The Metaverse Territorial Brand: A Contemporary Concept

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1		Giovana Goretti Feijó Almeida	--	944	2024-09-29 05:23:26

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This is a peer-reviewed entry published in Encyclopedia Journal, full entry can be found at 10.3390/encyclopedia4040095

The “Metaverse Territorial Brand” integrates core and interconnected elements into a virtual, interactional, experiential, and immersive space known as the metaverse. This type of brand encompasses the connection with immersive territories that may or may not be digital twins of real territories. It also encompasses two interconnected physical scales: the territorial and the regional, involved in another type of emerging territorial scale, known as the metaversal scale. Therefore, the “Metaverse Territorial Brand” is a digital-immersive extension of the territorial brand of physical territories, encompassing specific geographical and cultural aspects, but directed to the metaverse environment. This brand is a symbolic digital construction, but also a multifaceted one that incorporates discursive and visual elements, articulated by the social actors of the immersive territory, aiming to create a specific and distinct identity for a space in the metaverse. When talking about social actors in the metaverse (users), we highlight that this set of actors may or may not be the same as the physical territory. It is also important to highlight that both the territorial brand directed to physical territories and the “Metaverse Territorial Brand” are formed from the power relations of a given set of social actors. Therefore, without the strategic intention of a plurality of social actors that stimulate these relationships, there is no type of territorial brand involved.

metaverse territorial brand metaverse immersive and digital territory

The rapid evolution of digital technologies in recent years has transformed the way society perceives and interacts with spaces ^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]. One of these interactions concerns a space known as the metaverse. The concept of the metaverse, a shared digital environment that allows for immersive and interactive interactions, has gained prominence as an extension of the physical world. In this context, the creation of the “Metaverse Territorial Brand” emerges as an innovative strategy to promote and value territorial identities established or still under construction in this digital-immersive environment of the metaverse ^[1]^[6].

Thus, the Metaverse Territorial Brand can be understood as a symbolic and multifaceted extension of the traditional territorial brand, incorporating specific geographic and cultural elements into the metaverse environment ^[1]. This type of brand seeks to create a distinctive and engaging identity for the digital-immersive territory, using visual and discursive representations articulated by a given set of social actors. However, the full understanding of this concept and its practical application is still under development, following the development and discussions of the metaverse itself.

Almeida’s ^[1] study, entitled “Cities and Territorial Brand in the Metaverse: The Metaverse Seoul Case”, presents a detailed analysis of the case of Seoul, a city that positions itself as a pioneer in the use of the metaverse to, among other purposes, strengthen its territorial brand, as regards both the city’s physical brand and the brand that extends to the metaverse. Based on the study, the author explores how the city of Seoul uses the metaverse to promote its territorial identity and attract local–-global engagement, as well as the impacts of this strategy on urban development and the revitalization of the city. What is striking about Almeida’s ^[1] study is that to achieve these goals, the Seoul local government uses the metaverse as a kind of urban laboratory with a digital and immersive character. In doing so, some situations stand out, such as the emergence of two concepts, the metaverse city and Metaverse Territorial Brand.

At the present time, the territorial brand is confronted with significant challenges in its transition to the digital environment, particularly in the context of the metaverse. The primary challenge lies in effectively translating a territory’s identity, values, and culture into an immersive virtual space, where the user experience is radically different from the physical environment ^[1]. In the metaverse, the tangible elements that constitute territorial identity—such as landscapes, historical heritage, and cultural traditions—are reinterpreted to ensure an authentic and graphically attractive immersion. In this regard, the extant place branding practices remain deficient in terms of offering clear guidelines for this transposition. This deficiency gives rise to fragmented and occasionally disconnected communication with the target audience. It is important to note that the application of the concept of a Metaverse Territorial Brand is still in its infancy, with technical and creative challenges preventing full adoption and limiting its impact in multiple dimensions. In order to effectively translate the essence of a territory into a digital-immersive environment, it is essential to adopt a more rigorous methodological approach that ensures the integrity and relevance of the territory are maintained.

In addition to the practical issues, there is the social dimension that requires attention. The potential of the Metaverse Territorial Brand to reinforce or mitigate socio-territorial inequalities must be considered. The development of a digitally immersive territorial brand, for instance, has the potential to extend the global reach of lesser-known regions, thereby promoting their heritage and culture. However, if implemented inappropriately, a territorial brand may serve to reinforce existing stereotypes, marginalize local cultures, or direct attention toward richer and already well-established regions, thereby exacerbating existing inequalities. It is thus imperative that the metaverse approach to territorial brand be inclusive, respecting cultural diversity and ensuring a fair representation of all the territories involved. In this context, the concept of “Metaverse Territorial Brand” still requires significant advancement in terms of both practical application and social impact. This justifies the gap in the literature and the relevance of this study.

By addressing the practical and social constraints on the Metaverse Territorial Brand, the practical implications of the study become significant. Furthermore, the findings not only enhance the comprehension of the Metaverse Territorial Brand but also provide transparent avenues for managers and policy developers to enhance their actions in an evolving digital and immersive space.

References

Almeida, G.G.F. Cities and Territorial Brand in the Metaverse: The Metaverse SEOUL Case. Sustainability 2023, 15, 10116.
Florida, R.; Rodríguez-Pose, A.; Storper, M. Cities in a post-COVID world. Urban Stud. 2021, 6, 00420980211018072.
Kusuma, A.T.; Supangkat, S.H. Metaverse Fundamental Technologies for Smart City: A Literature Review. In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on ICT for Smart Society: Recover Together, Recover Stronger and Smarter Smartization, Governance and Collaboration, ICISS 2022, Bandung, Indonesia, 6–7 September 2022.
Buhalis, D.; Leung, D.; Lin, M. Metaverse as a disruptive technology revolutionising tourism management and marketing. Tour. Manag. 2023, 97, 104724.
Koohang, A.; Nord, J.H.; Ooi, K.-B.; Tan, G.W.-H.; Al-Emran, M.; Aw, E.C.-X.; Baabdullah, A.M.; Buhalis, D.; Cham, T.-H.; Dennis, C.; et al. Shaping the Metaverse into Reality: A Holistic Multidisciplinary Understanding of Opportunities, Challenges, and Avenues for Future Investigation. J. Comput. Inf. Syst. 2023, 63, 735–765.
Almeida, G.G.F. Metaverse(s) and Regional Development: Exploring Immersive Territories, 1st ed.; The Help: Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil, 2023.

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Giovana Goretti Feijó Almeida

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Online Date: 29 Sep 2024

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