Over the past two decades, notably throughout the proliferation of digital technologies and media, the role of brands in our lives and society has been changing. We have seen the arrival of purpose driven and activist brands. We have seen brands learn to communicate, engage, sell and grow in a space that transformed as we used it, throwing up new challenges and opportunities daily. Brands are now a way people can express and activate their values and choices in the modern world.

The Metaverse represents a new iteration and expression of our digital world. Despite the early signs of cracks in its infrastructure, brands are getting ready to claim their space within it. For this reason, we need to consider whether the Metaverse is really everything it’s claiming to be: it is in the spaces between the promise and the reality that the myths live.

I’ve picked three:

1. The Metaverse offers viable alternative worlds in the context of climate change

According to a 2019 study by the University of Massachusetts, ‘one AI language processing model’s estimated carbon footprint and electricity cost was over 626,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. That’s a lot of carbon dioxide …and it’s a fraction of what the Metaverse’s energy consumption and emissions would be in total.

For brands who claim to be sustainable, or are working to be sustainable, this represents a serious problem. Offsetting this amount of carbon would be an extraordinary challenge, especially when extracting any value through trade appears to be a way off.

And then there’s the tricky fact that so many of the Metaverse’s potential young audience are already spending their time marching against climate change and trying to protect the beautiful world we already have. Will they be willing to spend time in a virtual world, rather than persevere with the one they are trying to save?

2. The Metaverse is for everyone

You don’t have to go far to read an article demanding that diversity be built in to the metaverse from the get-go. However, for access to the Metaverse you need:

● The kit

● High speed broadband or 5G

● To be comfortable navigating AR worlds

● To be plugged in to and comfortable using cryptocurrencies

Access to the Metaverse is clearly not within everyone's reach. As you move through the list you are left with a predominantly young rich, white gaming population as its primary citizens.

As for 5G, I don’t even have that in the hallway of my London flat, but that’s a rant I’ll save for another time.

3. The metaverse is safe

According to research conducted by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCD) in December last year: ‘there were 100 potential violations of Meta’s policies for virtual reality in the space of 11 hours and 30 minutes. In addition to sexual harassment and assault, abusive behaviour highlighted in the report included racism, bullying, threats of violence, and “content mocking the 9/11 terror attacks”.

Since the research was carried out, new safety features have been implemented. In my opinion, there need to be many more before the space is what I would call ‘safe’.

This, combined with the recent news that Elon Musk now owns Twitter (and has declared himself to be a fan of ‘‘free speech’) makes for an uncomfortable feeling in the virtual air.

For brands who champion women, for brands who are working hard to build diversity into their values and reality, for brands who simply believe the world should be safe and fair, the challenges are writ large. How can they help regulate this space, and keep it safe for their consumers and fans?

This is only the start

Like most things in life, digital spaces and apps are at their very best when they resonate meaningfully with our reality, our true experience and the needs we have now.

There is a high probability that the metaverse will be built in the image of the people at the helm. But the metaverse isn’t finished yet, in fact, it’s only just beginning. The time is now. Brands have a choice, and voice, in creating a space that connects with their own promises and values, and with those of their audiences.