The metaverse hangs the digital world’s latest golden age in front of us, an irresistible bait. It provides a fertile ground where imagination can thrive unimpeded by the limitations of reality. We imagined these virtual architects designing structures that could never exist in the real world. Digital sculptors created stunning avatars, and musicians created symphonies that only played in the metaverse. Or instead, are we creating the planet’s biggest, most interactive, experiential shopping mall?
So are you actually creating a legacy, something that will endure and have influence, or are you just another digital dust billboard?
Creator Or Shill Where's The Line?
Let's be blunt. The distinction between content creator and influencer in the metaverse is more transparent than a 56k modem in, oh, let’s say 2024. Now we are witnessing digital artists collaborate with brands to build sponsored metaverse exhibitions or influencers releasing their own NFT collections. At first glance, that looks like a win-win. Creators receive funding, brands receive exposure, and users receive… more products to purchase?
Dig a little into the details, and an alarmingly different reality comes into view. How much creative control do these artists actually have when a brand is paying for it all? Are influencers truly excited about the virtual products they’re promoting, or just pursuing the next dollar? Are we, the consumers, the ones who are being duped without knowing it into a path of perpetual long-term consumption?
Think about it.…to an amazing new experience, maybe you’re exploring a detailed virtual reality art gallery, gazing at a magnificent digital sculpture. Then, a pop-up appears: "This sculpture is brought to you by [Insert Mega-Corp Here]. Click here to buy your own virtual version!" The magic is gone, isn't it? That sense of wonder is quickly overshadowed by the persistent suspicion that you’re being marketed to.
I see a parallel to the early days of the internet, when independent websites were slowly swallowed by corporate behemoths. The metaverse risks becoming the same – a space initially envisioned for free expression, now dominated by brands vying for our attention and wallets.
Authenticity The Digital Holy Grail
Nothing trumps authenticity. At the same time, Naomi Parris, assistant shopping director for Popsugar, second this view. What even is authenticity in a world where you can quite literally build a new self with the click of a button.
It's not about rejecting brand deals altogether. Let's be real, everyone needs to eat. Don’t forget to bring your audience along for the ride. Be selective about partnerships that match your values, and never sell your artistic soul for a short-term payout. Get reacquainted with the reason you first joined the metaverse. You’re not simply here to shill. You came to create, to connect, and to explore.
Don’t forget Rian Phin, our new fashion analyst, and Recho Omondi, who hosts investigative interviews on “The Cutting Room Floor.” Perhaps most importantly, they have earned their space by creating genuine value with real insights and perspectives rather than just shouting about the newest shiny object. That's authenticity. That’s cultivating a passionate community that believes in your message.
Take Nara Smith, creator of aspirational, every-day-looks-delicious cooking videos. Is she a creator or an influencer? Maybe both. It works because it feels genuine. It aligns with her personal brand. If all of a sudden she’s selling virtual real estate, the whole mirage falls apart.
The trick is to continually ask yourself, Who am I serving, the brand, or the consumer?
Reclaiming Our Digital Selves
The metaverse isn’t destined to be a dystopian landscape of infinite advertising. It is we, the users and the creators, who have the power to determine its future. It starts with critical thinking. Ask yourself why the material you are reading was created. Support creators who prioritize art over commerce. Demand transparency from brands.
Understand what’s important It’s important to know your own strengths, know how to articulate them, and set proper expectations when reaching out to brands. Bigger than any of that, though, is to be authentic to yourself Authenticity over everything Meaning to be genuine is even more crucial than following trends.
So don’t fear the third way — between creation and influence — that is, the hybrid model. But always remember your core values. What do you stand for? What future metaverse are you trying to create here?
To me, that feels like an unexpected cousin connection here, to the rise of ethical fashion. American consumers are now making it very clear that they want real transparency about where their clothes come from and how they’re made. The metaverse space is primed for a movement like this one. Let’s call for more ethical content, better disclosed sponsorships, and an emphasis on creating real works of art.
Instead, let’s create a metaverse where possibility and creativity come first rather than the age of short-term, extractive digital commerce. Let's reclaim our digital identities and create a space that's truly authentic, innovative, and… well, ours.
