EP.76: The Evolving Landscape for Youth in the Metaverse with Dylan Collins - Founder, SuperAwesome
Nov 7, 2023
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Dylan Collins, Founder of SuperAwesome, shares insights on youth audiences and the evolving metaverse. Topics include genesis of SuperAwesome, changes in audience composition, aging up of audience, trends for brands on next-gen platforms, and challenges in the kids' space.
Immersive virtual worlds in the metaverse, such as Roblox and Minecraft, are becoming dominant platforms for young audiences, presenting both challenges and opportunities for brands.
The involvement of brands in metaverse platforms like Roblox and Fortnite is increasing, with the opportunity to generate revenue from promotions within the virtual world, leading to a paradigm shift in marketing strategies.
Deep dives
The growing importance of the Metaverse
The Metaverse is emerging as the next big technology platform, shaping the future of human experiences on the internet. Platforms like Roblox, Minecraft, and Epic Games' Fortnite Creative are becoming dominant environments for young people, offering immersive virtual worlds and a sense of presence. While these platforms have been around for years, they are now experiencing significant growth and attracting the attention of brands. The internet was not originally designed for kids, but young audiences are increasingly spending more time in these virtual worlds, driving the need for improved safety and privacy measures. This emerging shift presents both challenges and opportunities for the broader internet ecosystem.
The state of the internet for kids and youth
The internet landscape for kids and youth has significantly improved over the past decade. There is now greater awareness and understanding of regulations like COPPA and GDPR-K, which focus on children's online privacy protection. Investment in kid tech and ed tech has also increased, with millions of dollars being invested every year. High-profile exits and acquisitions in the kids' space have highlighted the value of building businesses that cater to young audiences. More brands are recognizing the influence and spending power of kids and are proactively seeking to engage with them. As a result, the internet has become more inclusive and accessible for young users, empowering them as digital citizens.
The evolution of virtual worlds and the metaverse
Virtual worlds like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite Creative have been pivotal in the evolution of the internet, providing a space where young people can manifest their identities as avatars and engage in immersive experiences. While these virtual worlds have gained popularity among younger generations, it may take time for virtual worlds to be broadly applicable to a wider age population. Similar to the adoption of Facebook, which started primarily with younger users and eventually reached a broader demographic, the metaverse and virtual worlds will likely follow a similar trajectory. The challenges lie in the complexities of building immersive environments, ensuring safety and trust, and addressing the privacy concerns of participants. However, the growing comfort that young audiences have with virtual presence and the increased focus on community moderation and safety measures bode well for the future of virtual worlds.
Brands entering the metaverse
There is a notable shift in the involvement of brands in metaverse platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. Brands that traditionally did not target kids or young people are recognizing the influence and spending power of young audiences and are actively seeking to engage with them. This trend has emerged over the past couple of years, with luxury brands, cosmetics companies, and others venturing into these virtual worlds. The unique aspect of this shift is that brands now have the opportunity not only to promote their products and services but also to generate revenue from these promotions within the virtual world. This paradigm shift is reshaping how brands approach marketing, community engagement, and ongoing investments in virtual worlds. As more brands enter the metaverse, there is a need for long-term strategies that align with revenue generation and take advantage of the unique opportunities offered by these platforms.
This week Yon welcomes Dylan Collins into the metaverse. Dylan is the Founder and former CEO of SuperAwesome, and has spent his career building and operating in the digital media space, generally with an eye towards youth audiences. His experience building for youth audiences and watching the market adapt and evolve with them over the years has given him great insight into the topics of today’s episode.
During their conversation, Yon and Dylan discuss the genesis of SuperAwesome, the changes in audience composition the metaverse has seen in the last decade, how the aging up of an audience will impact the industry, what brands should be focused on when entering these next gen platforms, and much more.
Chapters:
Genesis of SuperAwesome and the Changes in Audience Composition (01:15)
State of the Internet for Kids and Youth Today (05:30)
The Audience Exists, It Just Needs to Age Up (10:23)
Has Scalability Actually Gotten Much More Difficult (20:23)
Trends Brands Should Consider When Moving Into Next Gen Platforms (23:07)
Most Excited For in Next 12 Months (37:57)
Read Dylan’s blog here, and subscribe to his LinkedIn newsletter here.
