 gamble

Marc Jacobs is no stranger to taking risks with its marketing. From lo-fi ad campaigns and niche internet stars to collaborating with Snapchat on virtual “try on” clothes, the New York brand is diversifying its image to keep itself entrenched in the cultural zeitgeist. This week, the label added another digital format to its roster. In partnership with buzzy IP studio Edglrd, the brand has brought not only its Fall 2024 collection into the metaverse, but also its namesake designer. More on that below. In other news, Dior’s fragrance arm is deploying augmented reality to reimagine its hero scents. With olfactory limitations to contend with, brands are doubling down on creativity to engage consumers. But is it enough? Marc Jacobs teams up with IP studio Edglrd on gamified project What happened: To mark the release of its Fall 2024 collection, Marc Jacobs has tapped Edglrd, a Miami-based creative IP studio – whose previous clients include The Weeknd, Nike, Travis Scott, and Kim Kardashian’s Skims – to create a naughties-style try-on game featuring a virtual replica of its eponymous designer. In a video released via the brand’s official Instagram page, an anonymous player styles the digital Marc Jacobs in various key pieces, including a bubble dress, a zebra print bodycon, and a bleached denim co-ord. It’s unclear whether the game will be released for public use, but the animation has already amassed over 10,400 likes on Instagram. The verdict: Dabbling in uncanny, lo-fi campaigns has become Marc Jacobs’ schtick over recent months, with the brand tapping into ‘Vine’ culture, recruiting uber-niche internet personalities, and adopting IYKYK (if-you-know-you-know) online semantics. As Marc Jacobs pushes its creative boundaries, moving into Web3 is the next logical step. The past few years have seen the label embrace Snapchat as a means of engaging the digital-savvy cohorts of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, as well as teaming up with the gaming title Animal Crossing in 2020 to digitize its garments. In partnership with beauty conglomerate Coty, the brand also brought its Daisy fragrance into the virtual realm via an AR-powered Instagram filter in 2021. Dior’s fragrance arm dives into digital What happened: Under the creative direction of Francis Kurkdjian, Dior’s fragrance arm – known as Parfums Christian Dior – has unveiled a new augmented reality filter inspired by its best-selling cologne, Sauvage. The filter, which is available to use via Snapchat, immerses audiences in an aquatic-themed landscape, complete with 360-degree visuals and an accompanying soundtrack. The project was developed in collaboration with Playar, an Antwerp-based full-service agency that creates immersive experiences for brands and agencies. The verdict: Brands are actively exploring how to bring fragrance into the digital realm, from RTFKT and Byredo’s NFT "auras" to Marc Jacobs’ aforementioned Daisy filter. But replicating the olfactory experience through a screen presents its own quandary. To overcome the lack of sensory capabilities, brands are doubling down on the visual aspect of these activations to keep audiences locked in – it’s not so much about replicating the scent itself, but reimaging how it could look, sound, or interact with its surroundings. In Dior’s case, the brand has reinterpreted its hero scent as a universe inspired by the “untamed” element of water. Warner Bros. teams up with G2 Esports to celebrate 85 years of Batman What happened: To commemorate the 85th anniversary of Batman, entertainment behemoth Warner Bros’. Discovery Global Consumer Products division has tapped G2 Esports, a competitive organization headquartered in Berlin, for a new capsule collection inspired by the superhero. The four-piece, unisex drop includes a hoodie, oversized tee, sherpa fleece jacket and windbreaker, all featuring a unique and subtle nod to both G2 Esports and Batman. Fans can get their hands on the collection at the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) Summer Finals on August 31, before it launches online on September 2. The verdict: The entertainment industry is edging closer to the digital world, opening up both revenue streams and new potential partnerships. However, catering to highly discerning fans demands more than just ‘merch’ – these projects must deliver genuine value. That said, when executed well, the fusion of entertainment and gaming can offer lucrative rewards, as seen in the global success of China’s Black Myth: Wukong. Like brands, media moguls have to tread carefully when embracing new technological frontiers. Entertainment company Lionsgate, for example, was forced to apologize after a recent trailer for the upcoming Francis Ford Coppola film, Megalopolis, was pulled for including a litany of “fake” reviews from critics – allegedly generated using AI.

Inside Marc Jacobs’ Web3 gamble

On this page

Published September 01, 2024

Sectors

Insights

Company

Inside Marc Jacobs’ Web3 gamble