The world of gaming is proving increasingly attractive to fashion and beauty brands appealing to a Gen-Z audience.
Following a collaboration with Minecraft in 2022 and two gamified virtual stores hosted on its own e-commerce site this year, Lacoste has partnered with decentralized gaming platform The Sandbox on new multiplayer experience Lacoste World Tour.
Four global locations, Tokyo, São Paulo, Paris, and Golf Island, representing international Lacoste crocodile communities, each feature a mini game and there’s also an exclusive digital goods collection on The Sandbox Marketplace.
While all players who complete the quests can win prizes, there’s an additional opportunity for members of Lacoste’s Web3 loyalty program UNDW3 to win Sandbox virtual currency that’s equivalent to around $41,500.
Lacoste took a similar approach with aforementioned virtual stores created by retail tech outfit Emperia. The most recent featured a VIP members area for UNDW3 token holders who could purchase from an exclusive apparel collection and participate in member only challenges.
It’s all part of a coherent plan to bring the brand’s existing Web3 community along for the ride as it makes advances into additional platforms.
“Since the launch of our exploration of web3 opportunities in 2022, we have considered these emerging trends as the pioneer part of our customer experience,”,] Lacoste VP Global Brand & Customer Experience Benjamin Blamoutier, said in a statement shared with Forbes.
“Our fans contribute to the evolution of the brand every day, so it seemed only natural to reward them with a playful immersion to conclude our 90th anniversary celebration with a groundbreaking virtual experience.”
“We’re excited to welcome such a beloved brand like Lacoste into our expanding ecosystem,” added The Sandbox CEO and co-founder Arthur Madrid. “This partnership symbolizes a fusion of timeless tradition and cutting-edge innovation, where Lacoste’s enduring legacy, represented by its iconic crocodile emblem and French sporting and fashion heritage, meets the boundless possibilities of The Sandbox.”
Other recent Sandbox activations include Gucci Cosmos Land, a reimagining of the Kering powerhouse’s blockbuster Gucci Cosmos exhibition recreated in The Sandbox’s voxelized aesthetic.
Last month, its 2022 Metaverse Pride Campaign with L’Oréal brand NYX and People of Crypto Lab scooped awards in the Gaming and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion categories of the Shorty Impact Awards.
Elsewhere, Balmain used gaming tech by Bods to power a new virtual fit solution on its e-commerce site while E.l.f. recently activated on Roblox encouraging its community to hone their entrepreneurial skills by creating their dream start-up.