The rise of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) has taken the digital world by storm, with brands across various industries jumping on the bandwagon to leverage their potential. However, the success of an NFT drop doesn’t solely depend on the innovation of the product itself; effective marketing is crucial. One of the most popular and successful ways that brands are marketing their NFT collections is through influencer marketing. By collaborating with influencers, brands can extend their reach, build hype, and create authentic connections with their target audiences. In this blog, we’ll dive into 10 major brands that have successfully promoted their NFT influencer marketing, showcasing their strategies and results.
1. Adidas x Bored Ape Yacht Club
In December 2021, Adidas made waves in the NFT community by launching a collaboration with Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC). The brand partnered with prominent figures in the NFT space, including influencer and BAYC owner, Jimmy McNelis. This move aligned Adidas with one of the most prestigious and talked-about NFT projects. By leveraging influencers within the crypto and fashion spheres, Adidas created buzz around their NFT drop, which included exclusive digital wearables for metaverse platforms like Sandbox.
Influencer marketing played a key role in the success of this drop. Collaborations with major NFT influencers helped Adidas establish a solid presence within the digital art world. Not only did these influencers promote the collection, but they also added authenticity to the campaign by showcasing their own NFT assets and experiences.
Adidas demonstrated that influencer partnerships, particularly within niche communities like NFT art and Web3, can help traditional brands tap into new, digital-first demographics, while also positioning themselves as leaders in the metaverse.
2. Gucci x SuperRare
In 2021, Gucci entered the NFT space by collaborating with the digital art platform SuperRare. This partnership included limited edition Gucci NFTs, designed by a range of prominent digital artists. Influencers like digital art curator, Gremplin, and other key figures in the NFT community were tasked with promoting Gucci’s NFTs on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. These influencers helped elevate the brand’s credibility within the digital art space, which in turn attracted the attention of collectors.
By using influencers who already had a substantial following in the NFT space, Gucci tapped into a community that not only appreciated luxury fashion but also understood the value of NFTs as unique, collectible assets. The campaign was a success, with the collaboration demonstrating the potential of high-end fashion brands entering the NFT market through influencer-led promotion.
This strategic partnership highlights how influencer marketing in the luxury market can blend with emerging technologies like NFTs to foster new ways of engaging with customers.
3. Nike x RTFKT
Nike made a major move into the world of NFTs by acquiring RTFKT, a company known for creating digital fashion, sneakers, and NFTs. One of their most notable collaborations was with influencers to promote the release of their NFT sneaker drops. Nike tapped into the influencer marketing space by working with high-profile figures within the gaming, fashion, and crypto communities.
The company leveraged influencers like Zer0, a gaming content creator, and Maddie, a sneaker culture influencer, to showcase and promote their digital kicks. These influencers were strategically chosen because of their dedicated followings in the metaverse and sneaker culture.
Nike’s influencer marketing strategy worked wonders by creating anticipation and exclusivity around the RTFKT NFT sneaker collections. It helped the brand connect with younger, tech-savvy audiences who were already immersed in the NFT and gaming ecosystems, demonstrating the power of influencer marketing in NFT promotion.
4. Taco Bell x Rarible
Taco Bell entered the NFT space by launching a series of limited-edition NFTs on the Rarible marketplace in March 2021. The brand tapped into the influencer ecosystem by collaborating with content creators and NFT collectors like BoredElonMusk to promote the collection. This influencer-led campaign was successful in creating excitement around Taco Bell's quirky, fun, and lighthearted NFT designs.
Taco Bell’s use of influencers in the promotion of their NFT drop was particularly effective because it was aligned with the brand’s playful and meme-driven social media presence. The partnership with influencers helped Taco Bell reach a broader audience, particularly in the millennial and Gen Z demographics who were already active on platforms like Twitter and Instagram.
Through their influencer marketing strategy, Taco Bell demonstrated that even food brands can successfully tap into the NFT space, utilizing humor and creativity to make a lasting impression on potential buyers.
5. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
WWE’s first foray into NFTs took place in 2021, when they launched an exclusive line of digital collectibles featuring iconic moments from WWE history. To amplify the drop, WWE engaged influencers within the wrestling community, including popular YouTubers and social media personalities like TommyKross and WWEFanZone. These influencers created buzz by sharing WWE’s NFT content and offering exclusive insights into the collection.
By leveraging influencer marketing in the sports and entertainment space, WWE was able to reach fans who had a deep connection to the brand’s history and characters. This strategy made the NFTs feel even more special, as collectors could obtain digital memorabilia that celebrated their favorite moments in wrestling history.
WWE’s successful collaboration with influencers highlighted the ability of sports and entertainment brands to integrate NFTs into their marketing strategies while generating excitement among their fanbase.
6. Coca-Cola x Decentraland
In 2021, Coca-Cola released a series of limited-edition digital fashion NFTs as part of a partnership with Decentraland, a popular metaverse platform. Influencers in the virtual world and fashion communities helped promote these NFTs through their social media channels. Influencers like DCLBlogger, who has a strong following within the Decentraland community, played a key role in showcasing Coca-Cola’s digital fashion collection.
By collaborating with influencers in both the digital art and metaverse spaces, Coca-Cola effectively blended its brand with the growing popularity of virtual worlds. Influencers helped raise awareness around the collection, while their endorsements provided social proof that Coca-Cola’s NFT collection was worth investing in.
This influencer-led campaign helped Coca-Cola tap into new audiences in a space that was previously unexplored for the brand, solidifying its position in the future of digital collectibles.
7. Budweiser x ZED RUN
Budweiser, the global beer brand, entered the NFT market in 2021 by releasing its own collection of digital art. The brand also partnered with ZED RUN, a digital horse racing platform, to promote the launch of its NFT collectibles. Influencers from both the gaming and beer enthusiast communities played an instrumental role in promoting these NFTs across social media platforms.
By partnering with influencers in both the gaming and sports sectors, Budweiser was able to reach a diverse audience that spanned beyond its traditional beer-drinking demographic. The use of influencers helped the brand not only generate buzz around the launch but also fostered a sense of excitement and exclusivity around the collection.
Budweiser’s approach to influencer marketing demonstrated that even legacy brands can break into the NFT space by tapping into gaming and digital art communities.
8. Sony x Bored Ape Yacht Club
Sony entered the NFT space by teaming up with the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) to release limited-edition digital assets. They worked with several high-profile influencers in the NFT and gaming worlds, like MikeThePanda, to showcase their exclusive NFTs on Twitter and Instagram. These influencers added credibility to Sony’s NFT release by endorsing the unique art and offering personalized experiences for their followers.
By strategically collaborating with influencers who were already heavily involved in the NFT ecosystem, Sony positioned itself as a forward-thinking brand that embraced the intersection of entertainment, technology, and digital art.
9. Pepsi x VeeFriends
Pepsi made its debut in the NFT market by launching a limited collection of digital collectibles in partnership with Gary Vaynerchuk’s VeeFriends project. The campaign saw the involvement of high-profile influencers like GaryVee, who promoted the Pepsi VeeFriends collection through his personal channels. Pepsi leveraged these influencers to highlight the unique design and collectibility of their NFTs, which were also linked to exclusive perks.
Through influencer collaborations, Pepsi successfully engaged its audience in the growing NFT space, combining its long-standing brand with the excitement of digital collectibles.
10. Time x CryptoPunks
Time Magazine made a significant move into the NFT space in 2021 by releasing its own CryptoPunk NFT collection. The brand collaborated with influencers in the digital art and cryptocurrency spaces to promote the release. Prominent figures like SethGoldstein helped amplify the campaign by showcasing the unique value of owning a Time CryptoPunk, a rare collectible tied to the brand’s legacy.
Through strategic influencer partnerships, Time Magazine created a buzz around the launch, demonstrating that media outlets and publishers can also enter the NFT space by leveraging influencer marketing to promote their digital assets.
Conclusion
Influencer marketing has proven to be an invaluable tool for brands looking to promote their NFT drops. By partnering with influencers who have established trust within the digital art and crypto communities, these brands have successfully created buzz, raised awareness, and driven sales for their NFT collections. From fashion to sports and food brands, influencer marketing has the power to bridge the gap between traditional industries and the digital world, enabling companies to thrive in the rapidly evolving NFT space.