MAM
GUEST ARTICLE: How D2C brands are using metaverse and how it will transform virtual commerce
Mumbai: India’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands have grown tremendously during the pandemic and in the post-pandemic era, with a large cohort of consumers moving to digital in search of innovative products and more engaging and immersive experiences. The pandemic caused D2C brands to become super popular, which in turn forced large and established companies to jump on the D2C bandwagon. According to KPMG, there are over 800 D2C brands in India today, and the D2C sector, currently worth $44.6 billion, is expected to touch $302 billion by FY 2030.
D2C brands target young consumers, millennials and Gen Z, delivering personalisation at scale and increasing innovation in the virtual world and tap into the growing global virtual-commerce market, estimated to be worth $190 billion by CB Insights.
With technology becoming more affordable and sophisticated, D2C brands are at an advantage. In a controlled, immersive virtual environment, brands can offer customers the complete – albeit virtual – brand experience and deliver a lasting impact. For example, a virtual store in the metaverse is a brand experience in itself, with the brand mnemonics, signature sounds, layout, and colours. Consumers also get the option to interact directly with brand representatives. This enhanced brand experience goes a long way in building brand trust.
The metaverse is also good at customising experiences. Great customer service builds brand loyalty and customer retention. By analysing vast amounts of data on a customer’s interactions in the metaverse, brands can predict which products, solutions, and experiences individual customers would prefer and like. D2C brands are in a better position to serve better without being intrusive, thereby building and elevating the overall brand experience.
Popular homegrown D2C brands like Super Smelly, Argatin Keratin, Ochre Athletica, Indus People, and Zorin Furniture are looking to disrupt the market with their product positioning and personalised consumer experiences.
They have also taken bold steps to connect with their consumers in the metaverse and are working on innovative ways to enhance the virtual brand experience. They are already offering products and experiences and enabling commerce in the virtual world.
The metaverse is growing at a fast pace. In the first six months of 2022 alone, globally, over $120 billion has been invested in building metaverse infrastructure and technology. Moreover, the metaverse is steadily becoming an important component in the omnichannel sales strategy of companies.
Marquee brands such as Gucci have debuted in the virtual world with the metaverse. Gucci created Gucci Garden, a digital replica of the real-world installation (called Gucci Garden Archetypes) in Florence, Italy. Similarly, Sotheby’s, the world’s largest broker of art and luxury goods, created a metaverse gallery showcasing curated virtual art houses.
According to McKinsey, 79 per cent of consumers active in the metaverse have purchased products in the recent past.
These numbers show the power of the metaverse as a selling platform. It’s important for D2C brands to identify the right platform to reach out to their target audience and have an interactive content strategy to engage them.
Importantly, the privacy and safety of consumers have to be at the centre of every consumer-facing engagement that brands plan for consumers in the metaverse.
The author of this article is VOSMOS co-founder & Kestone president Piyush Gupta.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
