Nissan Makes a Move into Web3 with New Trademarks, Tests Car Sales in the Metaverse
Nissan, a Japanese carmaker, has joined the trend of increasing its Web3 initiatives by submitting four new trademarks related to Web3 in the United States.
The trademarks are for Nissan’s brands, including Infiniti, Nismo, and Nissan, as stated in the trademark applications submitted to the USPTO on March 7.
In addition, Nissan’s Japan division is exploring the possibility of selling cars in the metaverse.
Nissan’s recent filings with the USPTO reveal their intention to venture into the virtual world by creating virtual items such as clothing, cars, headgear, trading cards, toys, and tickets.
They are also planning to establish a nonfungible token (NFT) marketplace for trading and minting NFTs.
Additionally, Nissan is planning to offer metaverse advertising services and other forms of entertainment services such as online video, images, artwork, tickets, audio, sounds, music, and trading cards.
They will also have a website that provides information on Nissan’s proposed NFTs and how they will function.
The company also plans to provide “non-downloadable computer software for use as a digital wallet,” as mentioned in the filing.
Nissan Japan recently announced that it is conducting a three-month demonstration of its virtual store called “Nissan Hype Lab” where customers can explore, study, test drive, and even purchase Nissan vehicles while in the metaverse.
The experiment aims to examine new sales methods for cars, according to Cointelegraph.
The virtual storefront is accessible 24/7 through a PC or smartphone, allowing customers to create their own customized avatars and interact with virtual sales staff during certain hours.
As per the announcement, customers can even order their desired car and finalize purchase contracts through this virtual sales office. The trial runs from March 8 to June 30.
It is worth noting that in October 2022, Nissan filed five trademark applications for some of its prominent car models, including the Skyline, Z, and GTR.
Trademark attorney Mike Kondoudis speculated that these filings indicated the company’s plans for NFT-backed media, online NFT marketplaces, digital wallets, NFT minting, trading, and storing software.
General Motors also filed trademark applications in February 2022, covering their Chevrolet and Cadillac brands.
Similarly, Ford Motor Company filed 19 trademark applications across its major car brands in September 2022, preparing to enter the world of NFTs and the metaverse.
Despite the ongoing crypto winter and bear market, multinational corporations are still pursuing trademark applications for Web3, crypto, NFTs, and the metaverse.
Kondoudis noted that there were record numbers of trademark applications for NFTs, metaverse, and crypto-related products in 2022.
