Blockchain powers digital agency’s next-generation marketing campaigns
How do NFTs boost brands’ marketing efforts?
By way of answer, Mike Coner, CEO of white-glove web3 marketing agency Automatic Slims, gives me an example.
“So, this is Yankee Kicks,” he says, showing me a picture of a storefront. “They’re a sneaker retailer. They launched a new store in New York City in December which, of course, not everybody in the world could go to. So we took their designs for the store and made a virtual version of it in the metaverse. We added social media links, lifestyle content, and a sizzle reel. Then, for the folks who attended the New York opening virtually through the digital store, we created an NFT.”
That NFT was the Yankee Kicks Mystery Box. Those who purchased it at the virtual opening also received an order form to their email address for a physical pair of sneakers.
“We send that order to Yankee Kicks,” explains Coner. “They pick it, pack it and ship it to your doorstep. We’ve just sold you something virtual [the NFT] in an online metaverse store, and then we’ve delivered a physical product authenticated on [certification platform] Blockticity.”
“So that’s how we’re activating brands in the Metaverse.”
Web3 is changing marketing
Automatic Slims is one of a number of agencies seizing on the many marketing opportunities for brands in web3. Their creative designs & immersive activations showcase the power of seamlessly integrating the virtual and physical worlds in innovative ways.
“We show brands, events and influencers how to make money in the metaverse,” Coner summarizes.
That means orchestrating promotional events, utilizing NFTs, running social media campaigns and leveraging the consumer metadata collected on the blockchain. “We amplify what you’re already doing [in marketing] and prepare you for the web3 future.”
Automatic Slims on Decentraland
Their virtual platform of choice is Decentraland, the online 3D game world that anyone can explore with nothing more than an internet browser. The Decentraland world is well-populated by the virtual spaces of e-commerce brands, including a “four-story marketplace” that Automatic Slims built.
“We do this for all types of different brands,” says Coner. “Everybody gets two stores. They get the Decentraland store to showcase their products in 3D. Then, if you click on something, you’re going to go to the traditional web2 Shopify store, and that’s where you’re going to buy something - an NFT that goes into your digital wallet.”
That NFT, usually linked to a physical product, or else to exclusive perks and benefits, can be sent directly to a customer’s email address - a process handled by Venly - alongside an order form for any related physical products.
Heating up Shopify NFTs
Coner has plenty of other examples of brands that Automatic Slims has worked with, using the latest technology to turbo-charge their marketing.
“We actually did an activation for Shopify where they asked us to drive people from the video game to a physical store in New York. So we minted 50 NFTs for free on Venly.”
They also organized an event at Shopify HQ in New York for Shopify store Heatonist Hot Sauce, attended by well-known New York tattooist and illustrator Henbo Henning.
“You go to the activation and you show Henbo your NFT, for which he will draw you a picture that goes up on social media.”
Fans traveled from far and wide to the event with their Heatonist NFTs, ready to win their Henbo drawing. The entire thing was live-streamed from within Decentraland.
“We get brand awareness directly within Decentraland. We can be promoted across their social media, which is over a million followers.”
Blockchain Customer Data
Added on top of the customer engagement that comes from Automatic Slim’s digital activations, there is another powerful reason for brands to be interested in what web3 technology has to offer.
“The most important thing is web3 consumer metadata,” explains Coner. Due to the openly accessible nature of blockchain data storage, a wealth of information on potential customers is immediately available. “For anybody that steps onto our [virtual] property during the event, we collect all their consumer information on-chain and give you a web3 consumer profile [that shows] the types of virtual environments they’re going into, the types of digital currencies they carry, what they’re buying. Anything they are doing on blockchain, we can show you.”
This comprehensive web3 consumer metadata empowers brands to gain deeper insights into their target audience and make data-driven marketing decisions. By understanding customers' virtual behaviors, preferences, and transactional patterns, brands can tailor their product offerings, personalize marketing campaigns, and optimize customer experiences, ultimately driving better results in the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce.
Working with Venly
To facilitate smooth transactions and seamlessly onboard customers into web3, Automatic Slims has integrated Venly’s wallet services and Shopify Plugin. Venly's digital wallets enable web2 consumers to effortlessly participate in the Decentraland activations and purchase physical product-linked NFT, which are automatically generated by Venly and sent to the customer’s email.
“We chose Venly because they have scalable products,” said Coner. “Including the auto-generating digital wallet that allows us to help web2 clients incentivize their audience to begin to activate in a web3 experience.”
The experience of Automatic Slims shows the power and accessibility of Venly’s suite of web3 tools and applications. Marketers can look to their example to see how easily blockchain technology can be integrated into traditional digital marketing campaigns. Brands, meanwhile, would do well to follow the work the agency does with its clients for inspiration on the most effective new marketing strategies for the digital-native generations.
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Automatic Slims and Venly are at the forefront of revolutionizing marketing strategies and commerce through their partnership in the Metaverse. By activating brands in immersive virtual experiences, tracking physical products through the supply chain, and seamlessly integrating Venly's wallet services, Automatic Slims has paved the way for virtual-to-physical transactions and enhanced consumer engagement. As businesses prepare for the future, harnessing the power of the Metaverse and Web3 technologies will be essential in staying ahead of the curve. Automatic Slims and Venly's collaboration serves as a testament to the boundless possibilities that lie ahead in this new digital era.
About Automatic Slims
Automatic Slims is an American lifestyle brand focused on creative designs & immersive activations in the Meta and Physical worlds. We operate a 4 story marketplace in Decentraland and work with Brands, Events and Influencers who are looking to activate experiences for a web3 audience.
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About Venly
Venly is a blockchain technology provider creating tools and products to help companies benefit from blockchain technology. We provide a complete technology stack to bring brands, apps, games and platforms into Web3. We help businesses integrate Web3 technology & onboard users seamlessly. We are making blockchain accessible for everyone.
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