Steak-umm Has Just Launched Its Own University in the Metaverse to Tackle Misinformation

As if misinformation wasn't bad enough on social media, now it's entering the metaverse. And with election season a prime time for the spread of false news, Steak-umm has expanded its commitment to being 100% real with a first for the metaverse.

From AOR Tombras, Steak-umm launched the Meataversity of Steak-umm on November 7th, ahead of the midterm elections, with the goal of bringing its fight against misinformation and disinformation to the newest corner of the web: Decentraland. And no, the irony that hardly anyone is actually using the Metaverse is not lost on Steak-umm. In fact, that makes it the best time to solve the issue before too many people join and the misinformation accelerates. 

“We’ve spent the last 10 months working closely with Tombras to explore and expand what ‘100% Real’ means,” said Morgan Santoro, Director of Marketing, Quaker Maid Meats. “Every brand wants to be a part of culture, and for Steak-umm that means being a voice of reason. With Meataversity we’re continuing that process by letting the real world drive the end result, and creating something there’s a real need for. That’s a rare opportunity, and we’re happy to fill the gap.”  

As the first to fight misinformation in the Metaverse, Steak-umm built the Meataversity of Steak-umm in Decentraland with the goal of teaching people to critically think and navigate the complexities of the metaverse with healthy skepticism.

“This activation is an intuitive expression of what Steak-umm has grown into, in a space that is already becoming the next playground for misinformation and disinformation,” said Dooley Tombras, President, Tombras. “The absurdity of a brand playing this role is not lost on us, but if our approach is engaging enough to bring people good information, that is a worthwhile reason to do it.” 

Once a user enters the Meataversity of Steak-umm, they are greeted by a friendly non-playable character who gives them an overview on how to earn their own B.S...in Misinformation Studies.

Next, the user is immersed in the academic experience and ushered into the:

- Lecture Hall: Here, a pre-recorded four-chapter lecture on misinformation, how to think through it, and the impact it will make on the world in regards to the upcoming election will be given by Professor Ummeritus. Once the lecture is complete, a quiz will be given to test the user’s knowledge. Upon completion of the quiz, users will receive their very own NFT diploma. 

- Cafeteria: Here, the user can scan a QR Code that will give them a coupon code for a free box of Steak-umm.

- Bookstore: Users are gifted NFT wearables for their avatar including a boxhead with a graduate cap and a Meataversity of Steak-umm T-shirt with the school crest

Developed by Tombras and their new CTO Juan Tubert, Chief Technology Officer (formerly of R/GA), at the helm, this isn’t the first time the brand has been outspoken on disinformation and misinformation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Steak-umm was hailed as a “misinformation watchdog,” tweeting to followers to question news sources and ensure they are getting accurate information.   

Free entry to the Meataversity of Steak-umm can be gained through the website, and you can see more about it on the brand’s social media pages, including Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.

Serving as AOR since early 2022, Tombras’ first work for the brand brought Steak-umm's voice to life via a personified version of the packaging, and has been driving awareness across a wider audience since. In May, the brand introduced quick-to-sell-out Beef Sheets, actual queen sized bed sheets allowing beef curious vegans—and other meatless eaters—to experience Steak-umm.