2025 Predictions: Virtual Worlds Are The New Frontier for Marketing and Commerce

SPECIAL EDITION ALERT!

Instead of my standard newsletter every day this week, I will release one trend that marketers and business leaders need to consider as we get closer to 2025.

Marketing is evolving faster than ever—changing more in the last five years than in the previous two decades. As we head into 2025, staying ahead of the curve is essential. That’s why I’m sharing five bold predictions to help marketers and business leaders prepare for what’s next.

If you missed yesterday, I'll link to it below.

Prediction 1: The Death of Search as We Know It—AI and Social Will Redefine Discovery by 2025

Prediction 2: Virtual Worlds Are The New Frontier for Marketing and Commerce

Virtual worlds are no longer a thing of the future; with platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, and emerging metaverses, they are evolving into dominant spaces for marketing, commerce, and community building, and brands are getting on board. For example, Nike's Nikeland in Roblox has attracted millions of users, combining gaming, branded engagement, and tangible ROI. By 2026, it's?projected that a quarter of consumers?will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse, and ad spending will follow, driven by native placements, product placements, and sponsored experiences.

Virtual worlds are evolving from niche entertainment platforms to mainstream commerce, connection, and collaboration spaces. As the technology matures and more consumers enter these spaces, brands and businesses that invest in immersive strategies will now have a significant competitive edge in this expanding frontier.

VR environments will feature the ability to seamlessly purchase, allowing users to buy virtual and physical products during VR experiences. For instance, users exploring a VR furniture showroom can buy items for their real and virtual homes in a single transaction.

While it seems like an initiative for megabrands like Nike, Tesla, Estee Lauder, etc., it's becoming easier to access and enable for brands of all sizes. Roblox recently announced a partnership with Shopify to allow developers, creators, and brands on Shopify to sell real-world products directly within Roblox games. Roblox will support the Shopify brand's virtual storefronts, where users can interact with and purchase physical items. Already this year, Roblox has tested shopping with brands like E.l.f. Cosmetics, Fandango, Walmart and Warner Bros., allowing players to discover and order physical products. This partnership is especially appealing to Gen Z consumers, a key demographic for Roblox, who value engaging and experiential shopping. Nearly 90% of the 14.7 million new digital buyers expected between 2024 and 2028 will come from Gen Z consumers, which hits home the importance of tailoring e-commerce strategies to this generation.

This rise of virtual worlds represents a fundamental shift in how brands need to think about reaching consumers. Beyond integrating online, retail media, and in-store channels, brands must now establish a presence in these virtual spaces. While this may seem daunting, the core principle remains the same: meet your customers where they are and deliver a seamless experience. By 2025, brands that neglect this opportunity risk losing relevance with the next generation, while those who embrace it will gain a competitive edge in both sales and cultural influence.

Megan Conahan is a 19-year veteran of the digital marketing industry. Over the last 19 years, she's consulted with Fortune 1000 brands on negotiating the ever-changing demands of the digital marketplace and creating unique solutions to set them apart. Megan is an EVP at Direct Agents, an independent and minority-owned digital marketing agency. If you want to chat about marketing support or just talk shop, please message me or email [email protected]