Vans to Unveil New Shoe in Roblox Collab 'Vans World 2.0'

Vans and Roblox have banded once again to introduce "Vans World 2.0," the second installation of their successful collaboration.

Made together with game development studio The Gang, the virtual world will introduce players to new skate challenges, tricks, environments, and a slate of avatar customization options.

Additionally, they'll be given the chance to access cities such as France, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Paris to flaunt their skills to other players. 

Vans World 2.0 will also introduce players to the American-Finnish skateboarder Lizzie Armanto, who they can hang out with in-game as she showcases her unique skating moves to the world of Roblox. 

The latest in-game collaboration comes after the first iteration of "Vans World" in 2021, which was deemed successful due to its explosive growth, hitting 105 million visits on Roblox. 

As one of the longest-running brand experiences on the gaming platform, Vans saw the opportunity to give fans a fresh new world. 

"As we shift toward a new way to deliver brand stories and experiences in a phygital way, we approached The Gang to create a next-generation game that elevates skate in the digital world with touches that represent real-world skateboarding progression," Vans Global CMO Drieke Leenknegt told The Drum. 

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The Virtual Release Trend

Later in July, Roblox will introduce "the Mixxa," the skatewear brand's latest footwear innovation.

This comes as a milestone for Vans, as the Mixxa will be its first shoe ever to be launched virtually before hitting physical stores.

However, while Vans may be the first to do it in the realm of footwear, other brands have hopped on the trend of in-game product launches and advertising. 

This latest initiative is a reflection of a broader trend where brands across industries dip their toes in virtual worlds to connect with a wide variety of consumers. 

And Roblox is a pioneer to these kinds of brand engagement strategies.

✨We've got https://t.co/BNdSfzJqvz exciting news!✨ You can now shop some of your e.l.f. faves on @roblox! 🛍️💄

Plus, when you buy these real-world e.l.f. products in our e.l.f. UP! experience, you'll get an exclusive virtual twin for your avatar! 👯‍♀️👾

What's available to… pic.twitter.com/Bv1qCgKpS9

— e.l.f. Cosmetics (@elfcosmetics) July 1, 2024

Just days after the launch of Vans World 2.0, beauty brand e.l.f. Cosmetics announced a new partnership with Roblox, allowing players to purchase real-life products in-game.

In early June, Ikea also launched a campaign looking to hire 10 employees to look over its in-game store, offering players the salaries of real-life Ikea workers.

Dubbed "The Co-Worker Game," these employees will be in charge of working remotely within the digital store, assisting customers and serving virtual food as they earn in-game rewards.

With more and more big-time brands diving into these types of experiential marketing strategies, it's only a matter of time before these digital spaces become the new norm.

It enables brands to target younger audiences and keep them relevant, as well as allows them to build relationships with both old and new consumers.

In today's digital world, fostering engagement through real user experience is one of the key strategies that works well for brands.