In Gucci’s new experience, Roblox users were immersed inside a world that felt unique to the Gucci brand and the Roblox platform through a series of virtual spaces and branded digital items.
Game platforms are leveraging pandemic-driven traffic to their digital worlds, while brands that sustain a culture in the physical world are making sure they do not miss out on opportunities. As part of a new partnership between Roblox and Gucci, digital items from Gucci were included in the platform’s metaverse and a new limited-edition digital experience. The limited-edition digital experience ran on the Roblox platform for two weeks, which is called Gucci Garden.
Explore the amazing world of Gucci, Roblox-style, with their new and fabulous collaboration!
Gucci Garden: What Is It?
On May 17, 2021, and ended on May 31, 2021, there was a Roblox event called Gucci Garden. Gucci’s clothing brand sponsored this event. It is a fantastic demonstration of Roblox’s most recent development tools and lighting technologies. The Roblox engine drives a visually stunning collection of high-fidelity landscapes that have dynamic, unique textures and patterns for each visitor’s mannequin. Furthermore, the newly launched developer avatar editor allows users to buy and wear exclusive Gucci virtual things straight in the experience.
The Gucci Garden experience on Roblox is only available for 14 days. It also had a store where guests may buy rare, limited-edition avatar items. These objects, made in partnership with the outstanding Roblox developer Rook Vanguard, are inspired by the Florence displays as signature products from Gucci’s classic campaigns.
Reception On The Roblox Community
The event was initially met with negative reactions in the community, with users complaining that it reminded them of a “giant billboard” that shoved products in visitors’ faces. Almost immediately after the Roblox event experience was launched, the like-to-dislike ratio dropped to 15%, making it the then-worst live event experience of all time. In addition, many users disliked how no free items were given away when the event first launched. It was alleged that the event items were too expensive compared to other event items. However, the Gucci brand is notorious for selling top-notch items, so the items in this event were priced accordingly.
After it was revealed that all items marked as collectibles in their descriptions would later become limited editions, the overall reception shifted positively. The event received an influx of attention. Many viewed this event as an investment opportunity. Almost immediately following the revelation, the like-to-dislike ratio for the event experience rose to 33%.
The massive influx of supply resulted in most limited items not selling well after overall interest in the event shot up. New traders used competitive pricing to try to make a quick profit, causing the prices of products to drop. Following the inactivity of limited items since Black Friday 2019, the event released some of the cheapest limited items in years. According to some users, limited items would remain inactive after this event because Gucci requested they be limited. Fortunately, their fears were unfounded since the KSI Launch Party included three new limited items, each with a one-hour timer.
As a result of an improved reception, Gucci Denim Wide Brim Hats were made available to celebrate reaching 1,000,000 visits. At a later date, Gucci also made the Round-Frame Sunglasses available for free.
The Experience
With the launch of the House’s Gucci Garden Archetypes, a multimedia experience in Florence celebrating the brand’s 100th anniversary and recreating Alessandro Michele’s most impactful ads, Roblox hosted a virtual version of The Garden that was available for two weeks.
The digital rendering of Michele’s Gucci Garden was divided into several themed rooms, each reflecting the seasons during her six years as the House’s head – a pool room acknowledges Gucci Cruise 2020, while a Tokyo Tribe maze uses bright lights to create a kaleidoscopic effect.
As players enter, their avatars will disappear and be transformed into neutral mannequins without gender or age associations. The mannequins will inherit elements of each archetype during their exploration, and they will integrate fragments from each space to form their genderless silhouettes. Following their journey through the rooms and picking up unique designs along the way, every user emerges as a bespoke, Gucci-embossed piece.
Conclusion
Overall, Gucci Garden was a thrilling experience. Hosted in the 3D environment of Roblox, the experience allowed guests to gather limited-edition virtual things as their avatars alter based on the sequence in which they explore the various rooms. While initially met with negative reception, it was a memorable experience for Roblox fans who chose to take part in it.