Wendy’s is joining Meta’s Horizon Worlds platform with “Wendyverse,” a game-based marketing offering emerging as more brands look to reach consumers in virtual worlds.
Starting April 2, those with a Quest 2 headset will be able to enter the Metaverse Activation, which is split into two areas: Towne Square Central, which houses a virtual Wendy’s restaurant, and Partnership Plaza, where players can shoot Baconators on a court-branded basketball called the Buck BiscuitDome (a reference to the limited-edition menu item that is currently available). The experiences were developed through a collaboration between the brand and the creators of the community.
Virtual experiences like the “Wendyverse” are becoming increasingly popular for brands hoping to appeal to digitally minded — and often younger — consumers. Jose Cuervo this week announced plans to build a distillery in Decentraland, and Miller Lite opened a bar on the same platform for the Super Bowl. Quick-service restaurants, in particular, have shown interest in the space as they seek to integrate culture into their marketing: Chipotle and McDonald’s, for example, have launched virtual experiences and Arby’s newly registered trademarks to offer virtual food and drinks.
What’s notable about Wendy’s effort, however, is her use of Horizon Worlds, a platform that has seen far fewer brand partnerships to date than rival platforms like Roblox, Decentraland, and The Sandbox. The requirement for an Oculus headset, which can cost up to $300, can provide a more immersive experience, but it can also significantly limit the number of consumers able to gain access.
Meanwhile, the fast-food chain is busy marketing around March Madness, which might help explain the inclusion of a basketball court in its metaverse world. The brand recently hosted a “Rick and Morty”-themed pop-up on the Las Vegas Strip that drew attention to the tournament, and is currently running TV ads that feature former professional basketball player Reggie Miller. Wendy’s is also working with Twitter to bring a tweet vending machine to the Men’s Final Four in New Orleans.
This article is a translation of the writing by Asa Hiken for the website AdAge.
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