Getty Images has said that the current state of the metaverse lacks relatability and a believable aesthetic.
The company said that the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once encapsulated a better vision of the metaverse with an “empathetic and relatable story” and “a visually stunning and inventive aesthetic” that was also “believable” and “immersive.”
These factors were limiting the adoption of the metaverse, despite Getty’s own VisualGPS study that surveyed 1,000 marketers, revealing that they were quite taken with the potential for the metaverse.
While fewer than one in six companies have established their brand’s presence in the metaverse, yet three-fifths are planning to do so in the next two years, and despite current cost-conscious and efficiency moves, 62 per cent anticipate their metaverse budgets to increase.
“According to our VisualGPS research, one of the top reasons why brands want to take part of virtual worlds, is to stay competitive by being one of the first to establish a presence on this new platform. This data suggests brands are feeling a certain type of ‘pressure’ to stay ahead of the curve, with data showing, 42 per cent of brands believe it is extremely important to be in the metaverse. This sentiment is also reflected on our site, where we saw downloads related to Web3 grew up to 2,900 per cent, last year,” said Dr Rebecca Swift the global head of creative insights at Getty Images.
“VisualGPS reported a rising interest of consumers in the metaverse, however, this excitement is declining as consumers claim to understand it. This gap may be a direct result of how the metaverse is being visualized by brands” she added.
“While the metaverse seems to be intended to facilitate connections through avatars as an integrated network of digital worlds, the most widely used metaverse visuals still depict individuals in isolation, detracting from the concept of a virtual community or a shared immersive experience.”
Getty also found that search terms related to futuristic tech, including the metaverse, indicated a desire for a new immersion in colourful, pink, purple, magenta or neon spaces. The company’s experts describe this visual style as “the purple wave” and was a common association when thinking of technology and futuristic concepts.
However, Dr Swift believed that brands should look for more colourful, personable and inspiring visual styles to connect with everyday consumers and shift their attitudes towards the tech from “critically distant to emotionally resonant and creative.”
