Miller Lite is opening a bar in the metaverse for Super Bowl 2022

Miller Lite is building a bar in the metaverse to connect with fans around this year’s Super Bowl—without actually appearing on air during the game. The bar opening in virtual platform Decentraland will be the sole place where fans can watch Miller Lite’s “Big Game” ad. The metaverse experience, created with DDB Chicago and DDB San Francisco, creatively circumvents the deal granting rival Anheuser-Busch InBev's exclusive rights as national beer advertiser in the Super Bowl. The lockout for years has forced other brewers to advertise elsewhere, such as on social media or in specific regional markets. For Miller Lite, which is owned by Molson Coors, dabbling in the metaverse offers precisely this kind of workaround. Get the latest Ad Age Super Bowl 2022 news here. Molson Coors brands have been known to perform stunts around the Super Bowl. Coors Light last year attempted to induce people into dreaming about imagery associated with the brand by showing them a stimulus film and then playing an eight-hour soundscape as they slept. By creating a bar, the beer brand aims to stem confusion around the metaverse with a setting that beer drinkers already know and love. With many consumers still feeling in the dark about the metaverse and its technologies, brands are seeking ways to make the space more accessible. Crypto exchange Coinbase, for example, recently announced that it will accept Mastercard as a form of payment on its upcoming NFT marketplace, potentially easing barriers to entry. Details around Miller Lite's "Big Game" activation in Decentaland remain scarce. The brand plans to offer rewards to select patrons at the virtual bar, among other ways to engage. Much like Super Bowl advertisers keeping details secret leading up to the game, Miller Lite is currently keeping much of its plans under wraps. Miller Lite is entering the metaverse through Decentraland, a platform that is gaining traction as an alternative to Roblox. Since Roblox mainly caters to younger audiences, Decentraland could be attractive as a destination for more adult-oriented experiences like a bar. Mediahub recently opened a virtual office in Decentraland, and last spring Atari built a casino there as well. RSVP for Ad Age’s Super Bowl event on Feb. 8 at AdAge.com/InDepthSuperBowl.

Miller Lite is opening a bar in the metaverse for Super Bowl 2022

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