NIFTY 2023 Metaverse Manifesto - The Year of Gaming and Entertainment Experiences.

​     Last year we began with the mindset that web3 and developments in the metaverse were not only worth exploring, but that we wanted to create a virtual laboratory to start experiencing what it even is and why would it matter to brands, insurance agents and professionals.

     1. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?             
        We built virtual environments for early adopters, held suspended reality meetings with a wide array of curious insurance professionals and asked for not just a ton of feedback, but also to step into something completely foreign and share what you see and feel. As with all new technology, taking the first step is often the most skeptical and growth happens as you push the needle forward. Creating avatars and more so a new digital presence was a big first step. So many of us have only known our digital presence as our profile picture for so many years. We stayed away from NFTs and introduced NFPs, our non-fungible promotions as a way to ease into the concept of digital assets. In the fashion of a true pilot, we tested, pivoted and continue to reiterate.

     2. WHAT ARE WE CONCLUDING?             
         The metaverse and virtual spaces still feel very isolated and there is not an ecosystem in place that is transactional or is showing big ROI for early builders. Events are more novelty and those that are curious often only visit environments once or twice, not so much making it a regular habit or daily destination.  However, in the true nature of running a pilot, we witnessed and began to understand through trial and error  that what ultimately matters to people, and insurance professionals, that what is relevant is the community you feel a part of and not the shiny aesthetic of a virtual experience. Every one is a brand and every brand wants to connect with an audience. Virtual communities built around a community's mission will be successful because it provides a deeper sense of connection.

     3. WHAT IS NEXT?             
         Last year was the year of creating a digital presence/digital twin. 2023 will be the year of aggregated, community building through  gaming, entertainment, token-based experiences. Make no mistake, we are not referring to the type of gaming 19-22 year olds spend much of their time immersed in, but instead the gaming mindset may of us between the ages of 35-55 all grew up with and still hold onto. The friendly competition and challenge that happens organically with ours friends and peers.
            
Let's dive into what you can expect from NIFTY in 2023.

NIFTY's GOALS IN 2023

1. Make NIFTY More Immersive and Fun

          Become the go-to hub for explorative and fun, immersive social connections.

• New and improved onboarding experience
• Enhanced communication system
• More ways to be yourself in the metaverse

 
     2. Unleash Virtual Community Experiences
         Showcase the curated virtual spaces of our agent partners to create new brand experiences and a               audience participation.

• Messaging strategy
• Storyliving over storytelling
• Consumer co-creation of content
• Augmented/Extended Reality (AR/XR)

 
     3. Leaderboard Sports          
         Games are culture, and culture is the thing that binds us  together.
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• VIGA - Virtual Insurance Golfers Association
• GoForARun
• Agent Business Competition (eg. BOR'ed Agent Pitch Club)
• Leaderboard clubhouse

THE YEAR OF GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCES.

NIFTY's experiences and virtual community building are fundamental in creating a compelling ecosystem that insurance industry professionals want to embrace, share and contribute to loyally. As fast  as the digital media landscape has evolved, its still fundamentally broken for brands and their audience communities. Digital fan communities have more influence on brands now more than ever, but they lack the incentive and ability to meaningfully contribute to a brand's story online.
Gaming competitions, immersive engagement and shared experiences empower connection. The quality of these experiences will be measured by how immersive and emotionally engaging they are.
NFTs (non-fungible tokens) will become the technology standard for fan engagement. We are discovering that NFT token-based experiences are the true utility and value component of NFTs. Empower connection

2023 ROADMAP FOR AGENTS
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The first version of the NIFTY virtual environment was built as a campus. The mindset we have had all along is to provide an experimental space that insurance agents and industry professionals could explore, as we would test and learn of the possibilities web3 technology could provide us. We invited agents and colleagues in to the space, shared how to customize your avatar (your digital twin) and provided the opportunity to start seeing an extension of ourselves in a digital ecosystem.
The next version of the NIFTY virtual community will build upon customizing you - making your digital twin feel more like you and providing the experiences that you/your avatar want to be a part of and associated with for your own brand growth. The time has arrived for curated and intentional community building in a capacity that allows for deeper interactions and connection.
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• Individual brand communities will emerge. Contribute to the development of the virtual growth of the brands you love and want to be closer to.
• BYOE: build your own experience. Whether your interest align with establishing your our virtual space, or you would like to explore hosting your own experience, the opportunity is here.
• Token-based experiences. Own a piece of the story. Brands tell stories and tokens allow for ownership of these stories.
• Digital asset ownership. Much as we own "things" in real life, we are rapidly seeing growing popularity of owning digital assets in your virtual life and interactions.

NIFTY empowers the virtual connection of forward-thinking insurance agents, professionals and brands.