John Lewis’ Christmas ad has expanded into the metaverse, with the retailer targeting both ITV’s I’m a celebrity… fans and Fortnite players with the ads spaceship landing in Fortnite’s I’m a celebrity’s castle and allowing interaction through games and quizzes.
Shoppers will also be able to watch the space ship land on a 4D UHD screen in London’s Oxford Street.
This year’s John Lewis Christmas ad was first aired in November – earlier than usual as the retailer looked to tap into an early start to Christmas shopping – and this second phase is designed to boost its reach as the big day approaches.
The tie up goes further with contestants on I’m a celebrity… competing for John Lewis Christmas decorations on the show.
John Lewis’s customer director Claire Pointon called the integration a “real game changer in how we can tell our story to our customers and reach a new audience,” while ITV’s director of creative and digital partnerships Bhavit Chandrani said it “showcases the creativity and scale of opportunity for the brands.”
John Lewis is one of the first retailers to make such a big foray into the metaverse – the hyper-real, 3D, virtual reality world being created on the web – and marks the beginning of brands and retailers seeking to explore this brave new virtual world.
Last week, The British Fashion Council (BFC) has added a brand new category as part of The Fashion Awards 2021—the first ever Fashion Award for Metaverse Design, which it is running exclusively with Roblox and its first winner, cSapphire.
This new award recognises a digital designer who pushes the boundaries and showcases excellence in digital fashion design within the metaverse.
To celebrate the launch of the award, the BFC has created an immersive experience on Roblox which offers fashion fans from all over the world the opportunity to be part of its iconic annual event that gathers some of the most influential fashion insiders, designers, innovators and celebrities.
