Wendy’s used Fortnite as a stage for a brand message about “fresh, never frozen beef.” The company livestreamed gameplay focused on destroying in-game freezers, turning a gameplay joke into a shareable ad campaign. It became an early example of brands using virtual worlds as media channels rather than just buying traditional ads.
Epic Games hosted a live, in-game concert event featuring Marshmello inside Fortnite. The event showed how a virtual world could function like a venue for entertainment and brand partnerships at massive scale. It helped normalize the idea that players would gather for scheduled “live” experiences inside games.
Epic and Travis Scott announced “Astronomical,” a multi-show in-game concert run in Fortnite with themed items and challenges. The announcement highlighted a repeatable campaign playbook: scheduled virtual performances, limited-time cosmetics, and social sharing. This moved branded virtual events from experiments toward planned marketing launches.
Gucci opened “Gucci Garden,” a limited-time Roblox experience tied to the brand’s 100th anniversary and inspired by a physical exhibition in Florence. Visitors explored themed rooms and could buy limited digital items for their avatars. The activation helped demonstrate how luxury branding could translate into interactive spaces and virtual goods for younger audiences.
Vans introduced a persistent Roblox world centered on skateboarding, social play, and a shoe customization feature. The experience connected brand identity to activities players could do repeatedly, rather than a one-time event. It reinforced a shift toward “always-on” branded worlds with ongoing engagement and digital merchandise.
Balenciaga partnered with Fortnite on in-game cosmetics and a related real-world clothing line. The campaign connected virtual self-expression (skins and accessories) with physical products and marketing in real cities. It became a high-profile example of using virtual worlds to support integrated “digital + physical” brand programs.
Chipotle launched a virtual restaurant and Halloween-themed “Boorito Maze” on Roblox, tied to real-world burrito offers. The activation used gameplay and digital items to drive attention and participation, while linking virtual activity to offline purchasing through promotions. It showed how brands could blend virtual engagement with measurable retail outcomes.
Nike debuted “NIKELAND,” a Roblox world inspired by its real-life headquarters, with mini-games and Nike-branded avatar items. The launch emphasized branded play and community as a marketing strategy, not just direct sales. It also signaled that major consumer brands were willing to invest in large, custom-built virtual spaces.
Ralph Lauren released a holiday-themed Roblox experience featuring winter activities and a digital clothing collection. The experience ran for a defined season, mirroring real-world retail calendar marketing. It illustrated how brands could use virtual worlds for seasonal campaigns and limited-time digital drops.
Samsung launched “837X,” a branded space in Decentraland with interactive areas and ongoing activities. This showed how companies experimented with Web3-style virtual worlds where users connect via crypto wallets and own certain digital items. It also pointed to a broader trend: brands running longer-lived “hub” spaces rather than one-off stunts.
Heineken promoted “Heineken Silver” through a Decentraland launch framed as a virtual product that cannot be tasted. The campaign used humor to draw attention while still functioning as a brand activation in a virtual world. It demonstrated how metaverse marketing could be about storytelling and PR value, not just selling virtual goods.
Decentraland held its first Metaverse Fashion Week (MVFW), a multi-day event with many fashion and beauty brands, runway-style shows, and shopping for digital wearables. The event bundled many brand activations into one shared calendar moment, similar to real-world fashion week marketing dynamics. It marked a turning point where virtual-world advertising and sponsorships were organized at industry-event scale.
Gucci launched a time-limited “Gucci Vault Land” experience in The Sandbox, using quests and rewards to encourage repeat visits. The activation blended brand history (vintage fashion) with game mechanics and digital collectibles. It showed a maturing approach: brands designing campaigns that fit how players engage in virtual worlds.
Gucci and Vans launched a co-branded Roblox activation that linked “Gucci Town” and “Vans World,” using tasks like scavenger hunts and free co-branded wearables. The crossover mattered because it treated virtual worlds more like a network of destinations, not isolated brand islands. As a closing outcome for 2017–2023, it reflected a shift toward collaboration, interoperability, and more game-like advertising built around participation.
Brand activations and advertising campaigns in virtual worlds (2017–2023)