Snapchat has added a new option which will enable users to share their Bitmoji outfits with friends in the app, enabling them to try the same digital clothing on their characters.
As you can see here, there’s now a ‘Share Outfit’ option from your Bitmoji update screen, through which you can send your clothing choices to a friend for them to check out.
It’s an interesting update, because while NFTs have somewhat confusingly grabbed all the attention in the evolving digital goods space, where the smart money really is, especially among brands, is in digital clothing, and virtual outfits for online avatars, which, if the Metaverse does become the next plain of interaction as Mark Zuckerberg and many others are predicting, will be a far more critical, more useful and more popular element.
We’ve seen this in our existing templates for what the Metaverse is expected to be, with both Roblox and Fortnite making big money from their in-game skins (Fortnite makes the majority of its revenue from the sale of character skins), and Minecraft building a whole creator economy around custom character and feature designs. These elements enhance the experience, enable greater personalization, while also communicating status. Which is why Snapchat may be on to a winner with this latest update.
And it’s not just the capacity to share your outfit, Snapchat is also launching a new line of Bitmoji clothing from Converse, to go with other designs from Nike, Crocs and more.
This is all part of Snapchat’s broader plan to create a virtual clothing marketplace, which will eventually also be linked to real world items.
Back in 2020, Snap filed a patent which outlined how its Bitmoji fashion process would essentially see Snap partner with a range of fashion retailers to provide Bitmoji versions of their items. That would then provide a range of new clothing options for your avatar in the app, while also giving the brands opportunity to showcase their latest products in an engaging, interactive way.
The dual benefit of online and real world product sales is an enticing allure, and will no doubt become increasingly popular as we move closer to the Metaverse future.
Which is why this is a such a smart, simple addition from Snap. Being able to quickly and easily share your digital outfits will help generate more interest in the option, and provide more promotional potential for brands.
It’s a good, under the radar update, which Snap now has a habit of making as it maintains competitiveness with the bigger players in the market.
Bitmoji Outfit Sharing is available on iOS today, and rolling out on Android.
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Andrew Hutchinson
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