Magnum Anti-Metaverse Campaign Aims to Promote a More Pleasurable Life
Partnering with neuroscientists, the beloved ice cream brand shares its best tips for living a more fulfilled and balanced existence in an increasingly digital world.
Magnum, the beloved ice cream brand known for launching the first premium hand-held ice cream for adults in 1989 has declared that the pleasure derived from its sweet treats is “not available in the metaverse.”
The statement comes as part of a campaign to bring awareness to health and mental wellness in an era of rapidly advancing technology and unparalleled exposure to it on a daily basis.
As part of the campaign, the brand put together a short film that follows its main subject Luna through what appears to be an average day in a dystopian metaverse — where symbolically, she puts on a virtual reality headset to escape the bleak reality she finds herself in.
Once the headset is on, Luna is transported to a world that looks more like ours, where she then boards a Magnum-branded train car and is immediately offered a classic chocolate ice cream — although, when Luna attempts to eat the treat, she soon realizes that it’s not possible.
Seemingly disappointed and frustrated Luna throws the headset into a sofa, proceeds to stare out of a window, and smirks as the text “not available in the metaverse” comes into the frame.
The short film is just one small part of the campaign however and is meant to grab the attention of viewers. As part of its bigger mission, Magnum partnered with mental well-being neuroscientist Dr. Jack Lewis to create a 20-point guide for enjoying pleasure both on and offline.
After Magnum UK conducted research on 2,000 people between the ages of 18 and 34, it found that one in ten have concerns about setting boundaries on and offline, while over half shared that they are worried about the amount of time they spend online.
The Magnum Pleasure Guide explores easy-to-follow tips and tricks aimed at helping people find balance in their now routine virtual lives, in turn amplifying their ability to experience pleasure through increased well-being.
Dr. Jack Lewis’s top tips for a pleasurable life include taking a 10-minute break from screens every hour, participating in ‘eye yoga,’ limiting social media to one to two hours daily, not binge-watching TV, and banning phones, tablets, and laptops from the bedroom.
According to Magnum’s research, the average person in the UK currently spends four hours sitting in the same place whilst using the Internet, without even a single trip to the bathroom or a food and drink break. Additionally, one in nine subjects admitted to spending eight hours or more stuck in the same position whilst staring at a screen.
“The virtual world has its own appeal, but nothing quite compares to the joys of the real world,” said Dr. Jack Lewis, adding “that is why I have worked with Magnum to curate my top tips for living your most pleasurable life both on and offline. Whether you take a break from screens, try yoga exercises for your eyes, or avoid that tempting ‘watch the next episode’ button, I hope these guidelines help you strike that elusive, sought-after balance between your virtual and physical life.”
While the campaign does come across as anti-metaverse, it is more so a call for balance. Magnum believes that “a day without pleasure is a day lost”, and that everyone should be able to pursue what brings them pleasure — be that the virtual world or reality.
As technology continues to advance and our lives become increasingly digital, Magnum highlights the importance to strike a balance between online and offline activities and reminds us to enjoy life’s pleasures fully.
The complete list of tips provided in the Magnum Pleasure Guide is available here.
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