Boom, just like that, media dynamo Paris Hilton has set the digital world on fire again, but this time, she’s cashing in big time without the usual billboard or TV spot. Hilton’s recent venture into Roblox with her “Slivingland” experience has pulled in a staggering equivalent of $60 million in traditional ad bucks. That’s right, without plastering her face on every corner of your city, she’s raked in the attention of over 3.2 million users from the launch in August 2023 up to February 2024. For anyone thinking digital playgrounds like Roblox are just kid stuff, Hilton’s laughing all the way to the virtual bank.
The Nitty-Gritty of Virtual Success
Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts of how Hilton’s digital domain achieved what most ad campaigns can only dream of. Partnering with her own powerhouse, 11:11 Media, and the brains at the metaverse research think tank Geeiq, they’ve dissected the phenomenon in a detailed 42-page autopsy of Roblox’s advertising prowess. For those out of the loop, Roblox isn’t just some online hangout; it’s a juggernaut with over 71 million daily visitors as of the last quarter of 2023. And with a reported revenue leap to $2,799.3 million in 2023, this platform isn’t playing games – well, not just games.
Slivingland carved out a sweet 2.6% slice of Roblox’s total media equivalency pie last year, thanks to a killer TikTok campaign that went viral. It’s clear the experience wasn’t just thrown together; it was meticulously crafted as a perpetual party spot for Hilton aficionados worldwide. Fashion takes center stage because, let’s face it, expressing your avatar’s style is half the fun on Roblox. This aligns perfectly with what the Roblox community eats up: avatar customization and the freedom to be whoever you want to be.
During just a two-month window at the tail end of 2023, Slivingland peddled close to half a million emotes, each going for 100 Robux (that’s Roblox’s currency, for the uninitiated). With 100 Robux translating to roughly $1.25, depending on how you buy it, the math starts to get interesting. Though the specifics of Hilton’s cut from these sales are hush-hush, it’s not rocket science to see there’s serious coin being made.
Beyond the Virtual Velvet Rope
Paris Hilton isn’t new to the Roblox rodeo. Back in October 2021, she unveiled “Paris World” on the platform, quickly crowning herself the “Queen of the Metaverse” in a candid chat with CNN. Not content with ruling just one digital domain, she spread her virtual empire to include a romance-themed venture in The Sandbox right in time for Valentine’s Day 2023. “Parisland” was pitched as a hybrid of VR dating and reality TV dating shows, blending the lines between digital and physical interactions in ways only Hilton could envision.
This metaverse maven’s influence extends beyond just creating immersive experiences; she’s also putting her money where her mouth is. In September 2023, Hilton’s 11:11 Media joined forces with heavyweight investors like Andreessen Horowitz to inject $54 million into Story Protocol, a blockchain initiative aimed at redefining intellectual property ownership in the digital age.
