The Future of Brand Experiences:
A Closer Look at the World’s First MetaBar
The groundbreaking interactive installation we delivered for Heineken provided a platform for extraordinary brand engagement integrating online and offline entertainment.
After a long hiatus, in-person events have finally returned — but not exactly as we knew them.
As a consequence of the digital acceleration imposed by the pandemic, our expectations for experiences have changed. Today, people look for truly extraordinary moments to entice them back to physical gatherings. And interactive and metaverse-oriented installations are an ideal solution to create value. So it is no coincidence that here, at MONOGRID, we have been working on several projects of this kind for fashion and luxury names in the last few months.
Among these, we had the exciting opportunity to leverage our creative and technical expertise to bridge the physical and the metaverse in a world’s first: the Heineken MetaBar (part of the global marketing campaign by Publicis agency).
Designed and built to promote Heineken’s Silver® beer among younger consumers, this transformative installation-event was more than a simple temporary bar. For a few days in early April, we turned the Caselli Daziari location in Milan into a hybrid and dynamic space that combined powerful visuals, surprising activations, and social interactions that really created an unprecedented sense of presence.
Within a striking setting, inspired in style and decor by metaverse environments and featuring video walls that set the stage for an immersive experience populated by 3D avatars, visitors could simultaneously live it up in the real and virtual worlds. All while enjoying some great, refreshing beer.
Of course, we made the act of ordering a Heineken Silver memorable. Using a an animated hologram of the beer can gave the illusion of seeing the drink in the metaverse before it popped out of one of the virtual bar counters in real life, extending the digital into the physical with a dazzling touch.
But the MetaBar provided more user-oriented entertainment at every corner: visitors could mix (and take selfies!) with avatar characters, including bartenders, bouncers, and virtual guests displayed on large screens, or choose their favorite music for a virtual DJ to play by scanning a QR code or even explore the popular Heineken bar operating in the blockchain-based world of Decentraland in real time through 3D renderings.
Through motion-capture technology (and a helmet with an attached mobile device), we also tracked the faces of the international guests and DJs performing on stage so that their displayed avatars — each realistically modeled to represent their personal alter ego — would mimic their expressions and moves live, for a crossover interplay on and off the screen.
But anyone in attendance could immerse themselves in the metaverse — and do it in style. By simply standing in front of the monitors of different AR-powered try-on stations, they would see themselves dressed in exclusive 3D digital outfits, similar to what happens when using social media filters.
Thanks to the (operationally flawless) entertainment value of all these interactions and transitions, our multidisciplinary team laid the creative and technical foundation for a successful event that drew a large number of visitors and gained attention in the national and international press, as well as on social media.
Rather than being an isolated novelty, we believe the Heineken MetaBar is a glimpse into the future of brand experiences. Here is why.
3D interactive installations offer a unique encounter with a brand
The MetaBar combined the social element of a night out with the multisensory, interactive potential of virtual reality to provide guests with a memorable experience that strengthened Heineken’s premium identity, fostered genuine connections, and boosted community engagement.
Hybrid fun draws young audiences
Real-life events have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, fun experiences can still draw a large portion of younger audiences (Gen Z and Y), which will become the most influential consumers worldwide in the future. By designing imaginative hybrid installations, like the MetaBar, you can get people excited about a space (and engage with a product) and build momentum for the brand.
Seamless tech solutions amplify entertainment
People may not know the complex technology behind an installation, but they can tell if it adds value to their experience. The MetaBar offered seamless and easy-to-access interactions — mainly activated simply by scanning a QR code and through tokens — that didn’t require lengthy or complicated instruction, amplifying entertainment.
