35 Multiversal brands

Established brands are dropping limited-edition products cloaked in the mystique of

futuristic technology. 

The Into the Multiverse trend that Wunderman Thompson Intelligence reported in “The
Future 100: 2020” first explored the idea that consumers, tired of the mundanity of modern
life, are seeking portals of escapism and adventure that offer a glimpse of a more
captivating and engaging reality. Brands are now using this insight as the catalyst to create
intriguing, otherworldly products. Rather than relying on traditional product cues based on
ingredients, provenance, scent, and flavor, this new generation of experiential products
embraces futuristic technology and the language of the metaverse.

Coca-Cola’s Creations platform, launched in 2022, “aims to surprise, delight, and engage
global audiences through magical and unexpected tastes, moments, and collaborations.”
The inaugural product, the outer-space-themed beverage Starlight, was described as a taste
“reminiscent of stargazing around a campfire, as well as a cooling sensation that evokes the
feeling of a cold journey to space.” Subsequent products have included Byte and
Dreamworld that, in place of standard flavor descriptions, are said to taste like pixels and
dreams respectively. Coca-Cola trademark president Selman Careaga told the Drum these
Creations products received twice the engagement of any other program in 2022.

Unilever-owned deodorant brand Lynx also eschewed the conventions of its category with
the launch of Lynx AI body spray, which it created with Swiss fragrance specialist Firmenich.
The launch includes no scent or fragrance notes, but taps into the allure of futuristic
technology, proclaiming the limited-edition product is “powered by artificial intelligence”
using “46 terabytes of data, 6,000 ingredients, 3.5 million possible combinations.” Lynx
stated that the product launch aims to drive growth in the deodorant category by “tapping
into Generation Z’s fascination with the world of tech and crypto.”

Why it’s interesting: Brands are pushing the boundaries of reality, blurring the lines
between what is real and what is not. As creativity becomes unbounded, brands are
transporting consumers to other worlds (see 61, Multiversal design, page XX, and 74,
Cosmoluxe, page XX).