Digital transformation has laid the ground for new assets in the modern economy. As we move forward to the end of 2021 – a year of new trends – the hype around NFTs and the increased interest of companies in unique digital assets shows no sign of cooling down.
The strong development of NFTs is opening up new solutions for all aspects of marketing. Among the new supporters of this trend, Budweiser is the latest brand to attract attention as it enters the world of NFTs.
Budweiser and NFTs
Budweiser is introducing its own NFTs, which will be the first leap in the company’s larger crypto ambitions. Cyber Monday marked the debut of Budweiser’s first series of NFTs: Budverse Cans: Heritage Collection, today.
The series will span 1,936 individual NFT collections, alluding to the year the companies began releasing canned beer. Each NFT will include vintage photos, advertising, and historical chart design elements from the brand.
“Now you can own a piece of history and a collectible that gives you access to the future of Budverse,” according to the company official statement on their website.
Each owner of NFT will grant access to unannounced benefits. By owning these NFTs, owners get “key to Budverse and can unlock exclusive benefits, rewards, and surprises.” These benefits, however, are applicable to legal drinking age owners.
The Budverse Cans will be sold in two rarity levels, with Core Boxes available for $499 each and Gold Cans selling for $999 each. Further details regarding the marketplace to sell these NFTs as well as the blockchain network they will be minted on has yet to be disclosed.
The collection was sold out in just under half an hour.
It’s not the company’s first foray into the NFT world. In August, Budweiser made a 8-ETH purchase on OpenSea to have ownership of the image of a rocket ship designed by Tom Sachs. This act came along with the company’s tweet with the Rocket logo.
Additionally, rumors have it that the famous beer company also purchased an NFT domain name, called Beer.eth for around 30 ETH, which was approximately $95,000 at current market value.
Anheuser-Busch InBev, the global largest brewer behind the famous name like Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois, has already seen success with NFTs and the Stella Artois brand, and it won’t be long before the company attempts to make Budweiser one of its most successful brands in the NFT trend.
Growing Food and Beverage NFTs
NFTs are one of the significant factors that contribute to the growth of the next long-expected Metaverse.
Although the Metaverse is still in its infancy and brands are still in the early stages of transformation, NFTs are seen by many as an ideal starting point for brands to enter this realm. Food and beverage brands are not an exception.
In March 2021, the famous Taco Bell brand announced an NFT collection called “Transformative Taco”. The 25 NFTs in this collection were sold out in just half an hour.
The Lay’s – PepsiCo’s brand has partnered with digital asset platform Project Ark in Romania, launching an NFT canvas in early September 2021. Titled “Share smiles with Lay’s”, the picture is made up of more than 3000 photos capturing the smiles of people around the world.
Or the popular Coca-Cola partnered with 3D creative company Tafi to launch the brand’s first NFT auction in honor of International Friendship Day at the end of July. This activity commemorates Coca-53-year Cola’s partnership with Special Olympics International.
This is also the brand’s ambitious plan to the metaverse, where Coca-Cola believes friendship will be formed in novel ways.
Coca-Cola has created an NFT collection that includes the following items: a Friendship box, a Coca-Cola bubble jacket, a sound visualizer, and a Friendship card. These items were auctioned off for up to $575,00 USD and donated to the Special Olympics.
Profit is not these brands’ final destination.
All proceeds from these releases will go to charity foundations or non-profit organizations in order to make the world a better place.
In addition to serving marketing campaigns, the unbelievable value of these NFTs turns out to serve higher purposes and to spread meaningful messages.