Clothing retailer American Eagle is diving into the metaverse in a big way, teaming up with Roblox, Snapchat, and TikTok to bring the spring 2022 clothes collection to Gen Z.
The campaign will involve a mix of digital wearables through the “AE Members Always Section” of Livetopia, a top 10 game in Roblox, where collectors will be able to purchase virtual clothing items to outfit their Roblox avatars. It will also feature an augmented reality experience using QR codes and Snapchat’s filters option.
American Eagle is rolling out the young celebrities for the marketing push, enlisting the help of tennis star Coco Gauff, actor and musician Joshua Bassett, multi-hyphenate mxmtoon, and actors Madelyn Cline, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and Michael Evans Behling.
Jennifer Foyle, president and executive creative director of American Eagle & Aerie, said the campaign is based on the belief that Gen Z has the power to pull together and create a world where everyone belongs. She also mentioned that the celebrities in the campaign believe today’s world empowers individuals to believe in the “limitless possibilities of tomorrow.”
American Eagle is also rolling out a new philanthropic platform called “Future Together.” It will give $200,000 in grants to 20 recipients enacting positive change within their communities. Customers will be able to share their cause-driven mission to have a chance at being selected.
Retailers Bullish on the Metaverse and Non-Fungible Tokens
American Eagle’s entrance into the metaverse may seem a little late to the party, but only because of the number of retailers jumping into the space.
Forever 21, Nike, Dolce & Gabbana, Victoria’s Secret, and many more luxury and regular brands have registered trademarks, purchased metaverse land, or launched non-fungible token (NFT) collections in the past few months.
Web3 is popular amongst companies who seek to increase profit margins by creating goods that don’t require physical supplies. In this way, companies can sell items with little overhead cost and as many that meet demand.
It may be true that companies don’t want to be left behind, especially with younger generations who have different marketing, entertainment, and buying preferences. As one writer put it eloquently, no one wants to be the next Blockbuster, referring to the defunct video rental service that Web2 companies put out of business.
Time will tell how American Eagle’s target audience responds to the Web3 campaigns, but if their outreach and the outreach of other companies is any indicator, Web3 and the movements that come with it are not going away any time soon.