• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, July 16, 2023

With thousands of brands bombarding parents as they outfit kids with new sneakers and backpacks, preferred delivery services aren’t likely top of mind.

Shipt, the same-day delivery company owned by Target, hopes a Web3 game can change that.  The company is launching its first foray into virtual experiences, joining Roblox for a back-to-school shopping immersion within Driving Empire.

The point, says Alia Kemet, Shipt’s chief marketing officer, is simply to create a little fun between parents and kids, and break through lots of BTS noise, including TV campaigns, influencer onslaughts and in-store promotions. “Brands need to seek ways to cut through the clutter and provide a unique, value-oriented experience,” she tells Marketing Daily via email.

She points out that 77% of American parents play video games with kids, so there’s already a familial connection in Web3.

The just-launched immersion, developed by Voldex, runs through July 21. It lets players take on the shopper role, delivering back-to-school supplies. Using a virtual Shipt app to claim orders for pick-up and delivery, they race to beat scheduled delivery times to earn rewards.

“Shipt wanted to bring a unique, unexpected experience to our customers to bring back the fun and nostalgia that used to come along with school shopping,” she says, “with modern-day connectivity for millennial parents and their children.”

The effort connects directly to the Shipt brand, with its trusted fleet of 300,000 shoppers and drivers.

Kemet says the game also underscores that Shipt isn’t just about transactions. “We’re here to help. We even have shoppers with Shipt who are teachers themselves and can provide valuable tips and advice on the best products through our real-time chat function.”

And while many marketing experts are already dismissing metaverse-driven marketing, she’s not concerned. “More than half of the U.S. population are digital gamers,” she says. “Roblox is certainly a key player in the digital gaming world for a range of ages and generations. As a technology company always seeking to innovate, it’s important we listen to cultural conversations and trends to retain relevance and meet new customers.”