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.

As the reality of the metaverse comes nearer, companies are attempting to create a way into that world. Facebook is well placed to create an accessible entry point to the next level of the internet and Horizon is its attempt to offer an immersive VR world for socializing, home working, and beyond.

Governments and businesses are increasingly using virtual spaces to access and stay relevant with digitally native Gen Zers. That’s why South Korean culture minister Hwang Hee has been discussing the future of cultural policy with young artists at an event held in the metaverse.

During the pandemic more people found escape in virtual worlds, donning secondary identities that they were free to manipulate however they wished. Playing into this, Roblox debuted 'Gucci Garden', where avatars become genderless mannequins as they embark on a journey of self-discovery.

The pandemic has pushed digital technologies into the mainstream. As people spend more time online, brands are taking steps to create a more interconnected virtual world. Wolf3D has joined the fray, allowing people to travel through the metaverse with a single, uniform avatar.

Following in the footsteps of bitcoin, NFTs have gained a place in mainstream consciousness. Axie Infinity is a play-to-earn game that gives people an opportunity to create and cultivate in-game characters and collectibles, which they can sell on cryptocurrency exchanges and use to earn a living.

Non-fungible tokens offer a way for people to digitally own everything from a tweet to a GIF of an NBA play via blockchain technology. How might they forge meaningful connections between fans and their idols? And how can brands sustain engagement with the tech beyond the initial hype?

Neal Stephenson’s 1992 novel, Snow Crash, made the first reference to a virtual, three-dimensional space where people exist and interact as avatars. But what started as a sci-fi phenomenon is becoming a reality, with Facebook setting bold ambitions to bring the metaverse to life.