UAE|NFT
Details:
Brand: UAE|NFT (even though they represent a nation, this is definitely a branding effort)
Launch Date: 12/4/21
Product: From Desert to Mars
Website: https://uaenft.io/
Marketplace: Different page for each NFT on Opensea.io
Short Story:
Quoting from the website: “From Desert To Mars” is a specially commissioned NFT collection project from UAE|NFT, an Emirates-based NFT art collection. As a UAE-based collection it chose to showcase the work created by seven NFT artists.
I’m highlighting this project because 1) it’s a bit different than the 2 previous projects I’ve covered here and 2) it’s timely (please visit uaenft.io and claim your free nft before reading further).
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the UAE, UAE|NFT (surely funded by the government of the Emirates in some form) commissioned 7 diverse artists to create artistic NFTs. Fans of the work (or the UAE?) can visit the webpage and claim mints of the NFTs for just the price of gas. Gas is the fee that the Ethereum blockchain charges for a transaction. This fee can vary but as of this morning it cost me about $40 in gas per mint.
Each of the 7 NFTs are from a series of 1971 (the date of the UAE’s founding).
What Happened:
Minting is about 50% done as of this writing, but the site works smoothly and speaks directly to the users.
My Take:
The first two projects I covered in this Medium involved brands selling a series of images related to their own IP to customers. This is a very familiar world to licensors, and puts the brand’s customers in the familiar role of consumer (and speculator).
The UAE|NFT project hints at some of the Public Relations/Promotions type activities that are available in the NFT world.
First of all, these are free to claim. While NFTs are undoubtedly a future profit center for brands in some capacity, they also give brands the opportunity to provide free (or nearly free) positive experiences to their fans.
Secondly, rather than leaning too hard on its own identity, the UAE used this campaign to highlight a diverse international artist base and bring them to light.
Third, these NFTs are serialized, where are all the same except for the serial number (like lithographs). Rather than having 100k computer generated NFTs like the Matrix (some of which look mighty funky), this project focused on 7 quality works touching on a theme.
As I cover this world of NFTs, I want to make sure that marketers realize there are limitless opportunities to engage with consumers, as long as we bring creativity and engagement to the forefront of all we do.
