Odds are, you’ve heard the name Meta recently. You’ve probably even seen the strange (and unsettling?) video ad circulating TVs and computers everywhere. But what does all of that have to do with Facebook?
If you’ve been asking yourself that, you’re not alone. Even we have been wondering what the talking jungle animals have to do with Facebook. But aside from that, we can walk you through everything else you need to know about this recent rebrand.
What Does Meta Mean?
Let’s start off with what the word itself actually means. “Meta” comes from the Greek word μετά, which has a lot of meanings — “with,” “after,” “alongside” and even “change.” As with most words in the English language, “meta” eventually developed a unique meaning.
Coined in 1992 by Neal Stephenson in Snow Crash, the term “metaverse” has recently grown in popularity. There’s no explicitly defined definition. But ultimately, it represents a universe parallel to ours that is based in a digital platform. We know that’s some deep, techy jargon, but bear with us. For companies like Meta, this is how they see the future of the internet.
Does Facebook Still Exist?
The app on your phone is still called Facebook, and that’s not going anywhere. The parent company that owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus VR and others rebranded to Meta. All of the individual companies are still the same, but part of Meta’s “metaverse,” so to speak.
This is common practice in the tech industry. Just think back on when Google rebranded back in 2015, creating the parent company Alphabet. There are several similarities between the two. Both are powerhouses in their tech fields, and both rebranded with parent companies with almost no warning.
How is a Metaverse Different from the Internet?
Basically, the name metaverse is a way to differentiate the two. The hopes for the metaverse are vastly different from the internet as we know it today, so the powers-that-be wanted a unique descriptor to set it apart. Also, it’s a great way to get investors, the media and everyday users excited about what the future holds!
Want to Learn More?
While this was a quick overview of the Facebook-Meta rebrand, we can talk about this stuff all day. And we’d love to talk about it with you! Reach out today to learn all about social media marketing, the industry as a whole and more.
