Dive Brief:
- McCormick is taking to the metaverse with a Decentraland activation, House of Flavor by McCormick, according to a press release. The experience goes live Dec. 13 and was announced alongside the brand’s inaugural flavor of the year, Vietnamese x Cajun Style Seasoning.
- Decentraland users will be able to explore Vietnamese and Cajun style recipes, earn one of three limited-time wearables and interact with chefs who inspired the new seasoning flavor. McCormick also hosted an in-person activation on Dec. 7 in New York with Smashburger.
- The news follows the release of McCormick’s 23rd annual Flavor Forecast, which highlights food preparation trends like full flavored fats, everyday French and beyond heat.
Dive Insight:
McCormick’s Decentraland debut sees the seasoning brand branching out from traditional marketing tactics perhaps in pursuit of younger consumers, many of whom are likely just learning to cook or discovering foods they enjoy. The brand is one of countless others taking to the metaverse to reach the younger demographic, a nod to the fact that, despite a lack of clear success indicators to date, interest in the digital realm from a brand point of view is showing no signs of slowing.
House of Flavor by McCormick is advertised as a space to “experience flavor in a world without taste,” the release detailed, and will see the brand looking to form a personal connection with users by offering content to help them connect with the chefs who inspired the Vietnamese x Cajun Style Seasoning flavor. While supplies last, users can also win one of three wearables and explore themed recipes.
While existing for over two decades, McCormick’s Flavor Forecast this year is seeing a more experience-driven marketing shift that could help bolster the attention it receives while playing into consumer reports of “revenge living.” Aside from its metaverse entrance, McCormick also hosted an event at a New York Smashburger location. For a few hours, consumers could visit the restaurant to sample foods, like milkshakes, wings and tater tots, that use the flavor of the year. The brands Flavor Forecast was created using nearly four dozen industry professionals including chefs Trong Nguyen and Cesar Zapata.