Remember when every company needed to set up a MySpace or hire someone young to give their brand a sassy social media presence on Twitter? Some things just become the norm because every other company does it so every CEO assumes his or her brand has to follow.
Sometimes that leads to good things like companies actually offering customer service help via social media. In other cases, it's a bizarre follow-the-leader behavior that leads to brands latching onto buzzwords and trends just because they think they're supposed to.
That leads us to ask, what do Ronald McDonald and Victoria's Secret have in common?
Both are apparently carving out space in the metaverse.
Was anyone looking for this? Probably not, but it has happened.
The intimate apparel company and food restaurant giant McDonald's (MCD) filed for patent applications related to the metaverse last week.
Image source: TheStreet.
Victoria's Secret Offers Virtual Lingerie
Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney, tweeted about Victoria's Secret Monday, writing that "Victoria's Secret is headed to the metaverse and has plans to sell virtual lingerie."
"The company has filed 4 new trademark applications indicating that it intends to sell 'virtual undergarments, footwear and fashion accessories,'" Gerben wrote.
Among other things, the Victoria's Secret application refers to "downloadable virtual goods, namely computer programs for the creation and trade of digital collectibles using blockchain-based consensus protocols and smart contracts..."
The applications also refer to "retail stores" and "entertainment services" that provide "on-line, non-downloadable clothing, undergarments, footwear, headwear, eyewear..."
McDonald's apparently planning to open restaurants in the metaverse, according to trademark applications that the fast-food restaurant chain filed on Friday.
The 10 separate filings include the McDonald's, McCafe and golden arches word marks and cover services like "operating a virtual restaurant featuring actual and virtual goods" and "operating a virtual restaurant online featuring home delivery."
Another application refers to "downloadable multimedia files containing artwork, text, audio and video files and non-fungible tokens."
"These trademark filings are made to protect the idea of a McDonald's restaurant in the metaverse that can sell you 'virtual' food, or, real food (that would be delivered to you)," Gerben tweeted.
Facebook Really Wants to Make Meta Happen
Victoria's Secret and McDonald's are two of several companies that have filed patent applications related to the metaverse since Facebook rebranded its name to Meta Platforms (FB) last year.
Panera Bread last week filed an application filed an application indicating the company will offer "virtual restaurants under the "Panaverse" brand.
Retail giant Walmart (WMT) filed several new trademarks in December that indicate its intent to make and sell virtual goods, including electronics, home decorations, toys, sporting goods and personal care products.
Walmart also said it would offer users a virtual currency, as well as NFTs. Nike (NKE) and Sketchers have also made similar filings.
While there is some debate as to what the metaverse actually is, Gerben said that McDonald's did not file these applications on a whim."
Having a store in the metaverse allows consumer to order food without having to remove their headsets and step out of the virtual world, he said.
"The metaverse is going to be a major part of everyone's life in five years," he said. "I think the metaverse is like email when it first came out. People didn't know what it was and now we're using every day."
Gerben said he expects more companies to make moves into the metaverse.
"Nobody wants to be the next Blockbuster," he said, referring to the bankrupt video rental chain.
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