Leading automotive company Ford has filed 19 trademark applications related to potential metaverse activity. The document suggests that the company may launch Ford-branded non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in its marketplace and mentions offering virtual models of its vehicles, including the Mustang, Mustang Mach E, and Bronco.
Ford hints at a Metaverse move
Ford, the largest-selling U.S.-based automotive brand, has filed several trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), preparing for a potential foray into the Metaverse. The company aims to protect its activities there by offering Ford-branded NFTs in its own NFT marketplace. These NFTs may contain text, audio, or video related to the brand.
Some of these filings include 150 Lightning, Lincoln, Ford, Lightning, Bronco, Explorer, Raptor, Mustang Mach-E, Transit, Escape, Expedition, Maverick, and Ranger, and Mustang, and seeks to protect digital representations of Ford’s most popular models.
Also covered by the trademark application are digital clothing containing references to the brand and digital spare parts for the aforementioned models; according to USPTO attorney Mike Kondoudis, this may be one of the first steps in Ford’s organized digital strategy, and the company claims that it is making a “big move” into the Metaverse with these filings
Ford’s Digital Expansion
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This move by Ford is not surprising, as the company has long explained that it is examining the digital world to create new ways to expand its business.9 In May, Alexandra Ford English, Ford’s director of global brand merchandising, said:
Wherever you go in the world, there are passionate Ford fans. We want to offer them an exciting collection of products and accessories, and potentially digital products like NFT.
Ford is just the latest of many companies that have already embraced these digital worlds and products as part of their growth strategy. Just recently, French automaker Renault made a move in this direction, partnering with The Sandbox, a Metaverse platform, to offer virtual automotive experiences with the brand’s products.
Other brands, such as Korean automaker Hyundai, are also getting into the metaverse by presenting some of their future automotive products in a metaverse known as Zepeto.
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