Dept Launches Dedicated Metaverse Practice to Redefine Brands and Consumers Interaction

After launching the first open source, white-label solution for launching an NFT marketplace, organizing the first Meta Festival last September, and realizing tens of Web3 client projects, global digital agency Dept has today announced the launch of a dedicated Metaverse Practice. 

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

“Over the past year, we’ve been experimenting with Web3 technologies to really get under the skin of how our clients could maximize its potential,“ said Dimi Albers, CEO of Dept. “Brands now have the opportunity to build fully immersive, 3D worlds from the ground up, and leverage them to 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.” 

Dept’s expertise in blockchain-enabled, decentralized applications, AR, crypto assets and data, combined with its massive creative marketing power in the field of immersive experiences, provides brands with the opportunity to redefine the way they interact with consumers.

Max Pinas, executive creative director, Dept, added: “Most people are wondering why the metaverse matters to them, which reminds me of how brands reacted when mobile and social were new. Brands must start preparing today for the new, third iteration of the internet, as it will impact them massively for years to come. The implications for how we interact with consumers will be profound. So we as an industry - clients and agencies alike - must adjust our creative, design, and creative abilities. I am proud that we are front-runners in this domain and are paving the way for hyper-connected digital (virtual) worlds and NFTs.”

Over the past twelve months, Dept has been at the forefront of Web 3 innovation, achieving a series of firsts in the market: 

• May 2021 - In a multi-award-winning project, Dept created a unique 3D virtual world for the Eurovision Song Contest. The ground breaking virtual experience brought together tens of thousands of visitors from across the world in a unique, virtual experience in a first for the Contest. 
• September 2021 - Teamed up with Journee to launch the first-ever Meta Festival, where over 4,000 people visited the Metapolis world to hear talks from digital pioneers. 
• November 2021 - Launched the first open source, white-label solution for launching an NFT marketplace, built on top of the Algorand blockchain. Dept also announced that it’s building a revolutionary NFT gaming platform that will meet the many needs of gamers together with Merit Circle.

Taking the learnings from these projects, Dept has combined expertise from across its 2,500+ strong team to launch its Metaverse Practice, consisting of a dedicated team of experts ranging from Blockchain developers to 3D and AR designers and Creative Planners.

Dept has also announced that it will launch a 24 hour Meta Festival in June 2022, connecting all corners of the globe in the biggest Meta Festival to date.