Absolut, dubbed the official vodka of Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, will be showcasing how it looks to foster modern connections by launching its new “Find Your ‘Best Festival Friend’ (BFF)” platform to help festival-goers find like-minded friends.
And, in recognizing the power of today’s technologies, it’s incorporating the metaverse.
With the help of Hey! VINA, an app known as the “Tinder for platonic friendships” and made for self-identified women ages 16 and up, Absolut aims to power connections both inside and outside the metaverse via its enhanced Absolut.Land. Absolut.Land is the brand’s premier, inclusive metaverse experience built on Absolut’s “Born To Mix – World of Absolut Cocktails” campaign – directed at those seeking a fun place to truly be their authentic selves.
This platform includes a swipe and match function, a quiz to match with compatible festival friends, and a chance to win two VIP tickets.
In the metaverse, participants will receive cocktail-themed NFT wearables personifying Absolut’s diverse “flavor characters” that include Lemonade, Espresso Martini, Cosmo, and Bloody Mary. (Plus, a new PRIDE Collection and an interactive “Wild Berri Dance Battle” for metaverse avatars to take part in.)
Absolut has also partnered with TV personalities Rachel Recchia and Genevieve Parisi to offer a specialty cocktail kit showcasing Absolut's elevated festival selections.
“Coachella is where so many new friendships are made. Thanks to Absolut and the new 'Best Festival Friend' in-app experience, we're helping people ahead of the festival itself by matching with newfound friends," said Olivia June, Hey! VINA’s CEO. “Our goal is to empower community-building, and we couldn’t be more excited to leverage our algorithm at the ultimate mixing ground!”
"Whether people are faced with getting back out there after the pandemic, or with a desire to hit the festival circuit but not having a friend who feels the same,” said Matt Foley, Absolut’s Vice President of Marketing, “Absolut's new connection platform mixes diverse personalities over a shared love of music, the metaverse, culture and cocktails like never before.”