Havas Group, physically present in over 100 countries with 68 Villages, now owns a plot of virtual land in The Sandbox video game where it plans to inaugurate its first virtual Village (the 69th Havas Village).

The real world and the virtual will be coming together in the metaverse to offer an immersive and augmented Havas Village experience. Using rich programming, exclusive content, connected animation, and gamification, the Group will organize conferences, events, concerts, client presentations, product launches, and more.

Havas Group’s role is to support brands in the development of their communication strategies. Building a Havas Village in the metaverse will help brands launch successfully into this new virtual adventure and join forces to build a positive image, a meaningful reputation, and a powerful connection with gamer-consumers.

Last year, the Group launched Metaverse by Havas, a new consulting, creative, and media offer, dedicated to brands that, in the metaverse, see opportunities to reinvent branding, storytelling, experience, audience targeting, and revenue generation.

“The metaverse provides a wealth of new media and new opportunities for the communications sector and for brands. Whether the aim is to create original and meaningful experiences, reach out to new target audiences, or simply reinforce an existing bond, the possibilities are practically endless. Havas Group can count on a cutting-edge team of metaverse experts to lead this new venture and expertly guide brands into and around these virtual worlds,” said Yannick Bolloré, Chairman & CEO of Havas Group, in a statement. “Our new Havas Village will be a ‘meta- flagship’ for the Group, drawing all our engaged communities together in an enriched extension of our bricks-and-mortar Villages.”

The new virtual Village will also include a recruitment service, a first in the field of human resources. Over the medium term, this virtual and immersive dimension will significantly enrich the employee experience, including the onboarding process.

Céline Merle-Beral, Global Chief HR Officer, Havas Group, added, “With Havas now a player in The Sandbox, we are banking on the metaverse because we are convinced of its potential in terms of accessing creative and innovative profiles, with highly sought-after skills ranging from tech to data. In doing so, the Group is enhancing its employer brand, offering an enriched candidate experience, and breaking new ground in our campus management strategy. The metaverse is a fantastic opportunity for us to attract tomorrow’s top talent.”

The new Havas Village is scheduled to open to public access in The Sandbox at the end of April 2022.