• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, July 12, 2022

It’s no secret that the world lacks inclusiveness on many of levels. 

A new study from Momentum Worldwide (with support from the 4A’s) reinforces that fact, finding that most people believe the metaverse feels more inclusive than real life. 

According to the multicountry study, 80% of respondents indicated that they felt that way. The study surveyed 4,500 people across the U.S., UK, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Spain, The Middle East and North Africa. 

The report also found that consumers look to the metaverse to fill three core aspects of life: inspiration, individuality, and inclusion. 

Eighty-five of those polled said that one appealing aspect of the metaverse is that they can change their appearance as they see fit. 

And 79% say their friends within the space accept them for who they are rather than what they look like. 

With brands adopting the metaverse at scale, says Momentum’s Global Chief Technology Officer Jason Alan Snyder, “Understanding what consumers want from the metaverse, their behaviors and motivations to fulfill happiness, find escapism and seek inclusion is vital for guiding how brands and businesses should behave.” 

“It’s imperative,” added Synder, “that brands understand when they can or should violate expectations about identity and personality. The new opportunity is to help brands navigate the friction between identity and personality in the metaverse.” 

Momentum is part of Interpublic’s McCann Worldgroup, and is a “metaverse partner” of the 4A’s. The agency has done metaverse-related work for clients such as General Motors, Verizon and American Express.

Access the full study here.