Digital developments are transforming the ways people showcase their status online, with gaming worlds and the metaverse providing new platforms through which to distinguish themselves from their peers. But what kinds of status symbols resonate in the new virtual economy?
Matt Klein is a cultural theorist, cyberpsychologist, and marketing strategist, analysing social shifts and the psychosocial implications of our technology. Working alongside brands, TV producers, non-profits, and government agencies, Klein is a trusted source in identifying cultural change and developing future-proofed business strategies. As an award-winning writer and frequent commenter, his observations have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Forbes, WARC, The Verge, CNBC, and Adweek.
Nell Lloyd-Malcolm was a VFX producer who worked across multiple blockbuster films and TV productions including Ready Player One, Star Wars, Mission Impossible, and The Crown. She is now the CEO of Xydrobe, a company that works with brands in luxury fashion and goods to provide customised end-to-end solutions for entry into virtual products.
J'Nae Phillips is a Senior Insights Editor at Canvas8. After an early career working in fashion and media, her passion for culture and journalism grew and she made the transition to writing and editing full-time. She specialises in fashion, trends, cultural shifts and all of the good stuff that gets people talking.
From Netflix Party to lo-fi live-streams, some of the most popular areas of internet culture come from a sense of simultaneity – the ability to experience something together, even when apart. A number of start-ups view these shared online experiences as the future of the internet.
As the pandemic keeps people at home, the way we use our phones is changing. But shifts were happening pre-COVID-19, as tech moved away from novelty and into everyday life. Is design alone enough when it comes to creating aspirational items? And how are ethical values impacting the tech space?
The Sandbox’s partnership with Snoop Dogg has introduced a previously detached community to the blockchain, NFTs, and the metaverse. With emerging metaverses competing for users as interest grows, how important will established celebrities, brands, and intellectual property be?
According to experts, the future lies in the metaverse. This brings a fresh opportunity for brands that are looking to engage with their audience in new ways. With people able to create and self-express in the digital world, the metaverse's popularity is growing.