Gucci and Vans are joining forces on Roblox to introduce younger consumers to luxury goods through a familiar platform. Until May 13 Roblox users have access to the newly linked digital worlds of Gucci and Vans to get an opportunity to win unique avatar style items.
Within the collaboration, players can transport from Gucci Town to Vans World through a series of shoeboxes which allow them to hunt for Swatches. The scavenger hunt journey tells the story of the Gucci Vault x Vans Shoes collaboration. The objective of the game is to locate a sets of patterns and fabrics which are scattered throughout the Metaverse, which in turn unlocks a shoe or skateboarding inspired backpack which can be used to style one’s Roblox avatar. The scavenger hunt challenge brings together unique design features of both the brands as it joins Gucci’s aesthetic monogram print with Vans’ classic checkerboard print, apart from this, the Gucci vault stores also have virtual editions of physical footwear collection, allowing characters to represent their favourite streetwear and luxury brand. Although this collaboration may not mean much to those who are not fluent in metaverse, it is creating a huge hype within the world of Roblox and is opening up younger generations to the idea of luxury fashion. Even though many users have drifted from Roblox due to privacy concerns, this movement indicates there is still interest in the community.
This scavenger hunt experience on Roblox is a continuation of a pervious partnership between Gucci and Vans. Previously, Vans teamed up with Gucci in Gucci Continuum, which allows designers and artists to remix past Gucci pieces in order to encourage cross-brand collaborations. Gucci being a high-end luxury retailer, is inaccessible to many sections of society while Vans is a much more affordable option, so this collaboration makes Gucci more accessible to Vans consumers and also associates Vans with the idea of luxury. It’s unlike the Gucci x Adidas collection or other Gucci collaborations, which usually see expensive lines of clothing, accessories and sneakers, highly motivated only by profits.
Roblox has recently undergone severe scrutiny due to privacy and child safety issues. This led them to review and revise their advertising policies. Around this time Walmart wound down their branded space in Roblox called Universe of Play as they were stealth marketing to children on the platform. These multiple concerns over the past few months have caused many brands to back off from Roblox. However, Gucci and Vans both have a long-standing presence on the platform. Gucci launched its Gucci Town on Roblox in May of 2022 and since then has hosted several branded events including a Miley Cyrus takeover since Miley is the Gucci Flora Gorgeous Jasmine campaign spokesperson. Vans have been on Roblox since September of 2021, and is one of the first brands to adopt the platform.
References
https://www.retaildive.com/news/gucci-vans-roblox-scavenger-hunt/647686/
https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/gucci-vans-roblox/
https://hypebae.com/2023/4/gucci-town-vans-world-roblox-metaverse-scavenger-hunt-details