Web3 Practice: "The question is rather: for whom is it nothing?"

Werbewoche.ch: Since the beginning of the year, Web3 has been a hot topic in the agency world. Why is Jung von Matt launching the Metaverse offer only now??

Robert Iken: Quality just takes time. Seriously, even if everyone is afraid of being too late, Web3 is still in its infancy. We have consciously used the last few months to bundle the power of our entire ecosystem and incorporate it into the offering. And we have very concretely implemented a project internally that has enabled our people to take their first steps in Web3. With success: half of our employees now have an NFT wallet.

How did you do that?

Argun Uysal: We created a limited NFT collection with pizza pieces, taught all our employees about Web3 and NFT ownership in a focus week, and then opened the "race" on the NFTs. The collection sold out within ten minutes and everyone who had one of the coveted pieces in their wallet automatically became a member of an exclusive NFT Owners Club. We call the whole thing "Pizza Metavese Club". We ourselves were surprised by the great interest that people had and still have in the subject.

What do you think was the reason for the big "run" on NFTs?

Luitgard Hagl: The utility of owning an NFT was unbeatable: Free pizza! (laughs) The internal project was a great example of how to get people excited about the topic who had not yet had any contact with it. The commitment within the agency was huge, everyone wanted to secure their NFT. And are now eagerly awaiting the second round. And what's more, the whole thing was just a lot of fun.

What conclusions do you draw from this for your Offer for your customers?

Iken: One of the key findings was that it is worthwhile to get your own employees up to speed on the subject. This reduces inhibitions and frees up space for ideas. How am I supposed to present myself as a brand in Web3 if no one in my organization has ever had any experience with it? The second realization was something we actually knew from the beginning and had confirmed to us: The power of our interdisciplinary approach. From the concept idea to the creative execution of the NFT artwork, the NFT development and the creation of a minting website, we did it all in-house. We want to pass on this experience.

What characterizes this power of interdisciplinary approach?

Hagl: We combine business building know-how, creative excellence and an understanding of pop culture with a full focus on customer empowerment. And that in our Swiss network as well as with our German colleagues from Jung von Matt Nerd.

What exactly does the collaboration with Jung von Matt Nerd look like?

Uysal: As an agency for nerd and pop culture, Jung von Matt Nerd brings a great deal of knowledge about the community and supports companies in the implementation of global Web3 projects. In addition, the team has a great deal of expertise in the field of gaming - and this is where many developments in Web3 come from. The collaboration with Jung von Matt Nerd enables us - and above all our customers - to understand the various international use cases and trends and to translate them into the Swiss market at an early stage.

To the offer: What will you offer customers in the future?

Iken: One example is our Metaverse Masterclass, in which we enable customers to explore the possibilities for their company on the Web3 - and to implement them right away. Within the framework of this implementation, we offer end-to-end services along the entire value chain. From education, ideation, strategy, creation, technology to community building.

Who should attend the Metaverse Masterclass?

Hagl: One should rather ask: For whom is it nothing? As Robert has already said: Web 3.0 is still in its infancy, and its potential is far from fully explored, let alone exhausted. In other words: There is something for every company that has an appetite for disruption in its own industry - or beyond.

Does the masterclass only deal with the metaverse?

Iken: No. Even though "metaverse" is the word of the moment - not least because of Marc Zuckerberg and Facebook's renaming - there is much more to Web3. So the masterclass journey takes us from blockchain to cryptocurrencies, NFTs, metaverse, DAOs and many more topics, all with an eye on market trends, best practices and the culture behind them.

And is Jung von Matt already in the metaverse?

Uysal: Sure! Our Pizza Metavese Club has its club rooms in the Metaverse and also otherwise we have special rooms here in the agency - for example our in-house pub, the "Rössli", or our gaming room - already replicated in the Metaverse.

Let's go back to the NFT collection that you mentioned in connection with the Pizza Metavese Club. Did the employees have to pay for it?

Uysal: No, all the fun didn't cost employees anything, of course - the important thing for us was that we were all able to gain initial experience with Web3 and NFTs together. And to enable our employees to advise customers accordingly.

And yourself? How much time do you spend in the metaverse?

Hagl: Every now and then, I drop by one of our six Jung von Matt rooms. Especially to see what wild outfits the avatars are wearing today. (laughs)

Iken: It's like real life, actually: You visit a place to meet people. It's exactly the same here at the agency as it is in the Metaverse. We will focus on getting our employees fit for their appearance in the metaverse - i.e. how do I create an avatar, what can I experience in different rooms - and then deliberately hold communication events for all employees in the metaverse from time to time.

What are your three learnings so far?

Hagl: First: Know your audience. Knowledge about the Web3 culture, for example about specific terms, about how to build a community in Web3 and an understanding of the effective demand are central. Second: The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Although we find a certain looseness in dealing with the topic important, we advise against overhasty (strategy) exercises. There are still a lot of first-mover advantages to be realized. And thirdly: The story has to be right. Even if it's only free pizzas...

Three pieces of advice that you give your customers on their way through the Web3?

Iken: You have to come to the Masterclass for that! (laughs) No, there is a very short answer to that: credibility, utility, community. The step into Web3 should be in line with the company's values, the benefit why I as a consumer should follow my brand into Web3 should be clear and meaningful, and I as a company should invest a lot in building a lively community in Web3. This can also mean simply starting internally - for example, with a pizza club!

How do you position a brand in the metaverse? Do NFTs make sense and does the intended target group even use cryptocurrencies and channels like Discord? These are the questions that the Metaverse Masterclass launched by Jung von Matt and Morrow Ventures aims to answer. (Werbewoche.ch reported).