Mentions around the metaverse as a theme have continued to increase in earnings calls, with mentions in Q2 2022 up 2% over Q1 2022, according to GlobalData’s Company Filings Analytics Database. The leading data and analytics company notes that business-to-business (B2B) use cases have started to emerge with companies discussing digital asset management, workflow optimization, digital twins, and supply chain management around the metaverse.

Rinaldo Pereira, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The number of companies discussing the metaverse as a theme showed a slight decline during an incomplete Q2 2022. However, mentions were up compared to Q1 2022.”

Digital assets in the metaverse continue to be a hot topic of discussion with mentions around crypto and NFTs. Newer use cases are also emerging. For example, PepsiCo is using Nvidia’s Omniverse digital twins for efficiency and environmental sustainability across its supply chains, while Amazon is using it for better optimization of warehouse designs, flows, and intelligent robot training.

Rupantar Guha, Principal Analyst in GlobalData’s Thematic Intelligence team, says: “Over the last 12 months, companies from all sectors have increasingly been discussing the metaverse in their financial statements. This is attributable to media hype, growing awareness of potentially lucrative opportunities in the metaverse, and the development of use cases. In addition, peer pressure to invest in the theme is also fueling the growth in metaverse mentions. This trend will only grow as the theme matures and the metaverse becomes increasingly mainstream in the future.”

In Q2 2022*, ‘Digital Assets’ and ‘Digital Twins’ are the top keywords mentioned during earnings calls. Inpixon, an indoor intelligence company that offers indoor data solutions for smart spaces and safety, sees opportunities for digital twins and the metaverse to be used in factories, hospitals, and entertainment venues. Microsoft also expects the metaverse to revolutionize industries and help firms optimize operations via Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, connected spaces, and mixed reality.

Pereira adds: “Business-to-consumer (B2C) related discussions are trending in Q2 2022. This can be seen in the apparel industry as brands continue to be optimistic around metaverse investment. For example, American Eagle was confident about its metaverse marketing strategy on Roblox, having received 10 million visitors as of May 2022. Meanwhile, Ralph Lauren was enthusiastic around gaming and metaverse launches and expects to further improve its brand positioning as a result.”

* Until 7 June