https://ift.tt/F2O9fqw doubles down on community NFT project with Meta Kongz collaboration

Hyundai has announced a collaboration with the Meta Kongz NFT brand. The tie-in is part of a drive to push the automaker’s presence in the non-fungibles market. It also includes launching an online NFT community through dedicated Discord and Twitter channels.

“Hyundai Motor is the first automaker to enter the NFT market with its own NFT community, including the Hyundai NFT official website and channels on Discord and Twitter.”

The bigger picture in play is a push towards “Metamobility,” which refers to Hyundai’s take on the Metaverse concept. But how does this differ from the rest?

Hyundai pushing for “Metamobility”

Celebrating this move, Hyundai has posted a short film detailing its “wonderous adventures into the Metamobility universe.”

The presentation features a Meta Kongz character driving the original Hyundai Pony, first launched in 1975. The car morphs into a modern reinterpretation of the Pony after flying through a question-marked box, in a scene reminiscent of the film E.T. It ends with a teaser on the “shooting star NFT,” that’s due to drop next month.

30 limited edition “Hyundai x Meta Kongz” NFTs go on sale on April 20 to commemorate this next phase in Hyundai’s future vision. In addition, more tie-ins are expected this year to grow the firm’s “NFT universe.”

“Hyundai NFT projects will be continued throughout the year to keep expanding the Hyundai NFT Universe. Profits from the sale of Hyundai NFTs will be used for the project’s management and community members.”

What is Hyundai’s “Metamobility” vision?

Thomas Schemera, Hyundai Motor’s Global Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Customer Experience Division, said this concept extends the firm’s “brand experience,” especially for the MZ generation.

MZ is a Korean term that encompasses both millennials, and Generation Z. This covers people born from the 1980s through to 2010.

“The Hyundai NFT Universe will extend the Hyundai brand experience, especially with MZ generation, in a completely new way, further reinforcing our commitment to innovation in both the real world and in the metaverse.”

Schemera added that the Meta Kongz collaboration is the first step in Hyundai’s Metamobility concept. Metamobility was introduced at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which took place in Las Vegas.

Metamobility centers on the theme of “Expanding Human Reach” and covers a whole raft of ideas — including AI, autonomous driving, and the Mobility of Things (MoT), where inanimate objects will gain mobility through robotics. Its ultimate goal is to utilize robotics and the Metaverse to affect real-world changes.

Hyundai envisions mobilities, such as automobiles, and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) will act like smart devices to access virtual spaces. At the same time, robotics will serve as a way to bridge the virtual and real worlds.

“For example, an automobile that connects to virtual spaces can allow users to enjoy various in-car VR experiences. Depending on the user’s needs, a car can be transformed into an entertainment space, a meeting room for work or even a 3D video game platform.”