Gap has announced the launch of a virtual, purchase-free experience in Club Roblox.
As part of a collaboration with SuperAwesome, the Club Roblox Boutique is designed to resemble Gap’s Times Square flagship store and includes a fashion show mini-game called Style Stage, juice bar, and photo booth.
The mini-game is supposed to resemble the fashion retailer’s summer campaign, with the Club Roblox Boutique looking to offer teenage consumers a way to express their individuality in the metaverse.
Roblox saw exponential growth during the pandemic, mainly among children and teenagers.
Gap’s competitors American Eagle and Forever 21 have both taken to the gaming platform in recent months to showcase its clothing and ‘gamify’ fashion.
The retailer is aiming to keep inclusion and self-expression at the center of the project by making them the themes of the campaign.
According to a study conducted by Vice Media Group and Publicis Groupe’s Razorfish agency, a majority of Gen Z consumers feel freer to express themselves in games than they do in real life, while nearly half (45%) say their in-game identity is a truer expression of who they are.
The store is also completely free from research that 46% of Gen Zers want to see brands develop stores in the metaverse, provided they are free to experience.
“We want Gap Teens to feel represented and connected in an inclusive Gap world with an immersive and unique fashion experience that gives them the freedom to experiment with their style and be their true selves, both in real life and in this rapidly growing digital universe,” Gap global head of marketing Mary Alderete, global head of Gap marketing, said in a statement.
“Engaging teens where they live and play in Club Roblox gives them another way to further socialize and express themselves in a new way.”
