Music industry pioneer, Tony Barnes, is helping to launch music artists and brands into the metaverse. Karta is making the metaverse accessible and effective for artists and labels.
London, UK - March 2023 Karta, a fast-growing metaverse studio pioneering the world of in-game experiential marketing for musicians, brands and sports teams, has announced ex-Virgin EMI Records senior director and music industry veteran Tony Barnes as its co-founder.
Founded in 2021 by Barnes and CEO Erik Londré, Karta helps connect brands with billions of people that inhabit the world’s most popular video games and virtual worlds. The startup is on a mission to make the metaverse accessible and effective for all brands across all platforms. Since its launch, Karta has delivered successful projects across Roblox and Fortnite for the likes of Amazon Music, Fnatic, Unilever and Ronald McDonald House. Karta recently built the first persistent fan hub on Roblox for female K-Pop megastars TWICE, in collaboration with JYP Entertainment, Republic Records and Universal Music Group.
Hailing from a stellar 18-year career in music, Barnes is widely regarded as a digital-marketing pioneer. As an early torchbearer for streaming platforms, Tony devised award-winning digital strategies, introduced influencer marketing to music campaigns and was among the first music execs to collaborate with and champion Tiktok. Rising to senior digital positions at Universal Music, Virgin EMI and Hipgnosis, he’s worked on campaigns for hundreds of artists including global superstars Queen, Katy Perry, Sir Elton John, Shakira, Kanye West, Florence & The Machine and Halsey, as well as dance music legends Avicii, David Guetta, Tiesto and Eric Prydz. He also helped to launch the careers of artists such as Emeli Sande, Jonas Blue and James Bay, and played a key role in the success of Swedish House Mafia. Furthermore, Tony is a forward-thinker who chaired the 2020 Brit Awards Digital Committee which smashed previous online records and brokered the first deal between Tiktok and the BRITs, heavily featuring Lewis Capaldi.
Music industry pioneer, Tony Barnes, is helping to launch music artists and brands into the metaverse
Karta is making the metaverse accessible and effective for artists and labels
London, UK - March 2023 Karta, a fast-growing metaverse studio pioneering the world of in-game experiential marketing for musicians, brands and sports teams, has announced ex-Virgin EMI Records senior director and music industry veteran Tony Barnes as its co-founder.
Founded in 2021 by Barnes and CEO Erik Londré, Karta helps connect brands with billions of people that inhabit the world’s most popular video games and virtual worlds. The startup is on a mission to make the metaverse accessible and effective for all brands across all platforms. Since its launch, Karta has delivered successful projects across Roblox and Fortnite for the likes of Amazon Music, Fnatic, Unilever and Ronald McDonald House. Karta recently built the first persistent fan hub on Roblox for female K-Pop megastars TWICE, in collaboration with JYP Entertainment, Republic Records and Universal Music Group.
Hailing from a stellar 18-year career in music, Barnes is widely regarded as a digital-marketing pioneer. As an early torchbearer for streaming platforms, Tony devised award-winning digital strategies, introduced influencer marketing to music campaigns and was among the first music execs to collaborate with and champion Tiktok. Rising to senior digital positions at Universal Music, Virgin EMI and Hipgnosis, he’s worked on campaigns for hundreds of artists including global superstars Queen, Katy Perry, Sir Elton John, Shakira, Kanye West, Florence & The Machine and Halsey, as well as dance music legends Avicii, David Guetta, Tiesto and Eric Prydz. He also helped to launch the careers of artists such as Emeli Sande, Jonas Blue and James Bay, and played a key role in the success of Swedish House Mafia. Furthermore, Tony is a forward-thinker who chaired the 2020 Brit Awards Digital Committee which smashed previous online records and brokered the first deal between Tiktok and the BRITs, heavily featuring Lewis Capaldi.
Tony Barnes, co-founder of Karta, commented: “Erik and I started Karta with a simple mission - to help artists and brands connect with the vast number of people that are playing and socialising in video games and virtual worlds. Over the past few years we have witnessed the growing momentum in cross-industry collaboration between gaming and music, for example, starting with Marshmello’s unpredictable success in 2019 with the first Fortnite in-game concert, which became the cornerstone that led to other in-game activations from Travis Scott, Lil Nas X, Ariana Grande and many more. But we see a world beyond one-off activations, where artists can harness the metaverse as an evergreen channel to grow and connect with their community. I am so excited to continue building Karta alongside Erik and our incredible team of passionate music lovers and life-long gamers.”
With Tony’s valuable music industry knowledge, he aims to help create unforgettable experiences for brands to immerse themselves into the metaverse space. Karta approaches every challenge with a marketers mindset and proves that the metaverse isn’t a temporary farce; it’s the real deal that delivers real world, tangible results. Backed by decades of experience across music and gaming, Karta identifies key trends to challenge the way artists deliver exciting in-game activations to their audience.
Erik Londré, CEO and founder of Karta added: “The metaverse isn’t a vision of the future, it’s happening right now, and Karta is here to connect artists with their audience and bring them closer than ever before. It is the most exciting collision of music, art, youth culture and technology and we have just scraped the surface of what this will offer the music industry. So having Tony, an incredible marketer and creative that knows the world of music inside and out is extremely valuable, to us but more importantly - our clients.”
Karta is a metaverse studio that helps brands, artists and sports teams connect with the billions of people that inhabit the world’s most popular virtual worlds. With a marketer mindset and over 50 years of experience in gaming, music and esports, Karta has carved a new, accessible and effective way for brands to build long-term presence and achieve real tangible success within the metaverse.
The London-based company was founded in July 2021 by ex-Fnatic Erik Londré and music business veteran Tony Barnes.
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K-pop girl group TWICE are headed to the online game platform Roblox for the launch of their very own virtual world.
Called TWICE Square, the new online world takes strong inspiration from the music video of the girl group’s 2018 single ‘Yes Or Yes’. Here, fans will be able to play two mini-games: an escape room called ‘Set Me Free’ – also the title of their upcoming single – and a timed trivia challenge.
The virtual world will also allow fans to trade, collect and buy items inspired by the girl group’s looks. These include plushies, digital clothing and accessories, as well as emotes that are based on TWICE’s various popular dances.
He also said the girl group plan to release new content for TWICE Square throughout the year, alongside virtual visits by the members themselves. “They’re hoping that their fans treat the space as a hangout and an information source for all things TWICE,” he added.
There’s a TWICE Roblox game coming to hype up the next EP from the k-pop girl group, with plenty of ways to style yourself after your favourite member.
K-poppers, rejoice! There’s a TWICE Roblox game out today to hype up the forthcoming EP release from the Korean girl band, inviting you into a world of pitch-perfect pop. TWICE Square is described as the first-ever persistent fan hub on Roblox, with the whole experience dedicated to players’ adoration for the nine-piece outfit.
Thanks to Billboard’s exclusive reveal of TWICE Square, we know that you can leave notes behind for members of the band to read, offering a way for the ONCE – the TWICE fandom, if you don’t know – to contact the much-loved artists. There’s also age-verified voice chat, so all the biggest fans can discuss tracks from the upcoming EP together.
Fans of South Korean girl group Twice have a new digital hang out in Roblox. In celebration of their new EP Ready to Be, which drops on Friday, the group has collaborated with the global gaming platform to create "Twice Square."
The design takes strong inspiration from the group's "Yes or Yes" music video,(Opens in a new tab) replicating entire sections of the video's set, right down to the popcorn machine. Fans can collect plushies and buy Twice-inspired digital clothing and accessories. I snagged myself a white and pink sweat set, purple crown, and Twice light stick. Emotes inspired by the group's dance moves are also available.
According to Billboard(Opens in a new tab), Twice members themselves will be making appearances in Twice Square, and a part of the map called "Twice Pier" has yet to open. (Its grand opening is slated for March 24, member Mina's birthday.)
TWICE Square allows the group’s dedicated fanbase to connect with other fans virtually.
TWICE has confirmed that it will open their own dedicated world in Roblox. Billboard exclusively reported that, “TWICE is introducing an immersive virtual world, TWICE Square, on Roblox as the first-ever persistent fan hub on the global gaming platform with millions of users worldwide.”
In their reporting, Billboard also reveals that the universe is, “Built by metaverse-focused brand agency Karta…The initiative marks the first-of-its-kind for TWICE’s different label partners of JYP Entertainment, Imperial, Republic Records, and Universal Music Group.”
TWICE Square allows the group’s dedicated fanbase–known as ONCE–to connect with other fans virtually and even the group itself. Visitors to the space can leave notes on display for the TWICE members, take selfies to share on social media, and age-verified users can utilize a voice chat function.
Twice are one of the K-Pop groups plotting a path to global stardom in the wake of BTS and Blackpink’s worldwide success. The latest part of Twice’s masterplan is a Roblox experience called Twice Square.
It’s a partnership between JYP Entertainment, Imperial, Republic Records and UMG, with the development work handled by metaverse agency Karta.
The experience has already gone live here, and will offer fans a blend of dancing, plushie collecting and games – including an escape room designed to be played with friends – with an in-world virtual merch store too.
TWICE is set to make Roblox their home as the K-pop girl group prepares to launch its dedicated world ahead of the release of their highly anticipated EP "Ready to Be" this week.
According to Billboard, TWICE will launch its virtual environment, TWICE Square, on Roblox on Tuesday (March 8), elevating the fan experience to new heights.
This venture, created by the metaverse-focused brand firm Karta, represents an unprecedented partnership between four label partners: JYP Entertainment, Imperial, Republic Records, and Universal Music Group.
For millions of users globally, this will be the first-ever fan center on the global gaming platform.
TWICE Square is the ideal location for ONCEs, TWICE's devoted fanbase, to interact with one another and the group. The room is decorated in the band's characteristic colors, creating a lively environment for visitors to write comments and take photographs.
Furthermore, age-verified users can use a voice chat tool to communicate directly with TWICE.
'TWICE Square' is the interactive virtual destination boasting mini games, voice chat & digital items where fans can leave messages for the K-pop group.
While TWICE is gearing up for the release of their highly anticipated new EP Ready to Be this week, the K-pop girl group will first open their own dedicated world in Roblox.
Billboard can exclusively share that on Tuesday (March 8), TWICE is introducing an immersive virtual world, TWICE Square, on Roblox as the first-ever persistent fan hub on the global gaming platform with millions of users worldwide. Built by metaverse studio Karta, the initiative marks the first-of-its-kind for TWICE’s different label partners of JYP Entertainment, Imperial, Republic Records, and Universal Music Group.
Decorated in TWICE’s signature colors through the years, TWICE Square allows the group’s dedicated fanbase — known affectionately as ONCE — to connect with other fans virtually and even the group itself. Visitors to the space can leave notes on display for the TWICE members, take selfies to share on social media, and age-verified users can utilize a voice chat function.
