boldly tweeted<\/a> that 98 percent of all NFT projects \u201cwill likely end up being bad investments for many that bought them,\u201d some in the community took this statement as the entrepreneur sowing fear and distrust in the market. So what\u2019s Gary Vee doing now that we\u2019re deep into an industry-wide downturn that\u2019s claimed its fair share of victims?<\/p>\nBuilding. Despite the market\u2019s current state, the 46-year-old entrepreneur still has his fingers all over the NFT space. If his track record is anything to go by, this vote of confidence could be huge for the community moving forward. Just like how Vaynerchuk bet on e-commerce over 20 years ago, and social media over a decade ago, today the internet mogul is (continuing) to bet on NFTs.<\/p>\n
So how\u2019s that been going? As of writing, VeeFriends has recorded sales volumes of over 53,000 ETH since its launch in 2021 \u2014 equivalent to over $60 million in today\u2019s dollar valuation of Ethereum. Owners later got the opportunity to attend VeeCon \u2014 a celebration of the community Vaynerchuk helped built with VeeFriends, as well as the larger NFT space as a whole. VeeFriends Series 2 has grossed over 22.5K ETH thus far \u2014 worth well over $27 million. <\/p>\n
A show of commitment<\/h2>\n
Vaynerchuk has made it clear that, bear market or not, the key to the NFT space\u2019s continued growth is slow, gradual building. Getting more legacy brands and companies to buy into the potentially world-changing technology that is blockchain would be a start. Vayner3 believes they\u2019re uniquely positioned to take that challenge head-on.<\/p>\n
Over the last year, the company partnered with a fair share of legacy brands looking to get their first steps into NFTs \u2014 and Web3 as a whole \u2014 on the right track. Most notably, this includes Budweiser, whom the company launched as its flagship client in June 2021. With this rebrand, the consultancy hopes to expand its services.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we celebrate the first anniversary [of VaynerNFT], we took the time to reflect on the ever-changing landscape and the work we have accomplished leading enterprises and IP owners through this next wave of digital innovation,\u201d Akkineni said. \u201cThough the journey began with non-fungible digital collectibles, art, and tokens, the breadth of consulting we\u2019ve done reaches far beyond NFTs. We want our firm\u2019s branding to reflect the entire spectrum of services that our incredible team can provide,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
So what services can Vayner3\u2019s clients expect? According to Akkineni,\u00a0Vayner3 hopes to give brands and companies the tools to engage in \u201cmulti-dimensional Web3 strategies, anchor in driving tangible business outcomes.\u201d This includes \u201cloyalty integration programs, immersive consumer and digital experiences, meaningful philanthropy infrastructure, [and] adopting crypt-currency acceptance,\u201d Akkineni said.<\/p>\n
Ears to the ground<\/h2>\n
Additionally, the consultancy hopes to double down on its education-first strategy to attract new clients. This will be spearheaded by IRL initiatives, such as awareness campaigns at key events like Art Basel and SXSW, as well as the publication of \u201ccollaborative educational videos and whitepapers, with the likes of Reddit and NAS Academy,\u201d as mentioned in their press release.<\/p>\n
Vayner3 hasn\u2019t just paid attention to the behavior of big enterprises in relation to Web3 the past year, though. They\u2019re also closely monitoring what\u2019s happening on the ground as Web3 technologies gradually enter mainstream parlance. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe are all about consumer behavior \u2014 and that lives in culture. So as consumers\u2019 habits and behaviors change \u2014 the way they interact with social media, digital assets, blockchain, and Web3 will change. We are going to be leading those efforts across the industry,\u201d Akkineni said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n