Luxury motor company Acura announced last week it would kick off the release of the 2023 Integra by joining the Metaverse with a virtual showroom and launching its first-ever non-fungible token (NFTs).
The new Metaverse showroom Acura of Decentraland will debut on 22 March and allow people to view an immersive experience commemorating the Integra and Acura legacy.
Acura will run its Integra campaign amid the NCAA ‘March Madness’ college basketball tournament, with ESPN.com and CBSSports.com providing exposure for the event.
The first 500 reservations of the #nextgenintegra are locked. Congrats to the fans who got in early (and nabbed an exclusive #NFT in the process). Reserve yours before they’re gone. pic.twitter.com/H53I5gKWff
— Acura (@Acura) March 11, 2022
The Japanese automaker will award the first 500 customers reserving the new Integra with a limited-edition NFT designed by 3D Andreas Wannerstedt, the company explained.
Attendees of the immersive space can explore the new vehicle’s features and view Acura’s Integra Metaverse wearables, as well as play interactive racing games and other activities.
Metaverse Product Placement?
The news comes after several key enterprises have built similar virtual spaces to promote their product lineups, with Samsung opening its Samsung 837X virtual showroom to customers.
The South Korean firm’s Metaverse provides customers with NFT prizes, live performances, and promotions on the Decentraland-based platform – one of the world’s most popular.
Luxury real estate property developer DAMAC Properties also announced it would open its own Metaverse space, for its portfolio of brand collaborators, on The Sandbox. The Dubai, UAE-based firm is expected to host some of the first collections of NFTs in the world for a property developer.
Marriot Bonvoy also joined the Metaverse after launching three NFTs to promote the tourism industry. Three NFT artists designed the digital art and debuted the creations at the Art Basel Miami Beach 2021.
