Odyssées virtuelles, heading for 2035 with the France Télévisions advertising agency

Imagining the Possibilities

"What if we imagined the media and advertising universe in the metaverse?" This is the starting point of a comprehensive reflection on innovative and creative possibilities to be implemented in a virtual universe. This led to the creation of a web series, the first two episodes of which you can discover below.

France Télévisions internal advertising agency envisions the future of immersive worlds in 2035. In the form of a vlog, Rvé and Kiria, two avatars, transport you into the metaverse to discover the innovations that may shape our future experiences. It's a colorful and forward-looking journey where viewers can recognize familiar figures from France Télévisions, starting with Samuel Etienne in this first episode. Behind this playful escapade lies a genuine intention to educate and explain, allowing advertisers to envision future territories and consider new formats. The first episode revisits the years between 2020 and 2035, highlighting both successes and failures in the development of metaverse usage.

The reflection conducted by France Télévisions Advertising Agency has also led to strong convictions regarding their perception of the future of their expertise. You can discover their approach and convictions through the publication of a manifesto.

An Innovation in Itself 

The production process of the Virtual Odysseys episodes is an innovation in itself and a first for a French advertising agency. Produced by Ante Bellum Films, the videos were "shot" entirely using the VRChat platform in just two days. There was no traditional video capture equipment in the studio! The scenes of Virtual Odysseys come to life through pre-designed environments and avatars, and the actual filming takes place directly in this virtual world.

However, this program is not entirely computer-generated, as the actors' movements and voices, captured through motion-capture suits, bring the avatars to life. Every gesture is faithfully reproduced by their avatars, from grand exaggerated arm movements to subtle sideways glances.

A Virtual Reality Already Very Real 

The proliferation and, above all, the popularity of these platforms have been strongly supported by the two years of global pandemic that we have collectively experienced. While the outside world was off-limits to us, we learned to live in a dematerialized world. These new uses were not limited to the essential aspects; they extended to all aspects of everyday life, even if only for a portion of the population (remote work, online museum visits, artistic co-creation, etc.). As a result, members of Gen Z spend an average of more than a quarter of their time in virtual worlds*,

with over half of them feeling more comfortable navigating the world with their avatars than with themselves*. Millennials and Gen Z both claim to be gamers, with approximately 95% of them identifying as such*. Industrial players, whether in culture or commerce, have already experienced initial initiatives that have achieved considerable success, far from being mere anecdotes. There is undoubtedly a massive phenomenon at play here, a wave that is no longer at the depths, and above all, a significant challenge for the public service to respond to and align with these usage patterns.

If these new uses interest you, discover the trend report dedicated to the metavers, available for free on Méta-Media. 

*Sources :  

Digital media trends, 15th edition

Razorfish Study Finds 52% of Gen Z Gamers Feel More Like Themselves in the Metaverse than in Real Life 

2022 Digital media trends, 16th edition: Toward the metaverse