Gucci brings Miley Cyrus into Roblox
Miley Cyrus has officially entered the metaverse. As the face of Gucci’s Flora Gorgeous Jasmine fragrance, Cyrus’s avatar can now be found in ‘Gucci Town,’ the brand’s branded parcel of virtual real estate on Roblox. This marks the first time that Gucci has partnered with a celebrity in its ongoing efforts to expand its presence in the metaverse.
Gucci has set up shop in Roblox in an effort to boost sales and connect with a younger audience / Adobe Stock
Once inside the fragrance’s virtual campaign – an extension of the brand’s ‘Flora Fantasy’ – fans can wander down ‘Selfie Way.’ Here, they can take selfies with Cyrus’s avatar. They can also embark on a number of challenges, each of which is themed on Gucci Flora, or purchase a virtual bottle of the fragrance.
Gucci, along with a number of other prominent luxury fashion brands, has been investing heavily in its metaverse efforts for more than a year now. Last year, the brand launched a two-week activation on Roblox called the ‘Gucci Garden Archetypes’ in celebration of its centennial. In May 2022, it launched Gucci Town – a virtual recreation of Vault, its physical concept store – to establish a more physical presence in Roblox.
The metaverse has opened a new frontier for brands seeking to partner with celebrities and influencers in their marketing efforts. For one thing, platforms including Roblox make it possible for brands to launch interactive celebrity and influencer partnerships. Rather than being limited to two-dimensional social media posts, brands can now virtually recreate a celebrity in the metaverse or launch an NFT campaign in collaboration with a celebrity or influencer – thereby (at least theoretically) establishing a feeling of mutual connection between that celebrity or influencer and their fans.
"The metaverse has unlocked a new route for brands to let customers connect with one another and build stronger communities," Matt Kates, senior vice president of strategy at Clarus Commerce - a company that specializes in loyalty programs and driving customer engagement - told The Drum in an email. "In fact, our past research found that almost a quarter (22%) of shoppers said they were more loyal to brands that built a strong sense of community, and being able to connect in a metaverse game or campaign is one way to make it happen. That same study also found that 44% of consumers’ loyalty is impacted by paid celebrity or influencer endorsements, so these brand deals still carry plenty of weight."
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