The document discusses how the metaverse is emerging as a unified digital world where people increasingly socialize, collaborate, and create in virtual spaces. As big tech and gaming companies race to define the metaverse, the users who populate these worlds will ultimately shape them. The metaverse could redefine creativity for younger generations and enable more collaborative idea generation. A panel at SXSW will examine what the metaverse is, how technology is unleashing new creative potential, and whether the metaverse can foster inclusive, democratized digital communities.

1. How the Metaverse is
Changing Reality Forever
#WTmetaverse

2. Metaverse rising
An in-depth study of the metaverse,
titled “Into the Metaverse,” will be
released in September 2021 by
Wunderman Thompson Intelligence.
In our research, we track how 2020 has
given rise to a new digital revolution,
one that is changing the way we live,
work, connect and create.
To support the study, we conducted a
survey of 3,000 consumers in the US,
UK and China using our in-house
research and consumer data division.

3. What is the Metaverse?
First coined in Neal Stephenson’s 1992
sci-fi novel, Snow Crash, the Metaverse
is a concept that fully blends digital and
physical existence. It has since been
categorized as:
• The new internet
• A democratized virtual society
• The convergence of virtual and
physical realities
• Persistent virtual spaces
• A digital twin of our own world

4. Tech-celeration
From gaming worlds to mixed reality
and holograms, technology’s influence
is changing the way we behave and
prepare for the future.
“In 2020, one thing became very
obvious, very quickly: as Covid-19
began to spread around the world, we
leapfrogged five to seven years in the
digital revolution.”
— Hans Vestberg, CEO, Verizon

5. 73
US and UK consumers agree that
their everyday life and activities
depend on technology.
Source: Wunderman Thompson Data, July 2021 US and UK survey
82
Agree that technology can
bring people together.
85
Agree that technology can
make the world a better place.
The consumer survey
Our survey of 3,000 consumers across
US, UK and China will reveal consumer
attitudes towards technology, how the
pandemic has influenced digital habits
and expectations for how technology is
shaping the future.
The full results will be revealed for the
first time in the report launched in
September 2021. We have picked
out three key stats, shown here, that
sum up the power of technology for
people today.

7. SXSW: The pitch
Title:
How the Metaverse is Changing Reality Forever
Summary:
A unified and interconnected digital world is in the making. As people spend more time in virtual
spaces—socializing, collaborating, and creating—these inventive spaces are taking on a life of
their own.
Big tech and gaming companies are on a meta-space race to define and claim the metaverse, but
the true owners will be the creative community; the users who make these worlds their own.
As the metaverse takes shape, it offers a new formula for imagination and begs the questions:
• Are gen Z and young millennials redefining creativity?
• How can technology enable us to be more collaborative and spark new ideas?
• Can the metaverse be used to create more inclusive, democratized spaces and communities?

8. Emma Chiu
(Moderator)
Global Director
Wunderman
Thompson
Intelligence
Kerry Murphy
Founder and CEO
The Fabricant
Neha Singh
Founder and CEO
Obsess
8
The SXSW Interactive Panel:
How the Metaverse is Changing Reality Forever
Daren Tsui
CEO
Together Labs

9. Emma Chiu (Moderator)
Emma Chiu is the global director of Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, the agency’s in-house futures and
innovation think-tank. She consults with clients to build long-term strategies based on qualitative and
quantitative insight that incorporates cultural and behavioral change, sector innovation and zeitgeist shifts.
Emma’s foresight and thought leadership has been picked up by global publications and has been featured in
The Telegraph, New York Magazine and Vogue. She is a member of the WARC Awards and Creativepool 2020
judging panel. In addition, Emma regularly speaks at conferences including SXSW, Adobe Max and Pause Fest.
9
About the Panel
Neha Singh
Neha Singh is the Founder & CEO of Obsess, an experiential e-commerce platform enabling brands to create
visual, immersive, branded online shopping experiences. She was previously the Head of Product at Vogue,
where she was responsible for the product strategy and technology execution of Vogue’s digital business
including content products, ad products and distribution platforms. Prior to that, Neha was VP of Product and
Engineering at AHAlife, an e-commerce startup for luxury lifestyle products. Neha began her career at Google,
where she was a Software Engineer and Tech Lead for 5 years and worked on Google AdWords and Google
News. She holds an undergraduate Computer Science degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a
graduate Computer Science degree from MIT.

10. Kerry Murphy
Kerry is the founder of The Fabricant, a digital fashion house leading the fashion industry towards a new
sector of digital-only clothing. His education is in film and visual effects, and he worked in the advertising
industry for companies like Facebook, Nike, Asics, Under Armour, Playstation, Philips and many more for
over a decade, before establishing The Fabricant full-time in 2018 following two-years of technical and
business development. Finland-born Kerry combines his technical 3D/VFX, creative direction and business
skills to form the foundation of The Fabricant.
10
About the Panel
Daren Tsui
Daren is the CEO of Together Labs, the parent company for a suite of products strategically positioned to
accelerate the growth of the metaverse. Daren was previously SVP Content & Services for Samsung
Electronics where he ran music, video, and sports services. Before that, he was the CEO and Co-Founder
of MSpot, a company acquired by Samsung, which provided mobile streaming services including talk and
music radio, cloud music storage, and the first movie VOD service.

11. Key takeaways
1. Defining what the “metaverse” is.
Some are calling it the “new
internet” and others “the fusion of
our virtual and physical worlds.”
Where should the metaverse fall on
this spectrum?
2. How digital tools are unleashing a
new form of limitless creativity. Can
tech catch up to the expectations of
digital natives?
3. Can the metaverse be community-
focused, ethical, and democratic?

12. #WTmetaverse