IZWAN ISMAIL
Start-up Ad-Nology invents a platform that allows the gathering of people in the form of avatars
TECH start-up Ad-Nology Labs recently launched SoCrwd — Malaysia's first-of-its-kind application that offers a unique avatar-based virtual world with fully customisable characters and endless possibilities in an environment built to mimic life in the real world.
As its name implies, SoCrwd (www.socrwd.com) allows the gathering of a social crowd on a virtual platform created specially for public events to take place in a more creative manner, especially during these uncertain times.
On the platform, people can participate in interaction as they would in their daily life.
THE REASONS
Ad-Nology Labs' chief executive officer Ken Chai said the Covid-19 pandemic has affected many companies globally, where many live events were either cancelled or postponed, creating a market gap for the requirements of a virtual event platform.
"This is where SoCrwd comes in. We hope to provide brands, businesses and talents the necessary tools for marketing efforts, campaigns and events without the worry of the current circumstances and violating the standard operating procedures (SOP), while benefiting brands and consumers," he said.
"I have always been surrounded by engaging crowds through events or campaigns and on top of that, I had the chance to be involved in the gaming business previously, from 2015 to 2019. This is when the idea to combine both industries — gaming and events — into one sparked. Voila, the birth of the idea," he added.
GAMIFICATION OF VIRTUAL WORLD
The virtual world has been around for a while, but brands have yet to tap into the gamification and marketing aspects of it in Malaysia.
"SoCrwd is a virtual platform that gamifies the experience for consumers through the addition of avatars, points, interactables and sociables, all of which are set in a creative environment built to facilitate a fun, engaging experience and a seamless transition from the offline world to the online world," said Chai.
The social features of the application allows consumers to connect with other users, while conducting daily activities such as meeting with friends, attending their favourite events and virtually visiting a branded concept store.
For the business segment, SoCrwd is more than just a platform for virtual events.
"It envisions a virtual platform for customers to visit their favourite car showroom, bank branches, property galleries, concept stores, exhibitions, concerts, bazaars, events and conferences. Bringing the best of the offline world to the comfort of the homes of your customers, which will also help reduce the spread of the virus," said Chai.
THE DIFFERENCE
There are a lot of one-off virtual events websites and applications, but Chai said SoCrwd is a content-driven virtual platform for brands, businesses and consumers.
"We also want to create more opportunities for content creators to work with different industries, especially the creative and events industry, to allow for the creation of interesting consumer-centric content, experiences and events that keep consumers coming back for more," he added.
USING IT
The virtual world allows people to complete many activities online, in the most advanced and engaging way possible. Instead of brands having a conventional web page with a purchase button, SoCrwd will design the entire layout of a store to engage with consumers and give them a good and unique user experience.
"We are not trying to create a temporary solution for events, but a complement to on-ground social events in the future as we move deeper into the digital age.
"We will continuously work on developing the platform as we make sure that we provide new and improved features with every learning and discovery we come across," said Chai.
SoCrwd is available for download at no cost to the consumer. Additionally, there are no in-app purchases involved to join and participate in the public spaces of the virtual world.