Apr 28, 2022 4:44:46 PM
Our recent webinar...'The Metaverse: Opportunity or (IP) Headache?'
Our recent webinar...'The Metaverse: Opportunity or (IP) Headache?'

We’ve run two virtual summits in the last 2 months – on Blockchain Domains, and on the 13th April on The Metaverse – and we’ve been struck by the high level of interest for insight and advice from across the whole range of our client organisations. We’ve never felt so popular!

If you would like to review the 13th April session, “ “The Metaverse: Opportunity or (IP) Headache?”, both for the video recording and the pdf of the slide deck, please fill out the drop-down form or email news@iamstobbs.com.

Please see below for an overview of our four speakers, and the top-line view of their discussion items:

 

Esther Jolley (IA Director at Stobbs) helped to demystify the Metaverse and Web 3.0.

Esther introduced the topic and grounded us in what we are practically talking about when referring to Metaverse or Web 3.0. The Metaverse is a digital reality where users are able to interact with each other virtually through a combination of social media, online gaming, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and cryptocurrencies. 

 

Andy Hayes (Managing Director at Heavenly) looked at what brand owners are doing in this space currently and what the opportunities are for brand owners wanting to get involved.

Andy picked up from Esther, and looked at practical applications that clients are using right now. He introduced a framework for categorising the three types of brand applications in the Metaverse:

  1. Transacting (through people buying items with cryptocurrencies and other crypto tokens)
  2. Networking (for employee engagement) and
  3. Experiencing (through events lead by brands) 

Andy went on to give a roadmap for what brands need to consider in order to have (1) a successful strategy, and (2) impactful execution in the Metaverse:

  1. be where their customers are
  2. have a strong value proposition and
  3. protect their brand so that they do what they do best

 

Nick Wood (Executive Chairman at Com Laude) gave us pointers on what you need to get in place in order to create a platform for your brand’s activity in the metaverse.

Nick explained…

  • The critical role that blockchain domains play in metaverse – sitting alongside brand, trade mark and domains as essential building blocks of brand strategy
  • A guide for which blockchain domain provider platforms to prioritise in terms of creating / accessing your brand-aligned blockchain domains and
  • The increasing importance of other company stakeholders – e.g. Finance Teams (for handling crypto currency), IT teams from a security and ownership perspective; and a mindset shift in terms of the speed and agility required to be successful

 

Julius Stobbs (Founder of Stobbs) looked at the challenges arising from this currently unregulated space and what you can put in place to mitigate and address them.

Julius discussed the following core legal considerations for brand owners and what you can do to address them…

  • A lack of regulation in the space
  • A lack of legal precedent
  • Jurisdiction
  • Uncertainty around brand owners’ plans for engaging with the Metaverse (and therefore a difficulty in knowing how to protect their brand in this space)
  • A difficulty in determining a trade mark protection strategy for these new forms of content/ product
  • Issues with using copyright & designs to protect the IP of media/ content companies

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