The sweet drink manufacturer Snapple is behind a new bodega in the metaverse game Decentraland. Snapple built a fictitious corner store in the style of New York City in the metaverse, complete with a bodega cat. CoinDesk went on a scavenger hunt for flying sliced cheeses and Snapple bottle caps while exploring the pixelated aisles on Thursday.
Snapple’s newest “Elements” drink line is explicitly promoted throughout the entire exhibit. The bottles have benefits for Web3 as well: According to the company’s website, each IRL drink has a code that can be used to obtain a non-fungible token (NFT) wearable.
For those who purchased the beverage, one aspect of the in-game hunt produced a $1.39 rebate coupon. Ironically, the physical discount shuns cryptocurrency, insisting that customers link their PayPal accounts in order to make a withdrawal.
It’s not the first time a business has used Decentraland as a platform for promotion. For the event in January of last year, the Australian Open designed a pop-up with a tennis theme. Around Super Bowl Sunday, Bud Light debuted its own metaverse bar; a few weeks later, JPMorgan’s virtual lounge opened.
Additionally, it is not Snapple’s first foray into Web3. The business collaborated with the Tezos and Polygon-based NFT platform OneOf to offer its debut collection in May of last year. This was the start of what now seems to be a broader campaign aimed at consumers of cryptocurrencies who also enjoy drinking beverages.
Partnerships with well-known Twitch streamers, who have actively promoted the exhibit on social media, are also a component of the bodega’s marketing strategy
The natives of the metaverse have generally scoffed at promotions like Snapple’s, but it’s probable that as the concept of Web3 spreads, these installations will only increase. In an attempt to use cryptocurrency vernacular, Pepsi famously made Crypto Twitter shudder last December. However, the company’s subsequent NFT collection ended up being a hit, generating almost $6 million in sales volume.
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