Dept joins metaverse race with Metaverse Practice launch

Global digital agency Dept has launched the Metaverse Practice. The Metaverse Practice is a team of around 100 crypto and blockchain developers, games builders, 3D artists and creators, virtual and augmented reality experts and software engineers. According to Dept, the team spent the last year pioneering innovative Web3 and metaverse experiences for clients.

Dept is currently working with several global brands from fashion, entertainment and commerce, and plans to launch a number of new projects, ranging from immersive experiences to NFT marketplaces, in the coming weeks. 

Max Pinas, ECD of Dept, said that brands will now have the opportunity to build fully immersive, 3D worlds from the ground up, and extend the customer experience into a whole new reality. "Over the last year, we’ve gained a lot of experience with Web3 technologies to really get under the skin for how we can help our clients develop customer experiences like we’ve never seen before. With our dedicated Metaverse Practice, we are able to build the bridge between the CMO and CTO. We see it as a creative opportunity akin to the first-ever websites; we’re at the dawn of a new digital age," he added.

One of the Web3 initiatives Dept worked on included launching the Meta Festival in September last year, in partnership with Journee, where over 4,000 people visited the Metapolis world to hear talks from digital pioneers. The agency also created a 3D virtual world in May that year. Titled Eurovision Village 2021, the virtual experience brought together tens of thousands of visitors from across the globe in a unique experience to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest Rotterdam 2021.

Taking the learnings from such projects, Dept's Metaverse Practice now offers expertise in blockchain technology, decentralised applications, AR, immersive experiences, cryptocurrency and data, along with massive creative marketing power. Dept also said in a statement that it plans to launch the world’s first "24 hours in the metaverse" event in June 2022, connecting all corners of the globe in the biggest Meta Festival to date. The event will bring together future-focused innovators, tech, brands, and people to a virtual event location called Metapolis, with hundreds of talks, music, workshops and more.

Dept is not the only agency to venture into the metaverse to appeal to current and potential clients. Last month, WPP’s content production company Hogarth launched The Metaverse Foundry. Havas Group also staked its claim in the metaverse with a plot of virtual land in The Sandbox video game.

Separately, Dept officially launched its APAC operations in December last year. It is headed by partner and growth officer Vishnu Mohan. He works closely with global CEO DimiAlbers. Mohan, formerly CEO at Havas Group for Southeast Asia, India and North Asia, is responsible for the Asia-wide rollout and expansion of Dept’s offerings. He joined the agency following a 25-year stint with Havas Group, where he was the key figure behind the launch and development of the group in APAC.

Founded in Amsterdam in 2015, Dept has quickly grown across the globe, with over 2,000 employees across 17 markets. Some of the brands it has worked with include Google, KFC, Twitch, Patagonia and Spotify.

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