Creating a metaverse internship for our network, the first of its kind
or: How we built 4 unique metaverse experiences in 9 weeks
TLDR
• We hired four global interns
• We sent them to build in the Metaverse
• They created in Roblox, Horizon Worlds, Spatial, and AltspaceVR
Earlier this summer, we hired interns. Now these creators weren’t brought in to brew coffee, pick up lunch, or stuff envelopes — they were selected from a pool of hundreds to build on platforms where the proverbial paint was still wet. To find our four candidates, we lit up job boards, tapped Discord channels, tipped streamers, and ultimately landed picks from around the nation and across the Atlantic. We were recruiting for jobs that didn’t exist — but this article isn’t about human resources, so let’s get to their work.
Our Metaverse Internship team consisted of Juan Diego Torres — a Digital Animation & Interactive Media MFA from The Ohio State University, Sarah Kim and Jingyuan Kang of Carnegie Mellon’s M.E.T. program (shout out to #Carnegiemellon on landing two candidates), and Joshua Igwe, a freshly minted Digital Futures grad of OCAD University. Each brought unique skills and talents, so we gave them some wide guidelines and let them loose in the Metaverse.
Their assignment: 1) pick a platform, 2) sell us on a Betterverse concept (our framework for health and wellness brands in the Metaverse [below]) and most importantly, 3) build on that platform — real dev, no decks. We were surprised to see that The Sandbox and Decentraland didn’t make the cut, but excited to see how Roblox, Spatial, AltspaceVR, and Horizon Worlds would get better by way of Havas Health & You.
MetaHealth: A new line of healthcare centered in the Metaverse, including digital and 1–1 touchpoints to make high-quality and immersive care accessible to patients.
MetaCope: Traditional IRL therapies help people struggling with pain and mental health issues cope, but immersive therapies are shipping to AR/VR as an accessible and viable alternative.
MetaLearn: Immersive learning is proving to be more interactive, accessible, and impactful — in the Metaverse, VR tech is already improving retention and proving its effectiveness.
MetaConnect: A new connected process of daily habits where our social behaviors live within blurred lines of physical and digital worlds and impact our comprehensive selves.
Okay, so nine weeks, four interns, platforms, and projects later — what did our team end up creating? Well, let’s show you the work starting with…
The Missing Museum on Roblox
Juan Diego told us about lessons he wished he learned instead of the Pythagorean theorem. Practical learnings like finance, mental health, and first aid, only for kids. He sold us on the idea of an approachable edu space built for everyone, and we loved it.
The Missing Museum was built on Roblox as it’s the most user-friendly platform (opinion) and because its virtual clothing and collectibles could draw players into the space. With the Museum built for informational transparency and each lesson a mini-challenge (starting with financial wellness), education took on a pretty playful bend — learn for yourself.
“The chance to build on emerging Metaverse platforms and the 1:1 mentorships were extremely valuable.”*
Eclipse on Spatial
Sarah’s pitch was to create an exhibition space in the Metaverse. An upscale venue users could access through their mobile device, laptop, or VR headset. A place to explore curated answers for all questions surrounding wellness. She came up with Eclipse.
Built on Spatial using Maya, Blender, and Unity, she created interactive rooms dedicated to nutrition, fitness, sleep, and individual support. Eclipse allows for live events, talks, and workshops — Sarah already featured an influencer in the space to launch the community. Eclipse is open, jump in.
“I’m glad to have experienced client work! I was not expecting to be client-facing and it was very exciting.”
Chronic Escape Room on AltspaceVR
Joshua wanted to create an immersive experience visualizing how small decisions can impact our health in big ways. Starting with diet, exercise, and carcinogens, his plan was to warn users how each action could trigger long-term chronic issues.
To make the experience VR-centric but still accessible via desktop, Joshua chose Microsoft’s AltspaceVR. He constructed three interactive maze-like rooms to set the perfect backdrop for a digital escape room, educating users away from an unhealthy lifestyle. Give it a run-through.
Play on AltspaceVR, search ‘DMA766’ in app
“I learned how to articulate ideas for mass consumption, collaborate, gained more insight into creative, advertising, branding through the lens of health and wellness.*”
Vibe Chamber on Horizon Worlds
Jingyuan wanted full immersion and interactivity above all. He came to us with Vibe Chamber, a virtual space built to ease life’s daily stressors. Accessible only through VR, he based his experience on three proven therapies and techniques that could help relieve non-clinical crisis.
Inside the Vibe Chamber, Break Room let users smash imaginary objects in rage room–style, Screen Serene utilized Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapies, guiding people into relaxation, and Doodling Away turned to Art Therapy, allowing users to visualize what’s on their mind. Jingyuan designed his entire experience to soothe people away from stress. Give it your mind.
Play on Horizon Worlds, search ‘Vibe Chamber’ in app
“I feel set for success after these 9 weeks.*”
Synopsis
Ultimately, we built four unique experiences for four different audiences across four very different platforms. All of the creatives, strategists, producers, and beyond at Mango got to provide tips and feedback along the route that really polished these experiences into larger ideas, while helping the next generation of creative talent shape how they pitch, and even learn a little bit more about advertising, design, art direction, copywriting, strategy, health, wellness, and much more.
While The First Metaverse Internship Program in the World Presented by Havas Health & You has come to a close, keep an eye out next year for new openings because you can bet we’re gonna run it back.
Thanks for the read, follow Havas Mango on Medium, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Or just send a “hello” to hey-mango@havas.com.
Don’t forget to check out our interns as well!
• Juan Diego Torres’s portfolio and LinkedIn
• Sarah Kim’s portfolio and LinkedIn
• Joshua Iwge’s portfolio and LinkedIn
• Jingyuan Kang’s portfolio and LinkedIn
* All intern statements were submitted anonymously, their placements were random and have no bearing on who said what — but all was said nonetheless.
