Is the metaverse really the next big thing in advertising—or just another overhyped tech trend? In this episode, Dr. Amy Yau (Cardiff University) and Will Zhang (University of Edinburgh) talk about their Journal of Advertising Researcharticle, “What Drives Advertisers Toward or Away From Immersive Virtual Spaces? The Metaverse Conundrum: Affordances and ‘Disaffordances’ Through the Eyes of Advertisers.”

The conversation explores how advertisers perceive both the promise and the pitfalls of metaverse platforms. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 48 advertising professionals across 13 countries, the authors reveal the affordances—like immersive brand experiences and symbolic signals of innovation—as well as the disaffordances, such as poor interoperability, low consumer adoption, and unclear ROI. Amy and Will share why some brands are diving in, why others are staying out, and what needs to change before widespread adoption becomes a reality. They also talk about the power dynamics between junior and senior advertisers, consumer readiness, and how metaverse hype stacks up against the practical challenges brands face.

Read the full paper here:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2501/JAR-2024-020?needAccess=true
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