As technology continues to advance, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: companies are investing in the Metaverse. In a new series exploring the Metaverse in social media marketing, and in honor of Black History Month, we will examine how black-owned businesses, creators, and entrepreneurs are utilizing the Metaverse and Web3 to enhance their brands.

Jordan Peele’s Films Come to Life in the Metaverse

Actor, writer, and producer Jordan Peele, and his production company, Monkeypaw Productions, joined forces with Meta (previously known as Facebook) in the summer of 2022. They added virtual reality (VR) experiences for his horror films “Us” and “NOPE”.

In Meta’s VR Metaverse platform, Horizon Worlds, Peele has created two distinct worlds for users to explore. The first is “Monkeypaw Productions: All Aboard”, a horror experience influenced by his films “NOPE”, “Us,” and “Get Out”. The second is “NOPE World: by Monkeypaw Productions”, which was part of a marketing campaign for the latest film in his collection.

Both worlds can be accessed through Meta’s VR headset, Quest 2, on Horizon Worlds.

Black-Owned Houston Hyenas in SimWin Sports

SimWin Sports is a virtual sports league that offers 24/7 fantasy sports and sports betting with NFT players and Hall of Fame owners. Users can buy, own, and sell NFTs, play fantasy sports around the clock, and even act as “agents” for their virtual players.

Tech entrepreneur Sara “Lovestyle” Hood of Sara Baley Inc joined the few women to own a sports team. She partnered with NFL analyst and host Emmanuel Ancho and Edward Madongorere, the co-founder of Moon Ultra, to form the ownership group for the Houston Hyenas. 

CEEK VR: Black-Owned VR Streaming Service 

CEEK VR Inc is a virtual reality app that streams a diverse array of immersive virtual events, including music, sports, arts, and also education. The app simulates communal experiences, such as attending a concert or learning in a classroom. The company also sells its own VR headset and runs on blockchain. 

What is even more impressive than the service is the woman behind it. The founder and CEO of CEEK VR is Mary Spio, an entrepreneur, tech innovator, and deep space engineer. Her inspiration for the platform came from testing the Oculus Rift (Meta’s headset). She said it reminded her of what it was like being a child immersed in TV. That immersive experience triggered her child’s imagination to dream of walking on the moon, inspiring her to become a deep space engineer. The term ‘Ceek’ comes from ‘seek’, as the app is made for ‘seekers’ looking for new experiences and knowledge.

The First Black-Owned Social Media App in the Metaverse 

TruSo is a new audio-visual social networking app created by Mathew Newman specifically for the black community. By utilizing audio-visual features, the app provides as close to a face-to-face connection as possible, fostering more emotional connectivity between users. In early 2022, Newman announced that the app would be launched in both 2D and 3D to take advantage of the immersive VR experience of the Metaverse, bringing a more realistic feeling to the app. Newman raised over $70K in venture capital. 

Newman spoke about the inspiration for the app, saying, “At its core, TruSo is the barbershop, beauty shop, and brainchild of the black community. Over the past few years, we have seen racism and discrimination creep into social media in a way that attempts to mute Black voices. In contrast, TruSo amplifies Black voices.”

MNFTM: The First NFT Marketplace for Black Creators 

MNFTM is a brand new NFT marketplace that is made for Black and ethnically diverse creators and collectors, with ambitions to empower the next generation of creators from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds in this new digital economy. 

The CEO and Founder is Ed Ukaonu, an entrepreneur as well as cyber security and Blockchain expert. To help support and cultivate the next generation of digital creatives, MNFTM offers mentorship, education, and guidance to artists. 

MNFTM platform features include minting, curation, portfolio tracking, marketing, and even pricing recommendations. 

B3 Media Solutions & The Metaverse

As a company that is always at the forefront of new technologies and trends, B3 Media Solutions is well-positioned to help enterprise executives navigate the use of The Metaverse in their social media strategies. At B3 Media Solutions, we believe in the responsible use of VR and Metaverse technology in social media and are committed to helping our clients understand the potential benefits and risks of including Metaverse activations in their content strategies. 

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business stay ahead of the curve.

What We’re Reading:

• Meta Pays BuzzFeed Millions to Generate Creator Content for Facebook and Instagram – The Wallstreet Journal
• Snapchat’s big new augmented reality feature is letting creators make money – The Verge
• The Metaverse is the Future of Digital Connection – Meta
• 5 Social Media Trends in 2023 to Watch For
• How to Get More Share of Voice on Social Media