Latin America in the Roblox Metaverse

UGC, City branding and Soft Power

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62161/sauc.v11.5676

Keywords:

Metaverse, City branding, Place branding, Gen Alpha, Roblox, Latin America, Virtual Marketing

Abstract

This study explores how Latin American territories leverage the metaverse, particularly the Roblox platform, to enhance their visibility and appeal to Generation Alpha. Through a case study of specific actors and their strategies, this study investigated the virtual marketing efforts employed by these territories. The theoretical framework distinguishes between immersive and semi-immersive metaverse experiences, highlighting the differences between centralized and decentralized virtual environments. The millennial generation, which has the greatest resources to invest in digital assets, is currently the most active user group in the metaverse. However, the engagement of Centennials and Alphas, the digital natives, is becoming increasingly apparent. Despite substantial investment in the metaverse, the lack of interoperability remains a primary technical challenge. This study aims to shed light on how Latin American territories navigate this evolving digital landscape to assert their identity and compete for attention on a global stage.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Global Statistics ℹ️

Cumulative totals since publication
96
Views
98
Downloads
194
Total
Downloads by format:
PDF (Español (España)) 44 PDF 54

References

Andrade Y., D. A. (2016). Estrategias de marketing digital en la promoción de marca ciudad. Revista Escuela de Administración de Negocios, 80, 59-72. https://doi.org/d46d

Anholt, S. (2007). Competitive identity – the new brand management for nations, cities, and regions. Palgrave Macmillan.

Anholt, S. (2003). Branding places and nations. En Clifton, R. & Simmons, J. (eds.) Brands and branding (pp. 213-226). Profile Books Ltd

Aranda, Y. & Combariza, J. (2007). Las marcas territoriales como alternativa para la diferenciación de productos rurales. Agronomía Colombiana, 25(2), 367-37. https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=180320296021

Argudo G., K. (31 de julio de 2024). Venezuela en crisis: las protestas llegan a Roblox. Expreso. https://www.expreso.ec/ciencia-y-tecnologia/venezuela-crisis-protestas-llegan-roblox-208711.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawE-twlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQEfTcG-ITwNg_rTt1W52dmRyPVqtY-guUVWGrcyvZylRFQxyzzNI6dbLQ_aem_1i_o0O74kjyymet-g3hQyg

Ashworth, G. (2009). The instruments of place branding how it is done? European Spatial Research and Policy, 16(1), 9-22. https://doi.org/bw9ffj

Barder, B. (2019). Diplomacy, ethics, and the national interest: what are diplomats for? The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, 5(3), 289–297. https://doi.org/cjvv6q

Barrera, B. (31 de julio de 2024). Gamers se unen a las protestas en Venezuela a través de Roblox. El Sol de México. https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/doble-via/jovenes-se-unen-a-las-protestas-en-venezuela-a-traves-de-la-plataforma-de-videojuegos-roblox-12325142.html

Baszucki, D. (2023, May 17). Our Vision of All Ages. Blog of Roblox. https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2023/05/our-vision-for-all-ages

Blain, C., Levy, S. & Brent, J. (2005). Destination branding: insights and practices from destination management organizations. Journal of Travel Research, 43(4), 328-338. https://doi.org/bt2twg

Bruwer, J. & Johnson, R. (2010). Place-based marketing and regional branding strategy perspectives in the California wineindustry. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 27(1), 5-16. https://doi.org/dg6mgq

Bulkeley, H. (2013). Cities and Climate Change. Routledge. https://doi.org/fgtn

Calvento, M., & Colombo, S. (2009). La marca-ciudad como herramienta de promoción turística ¿instrumento de inserción nacional e internacional? Estudios y perspectivas en turismo, 18(3), 262-284. http://hdl.handle.net/11336/113855

Castronova, E. (2001). Virtual Worlds; a first-hand account of market and society of the cyberian frontier. CESinfo WorkingPapers, 618,1-40.

Cervantes, M. & Muñiz, N. (2010). Marketing de ciudades y «Place branding». Pecvnia, Revista de la Facultadde Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, 123-149. https://doi.org/10.18002/pec.v0i2010.767

Changhee, K. (2021). Smart City-based Metaverse Study on the solution of urban problems. Journal Chosun Natural Science, 14(1), 21-26.

Cheng, S. (2023). Metaverse. Concept, Content, and Context. Springer

Fan, Y. (2006). Branding the nation: what is being branded? Journal of Vacation Marketing, 12(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/bpw2p3

Florek, M., Insch, A. & Gnoth, J. (2006). City council websites as a means of place brand identity communication. Place Brand Public Diplomacy, 2(4), 276-296. https://doi.org/cwn68k

Garrido, P., Estupiñán, O. & Gómez, P. J. (2016). Estrategias publicitarias para la promoción de la marca ciudad. En E. Camarero Calandria y J. Rodríguez Terceño (coords.) Estrategias en comunicación y su evolución en los discursos (pp. 261-270). Madrid: McGrawHill Interamericana de España.

Hankinson, G. (2004). Relational network brands: towards a conceptual model of place brands. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 10(2), 109-121. https://doi.org/c84dgs

Heilbruun, B. (2006). Brave new brands. In J. Schroeder & M. Salzer-Morling (eds.) Brand culture (pp. 103-117). Routledge

Herranz, J. M., Sidorenko, P. & Cantero, J. I. (2017). Rutinas comunicativas y lobbies en el sector medioambiental. In M. T. Mercado-Sáez (ed.), El debate energético en los medios (pp. 127-143). Ediciones UOC

Hollensen, S., Opresnik, M. O., & Kotler, P. (2022). Metaverse – the new marketing universe. In Journal of Business Strategy, 44(3), 119–125. https://doi.org/10.1108/jbs-01-2022-0014

Huang, J. (2023). Analysis on the Young Age of Roblox Platform Audience Targeting. Highlights in Business, Economics and Management, 11, 112–117. https://doi.org/10.54097/hbem.v11i.7954

Jovanović, A. & Milosavljević, A. (2022). VoRtex Metaverse Platform for Gamified Collaborative Learning. Electronics, 11(317), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics11030317

JPMorgan Chase Bank (2022). Opportunities in the metaverse how businesses can explore the metaverse and navigate the hype vs. reality. Retrieved from www.jpmorgan.com/content/dam/jpm/treasury-services/documents/opportu-nities-in-the-metaverse.pdf

Kang, D., Choi, H., & Nam, S. (2022). Learning Cultural Spaces: A Collaborative Creation of a Virtual Art Museum Using Roblox. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 17(22), 232–245. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v17i22.33023

Kapferer, J. (2007). Strategic brand management. Kogan Page for Les Éditions d’Organisation.

Kavaratizis, M., & Ashworth, G. (2005). City branding an effective assertion of identity or a transitory marketing trick? Place Brand Public Dipl, 2, 183-194. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.pb.5990056

Kolb, B. (2006). Tourism marketing for cities and towns. Elsevier. https://doi.org/fgtq

Kolotouhckina, O. & Seisdedos, G. (2017). Place branding strategies in the context of new smartcities: Songdo IBD, Masdar, and Skolkovo. Place branding and Public Diplomacy, 14, 115-124. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-017-0078-2

Latour, B. (2013). An Inquiry Into Modes of Existence. Harvard University Press.

Leffel, B., & Acuto, M. (2018). Economic Power Foundations of Cities in Global Governance. Global Society, 32(3), 281-301. https://doi.org/d4zh

Manfredi S., J. L. (2021). The political economy of city diplomacy. Economic and Political Studies, 10(2), 228–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/20954816.2021.1899622

Manfredi S., J. L. (2020). El cosmopolitismo urbano: la ciudad ante el orden postliberal. Relaciones Internacionales, 44, 29-43. https://doi.org/d4zg

McCrindle, M. & Fell, A. (2021). Generation Alpha. Hachette.

Morgan, N., Pritchard, A. & Pride, R. (2004). Destination branding: creating the unique destination proposition. Elsevier.

Naim, M. (2006). Ilícito. Debate

Olins, W. (2000). Why companies and countries are taking on each other’s roles. Corporate Reputation Review, 3(3), 254-265. https://doi.org/crwg9x

Owen, T. (2015). Disruptive power: The crisis of the state in the digital age. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/ggb6jv

Park, S. M & Kim, Y. G. (2022). A Metaverse: Taxonomy, Components, Applications, and Open Challenges. IEEE Access, 10, 4209-4251. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3140175

Pashkaleva-Shapira, K. (2007). New paradigms in city tourism management: rede昀椀ning destination promotion. Journal of Travel Research, 46(1), 108-114. https://doi.org/bw54vz

Pike, S. (2005). Tourism destination branding complexity. Journal of Product Brand Management,14(4), 258-259. https://doi.org/dkn5c7

Remenyi, D. (2012). Case Study Research. Academic Publishing International

Rinaldi, A. R. & Purnamasari, S. D. (2023). Simulasi Metaverse Konser Music Virtual Berbasis Roblox. Crakawala, 6(2), 988-1002. https://doi.org/10.52851/cakrawala.v6i2.296

Samarnggoon, K., Wongta, N., Grudpan, S., & Klaynak, K. (2023). Developing a Virtual World for an Open-House Event: A Metaverse Approach. Future Internet, 15(4), 124. https://doi.org/10.3390/fi15040124

Sidorenko B., P., Herranz, J. M. & Cabezuelo L., F. (2024). Comunicación, Globalidad e Influencia en el Metaverso: El Caso Asiático. Barataria, Revista Castellanomanchega de Ciencias Sociales, 35, 39-58. https://doi.org/10.20932/barataria.v0i35.686

Sidorenko & Cabezuelo (2022). Tecnología, comunicación digital y discursos urbanos: las ciudades del metaversi. En. M. J. Ufarte & L. M. Calvo (coords.). Ciudades globales. Diplomacia, sostenibilidad y estrategias de comunicación (pp. 151-172). Comunicación Social

Sidorenko B., P. y Herranz, J. M. (2023, January 5). El metaverso: pasado, presente yfuturo. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/el-metaverso-pasado-presente-y-futuro-197064

Simon, J. P. (2023). The Metaverse: Updating the Internet (Web 3.0) or Just a New Development for Immersive Video Games?. Profesional de la Información, 32(3), e320317. https://doi-org/10.3145/epi.2023.may.17

Singh, D., & Pillai, S. (2022). Implementation of digital marketing strategy in the Gaming industry. Institute of electrical electronics engineers. https://doi.org/10.1109/dasa54658.2022.9765259

Syas, M., & Yahsy, U. S. (2023). Komodifikasi Users pada Platform Game Online Roblox. Jurnal InterAct, 11(2), 98–109. https://doi.org/10.25170/interact.v11i2.3748

Taylor, P. (2012). The challenge facing word city network analysis. GaWC Research Bulletin, 409.

Turner, A. (2015). Generation Z: technology and social interest. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 71(2), 103-113

Vanolo, A. (2017). City branding: The ghostly politics of representation in globalising cities. Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/fgtr

We Are Social & Meltwater (2023). Digital 2023 Global Overview Report. https://wearesocial.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Digital-2023-Global-Overview-Report.pdf

YPulse (2022, March 15). Here’s what Gen Z & Millennials are buying in the metaverse. https://bit.ly/36Arrws

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case Study: Research and Applications. SAGE Publications.

Published

2025-02-07

How to Cite

Sidorenko Bautista, P. (2025). Latin America in the Roblox Metaverse: UGC, City branding and Soft Power. Street Art & Urban Creativity, 11(1), 219–236. https://doi.org/10.62161/sauc.v11.5676

Issue

Section

Research articles