The bright and dark side of metaverse marketing

Abstract

The metaverse is emerging from the amalgamation of augmented and virtual reality. Given the novelty and recency of the metaverse and its potential implications for marketing, this study aims to (i) explore how marketing could manifest and evolve in the metaverse and how consumer behavior may be influenced (what) by (ii) engaging in a systematic literature review focusing on the positives and negatives of the metaverse (how), so that (iii) marketers can plan for, progress in, and prosper from informed metaverse marketing strategies (so what). The study sheds light on the metaverse and its impact on marketing through an integrative framework that highlights the bright and dark side of the metaverse based on six key themes: increased digital innovation and transformation, new marketing possibilities, consumers’ interest in the metaverse, threatened digital privacy and legal challenges, health concerns, and sustainability issues. The study also presents 10 prominent cases of metaverse marketing in the real world to enrich and support the findings. The study concludes by outlining the directions for the future of metaverse marketing.