Unbox: How Forbes is Evolving Storytelling in Web3

Have you ever wondered how The Sandbox fits into the strategy of the world's most iconic brands and celebrities? In this edition of our Unbox series, we sat down with Forbes explore why they decided to experiment with Web3 in The Sandbox and how they are changing their storytelling approach to reach over 23,000 members of the Web3 sub-community audience in one experience.

The Sandbox offers Forbes a new canvas of storytelling

Forbes has always been a pioneer for media distribution and has cemented itself as a company that cares about dispersing information to the masses in exciting and accessible ways. Digital media, and media as a whole, is synonymous with the Forbes brand. Forbes’ strategic move into The Sandbox exemplifies its commitment to evolving with the digital revolution. By doing so, Forbes not only amplified member and subscriber engagement but also solidified its position as a pioneering entity in the dynamic Web3 landscape. This shift in strategy adapts to the changing paradigm of media consumption in the metaverse. The metaverse offers Forbes a new canvas of storytelling and gamified engagement to reach their audience. Forbes recognizes that The Sandbox is a key platform that lets them craft strategy and product offerings to be at the forefront of the emerging digital media frontier.

“Entrance into The Sandbox highlights Forbes’ successful endeavor to maintain its relevance while offering distinct experiences in a dynamic, digital landscape, and setting a refreshing pace for other media entities exploring the Web3 sphere.”

The decision to embrace and participate in The Sandbox was driven by its promise as an open, interactive universe, offering users the ability to create, possess, and profit from gaming experiences and content. This concept of freedom and potential deeply resonated with Forbes’ commitment to innovation and adaptability in the face of digital transformation. Forbes sees its involvement with The Sandbox as a means to empower its audience with a dynamic, ever-evolving experience in the Web3 era. By striving to lead in the realm of media transformation, Forbes aims to prioritize its audience above all else. In doing so, Forbes isn’t merely delivering information but also providing a tangible, immersive, and captivating journey into the metaverse.

Forbes has continued to embrace Web3 culture and reimagine their traditional marketing approach. Their new approach places a greater emphasis on storytelling, community building, and overall utility. The greatest change is in how information is spread through storytelling. Conventional narratives are not the norm in Web3; instead, Forbes created immersive, interactive experiences in The Sandbox allowing their audience to participate alongside the consumption of content. This style of storytelling has also enabled community building to move from a one-sided dialogue.

“Forbes has leveraged the communal aspect of the metaverse to encourage dialogue, participation, and co-creation. By doing so, we strengthened the bond with our audience and created a sense of belonging.”

Forbes transforms their story in a 23 min gamified experience

Last November, Forbes launched an event in The Sandbox that served as their entry into the metaverse. Forbes invited its members and subscribers to embark on unique and uncharted adventures. Each participant gained entry through an exclusive wearable NFT ticket. In addition to granting an entrance into the Forbes world, the ticket also unlocked access to Forbes-style collectibles. The event also featured a prize pool of 50,000 SAND for all users who completed all of the quests in the Forbes experience.

Notably, this metaverse journey included a spotlight on the Forbes 30 Under 30 gallery of North America, celebrating the brightest young entrepreneurs and leaders, appealing to The Sandbox gaming audience. Participants also had the opportunity to delve into Forbes’ history through gamified quests, combining education with immersive experiences. Players were no longer just consumers, they were members of a community consuming and engaging with information in new ways.

This event was largely successful from an attention standpoint as 23,166 unique players joined the event over its duration with an average session length of over 15 minutes and an overall average time spent per user reaching 23 minutes. This interactive experience helped prove the idea that the Forbes brand and storytelling obsession could work in new and evolving spaces of the digital world.

Forbes’ strategic collaboration with The Sandbox represents a transformative step that bridges traditional media with the digital frontier. It enhances member engagement, fosters community, and offers unique and interactive experiences that position Forbes at the forefront of the evolving digital media landscape. Moving forward, the brand will look to continue its journey into the future of the web and take on new opportunities to provide engaging experiences centered around the evolution of media.