Diving brief:
- WPP and Fortnite developer Epic Games have partnered to help deliver digital experiences for brands across the metaverse, according to a press release.
- The partnership includes a training program that aims to hone WPP creatives and technologists on how to create custom branded experiences in Fortnite and how to use Epic’s Unreal Engine for real-time 3D creation and virtual production . The program includes separate tracks for executives, creatives, and media strategists.
- Additionally, WPP will work with Epic Games company SuperAwesome to better understand online security and privacy as it seeks to engage younger audiences, a growing priority for agencies and brands looking to engage in the nascent field.
Overview of the dive:
The partnership between WPP and Epic Games comes as the two companies strive to develop capabilities and offerings around the metaverse, the catchall term for experiences that bridge the digital-analog divide in a way that has captured the imagination. attention of the marketing world.
For WPP, the metaverse program will help its employees learn how to better leverage Epic’s Unreal Engine, a 3D authoring tool used in games, movies, architecture, fashion, automotive, music and live events, as well as Fortnite, a popular online tool. game that has been a frequent testing ground for brands looking to activate around gaming and the metaverse.
The partnership will help Epic Games connect with the agency’s brand clients as it seeks to develop the Metaverse’s architecture and standards. The developer recently raised $2 billion from Sony Group Corporation and Kirkbi, the investment firm behind The Lego Group, as part of its metaverse projects.
WPP will also work with Epic subsidiary SuperAwesome on security and privacy in the metaverse, which could be the next frontier in brand safety as young consumers flock to a digital landscape that is a virtual Wild West. Some partnerships, like the recent one between Lego Group and Epic Games, have sought to create a safe place for kids to explore the metaverse. Previously, WPP worked with SuperAwesome on an Adidas activation in Fortnite.
The partnership follows WPP’s Hogarth launch of The Metaverse Foundry, a global team of more than 700 creatives that will be available to the holding company’s agencies and clients worldwide. The offering is a recent example of how agencies of all sizes are preparing for the next digital era.
