The 3 Best Marketing Moments of July 2021

The most iconic marketing moments of July had one thing in common. They all centered around blockchain technology, further advancing the ‘mainstreamification’ of this new tech by big corporations. In honor of many brands jumping on the trend, don’t forget to check out our own NFT token. 

1. Coca-Cola to auction its first NFT

On July 30th, Coca-Cola held an auction to sell its first nonfungible token (NFT) collectible item. This campaign commemorated International Friendship Day. 

Proceeds from the sale, which took place for three days on digital marketplace OpenSea, have gone to Special Olympics International.

The collection consists of four items and was auctioned as a single NFT. The main item was “inspired by video game loot boxes and modeled after the brand’s retro vending machines”.

The “Friendship Box” was packed full of rare 1-of-1 NFTs and more hidden surprises. People only found out what surprises there were when they opened one of the Loot Boxes.

The NFT also included a sound visualizer, a friendship card and a bubble jacket. You can wear the clothing item virtually in the 3D VR platform Decentraland.

Tafi, a developer of personalized avatars and other branded digital content, collaborated in the NFTs creation. The designer helped Coca-Cola bring the branded experience to the next level by including in its box a bubble jacket.

Decentraland resembles virtual worlds such as Second Life. However, a nonprofit organization oversees the platform and it is powered by the Ethereum blockchain. This makes sense as most of the content on the platform is an NFT.

“Coca-Cola is one of the most collectible brands in the world. They have shared its rich heritage with consumers through simple moments of joy for decades,” Selman Careaga, president of the global Coca-Cola category, said in the press release. “We are excited to share our first NFTs with the metaverse, where new friendships are being forged in new ways in new worlds.”

2. Axe joins the crypto craze with ‘Dogecan’ giveaway

The grooming company Axe launched two giveaways on July 20th. They offered limited-edition “Dogecans,” a play on the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, per a release emailed to Marketing Dive. The release initially only specified one giveaway. They announced a second one a few hours later to match the high demand for the merchandise.

The cans of spray featured elements of the Doge meme as part of their design. Fans could get their hands on these for free. In terms of smell, the can presented a new scent called “48H Crypto.” 

Fans had to register through a special website at the moment of launch to get their hands on a can. Both of the giveaways sold out within minutes.

Most of the communication and promotion of the campaign took place on Axe’s Twitter and Instagram accounts. A few posts went viral. By incorporating pop culture moments and trending cryptocurrency into its merchandise, Axe attempted to target new communities.

Previously, on Doge Day (April 20), Axe implied through a tweet that if Dogecoin reached a value of $1, it would send a “dogecan” to the moon. The currency’s value did not reach the goal within the set deadline, but that did not stop the brand from using the theme in its “dogecan” packaging design and social campaign.

3. Campbell’s celebrates updated labels with NFT collection

Last month, Campbell’s announced that they will mark the redesign of its iconic soup can labels with an NFT collection by artist Sophia Chang. 

The updated labels revamped the classic red and white blocking, featuring a modernized logo and showcasing a few other changes.

The NFT collection was titled “AmeriCANa — Sophia Chang X Campbell’s” and features 100 pieces. It became available via Ntwrk on July 27. Someone put one of the animated NFT pieces on auction on OpenSea on August 6.

Proceeds from the NFT sales reportedly all went to Feeding America. The brand claimed that they will work with Ntwrk and Aerial, a sustainability platform, “to offset the carbon footprint of the NFT. These purpose-driven elements allow Campbell’s to tap into interest around NFTs while addressing issues like sustainability”, as per the press release.

Bonus addition to the best marketing moments of July: Popeyes Debuts Its First Nuggets and Declares an End to the Chicken Wars

Which was one of your favorite marketing moments of July? Don’t forget to let us know your opinion on the popularity of cryptocurrencies and NFTs.