The NFT ecosystem has come a long way in the last two years. From a niche internet microcosm to a multi-billion-dollar industry, it is going to have a major impact on society and culture in the coming years.

As NFTs gain mainstream attention, their number of applications continue to grow. A diverse range of content creators and rights holders have found it possible to monetize their IP in a way never previously possible. It’s no longer just digital artists or NFT traders profiting off their non-fungibility— it’s comedians, writers, skateboarders, and more. With the staggering potential for NFTs to create value, it is important to reflect on non-fungible token use cases not only in the web3 space but also web2 industries to see how NFTs are added to their marketing arsenal and are building connections with consumers across physical and digital mediums.

How traditional brands adopt NFTs

The real-world connections facilitated by NFTs makes them the perfect tool to bridge the gaps between Web2 and Web3. Well-known firms have started experimenting with NFTs by launching tokenized versions of their real-world products and solutions.

Coca-Cola

After launching its first NFT collection in 2021, the American beverage giant Coca-Cola released new NFT collectibles on “International Friendship Day” to continue its Web3 journey. The collectibles will be airdropped to anyone holding any of the 4,000 NFTs released by the brand since entering the Metaverse in July 2021. Each collectible has a unique share-to-reveal functionality where the collectible artwork will be revealed after the original holder shares the collectible with a friend.

The latest collection of Coca-Cola on OpenSea

There are a total of 3.6K owners of these items which are sold at floor price of 0.01 ETH. Coca-Cola NFT holders will gain access to rewards and perks, including Coke Studio-powered experiences, gaming events and early access to Coca-Cola Creations limited-edition product launches.

https://twitter.com/CocaCola/status/1552309136397852674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notion.so%2Fancient8%2Ff834661f388e4cf489fe3f0f4ed2c7dc%3Fv%3D70f6620fd3414b2aa5fa8332ae68bb9f%26p%3Dde32b72dbc4c4e75a19d94bc3d62edc9%26pm%3Ds

Samsung

Samsung revealed how NFTs will initially be integrated into their televisions. The company collaborated with Nifty Gateway to create an industry-first smart TV NFT platform allowing users to “browse, display, and interact with NFTs” on Samsung’s premium 2022 TV units.

Moreover, Samsung Electronics recently partnered with Theta Labs to operate a built-in NFT ecosystem for its new line of Galaxy mobile phones. The goal is to provide a gateway that connects the virtual and real worlds that allows users to engage with and utilize NFTs from various partners. Through the deal, Samsung is innovating their users’ experience and tapping into a wider trend of using NFTs for loyalty and rewards that could be a key feature of the mainstream adoption of NFTs.

Last February, Samsung also unveiled their first virtual storefront— a digital recreation of their flagship store in New York City in Decentraland. Called Samsung 837X, the digital twin flagship is an immersive and explorable experience that features quests, NFT prizes, product drops, events and live performances for users, visitors, and Samsung fans. For access to full features, users get to design their avatars, including hairstyles, clothing, and accessories.

Samsung in the metaverse

Adidas

In December 2021, Adidas announced their first collection that combines digital and physical items and will be sold as NFTs. The brand created the collection in partnership with some of the most well-known personalities in NFTs like Bored Ape Yacht Club, gmoney and Punks Comic.

Titled Into the Metaverse, the collection is comprised of virtual wearables that buyers can use in online platforms, but also the physical clothing to match. The NFTs went on sale on December 17 at the price of 0.2 ETH, and the digital and physical wearables for NFT owners will be made available in 2022. As part of the launch, Adidas has also purchased its first NFT – Ape #8774 of Bored Ape Yacht Club's collection of 10,000 avatars. Besides ownership of the rights to use their ape however they like, BAYC offers a number of other perks for owners, which Adidas will now have access to.

Adidas has also acquired a plot of virtual land inside The Sandbox, which it plans to fill with "exclusive content and experiences".

The company is positioning the launch as a way to engage with fans and explore "the forefront of creativity".

Adidas’s product in collaboration with Bored Ape Yacht Club

Nike

In April, Nike released its first collection of virtual sneakers, called CryptoKicks. The collection is comprised of 20,000 NFTs, including one designed by the artist Takashi Murakami that was bought for $134K.

RTFKT x Nike Dunk Genesis CryptoKicks on OpenSea

Customers may purchase a "skin vial" to customize their Dunks by changing the color of the signature Swoosh, heel, straps and tongue. NFT design studio RTFKT created the shoes after Nike acquired the startup in December. Nike is hoping the acquisition and NFT collections that come out of it will help them claim a slice of what's predicted to be a multi-billion dollar metaverse economy in the coming years.

Lamborghini

Lamborghini has launched two NFT collections to date, the first of which is a series of digital postage stamps and the second a set of digital space keys. They now have a third in the pipeline in collaboration with NFT Pro and INVNT.ATOM. This collection will be a far more extensive project and is part of their wider effort to cement the company’s reputation as the ultimate luxury automobile brand amongst younger fanbase.

Between August 2022 to March 2023, Lamborghini will drop a series of four NFTs each month for four consecutive days. These will be available to purchase for just 24 hours each. The fourth NFT will be a limited edition of 63 units only. In a clever wink to their crypto-savvy fans, these space-themed drops lean into the popular meme: “wen moon? wen lambo?”

Lamborghini NFT collection on its marketplace

Other luxury car brands are also riding the NFT hype; Bentley will have its first NFT drop in September while McLaren is also planning a collection. Meanwhile, Audi launched an NFT collection in May 2022 and Porsche auctioned a car sketch as an NFT.

Gucci

Last year, Gucci teamed up with Superplastic, the world’s leading creator of animated celebrities, limited vinyl toys, and digital collectibles to launch SUPERGUCCI. Superplastic also co-launched a collection with the Bored Ape Yacht Club, and raised $20 million in a funding round in October 2021.

On the day of the first launch with Superplastic, Gucci promoted its digital Vault, an experimental website that blends a historic digital vault with lab-like creativity.

Combining their NFT drops with the sale of vintage items showcases the interaction of innovation and tradition that the iconic fashion house embraces. It highlights that welcoming new technologies does not require rejecting older commercial methods, but rather offers new opportunities to improve the consumer experience.

SUPERPLASTIC: SUPERSGUCCI NFT collection on OpenSea

Louis Vuitton

In celebration of the company’s bicentennial birthday in August 2021, Louis Vuitton, the favorite brand for lovers of luxury and high fashion, launched Louis: The Game that allows users to accompany a character named Vivienne through a virtual world and rewards players with the chance to win historical postcard NFTs.

Louis: The Game now has more than two million downloads and is available for both Android and iOS devices. The Louis Vuitton NFT game is continuously evolving as it expands its version to add exciting new features like having celebrity NFTs and new locations. The brand is aiming to reach new and younger audiences with a fresh take on its well-established brand. And with creative digital interpretations of its iconic styles, Louis Vuitton is definitely slaying it and shaping both the art and NFT gaming scenes.

Louis Vuitton The Game

Lacoste

Lacoste collaborated with Minecraft to launch its first NFT project called UNDW3, described as “a journey allowing (Lacoste) community members to experience collaborative fashion in a new creative way.” The NFT collection features an image of a crocodile, connecting the brand’s iconic crocodile logo to web3. The collection of 11,212 NFTs, a nod to the L1212 polo model, is now sold at a floor price of 0.13 ETH/NFT.

With the release of the UNDW3 project, Lacoste aims to bridge the physical and digital realms of retail. In addition to owning an uber-cool NFT, Undw3 holders will join an exclusive Lacoste fan community with access to physical and digital benefits. Holders will also supposedly have a say in the brand’s future. UNDW3 has proved successful as the first drop was sold out.

Lacoste UNDW3

Pizza Hut

The leading pizza chain is following the trend of NFTs as a way to share digital assets and connect with fans. Pizza Hut released their NFTs under the 1 Byte Favorites project, launched in March 2021, making Pizza Hut one of the first food brands in history to embrace NFTs.

As the world’s first NFT pizza, the tokens were digital images of pizza slices. Buyers could own a digital slice of Pizza Hut’s Hawaiian, Canadian or Margherita pizza.

Buyers picked up each byte for around 17 cents on Rarible— a steal by today’s standards. At least they didn’t have to spend 10,000 BTC!

Pizza Hut 1 Byte Favourites

McDonald’s

McDonald released its first-ever NFT collection in honor of the McRib's 40th anniversary. While the McRib is certainly a popular product among McDonald’s regulars, celebrating its return with a NFT rewards campaign was an unprecedented move for the fast-food giant.

McDonald’s gave out the NFTs to fans on Twitter through a raffle-like draw— 10 lucky winners received the exclusive McRib NFT to add to their NFT collection.

The campaign could be seen as a test to see how NFTs affect the company’s social media following and engagement, and if the results are promising, it might look into expanding the uses of NFTs in marketing strategies.

The McRibs NFT drop wasn’t such a surprising move, as McDonald’s marketing team clearly watches the space— They already playfully trolled crypto twitter in the past.

https://twitter.com/McDonalds/status/1455174998264586243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notion.so%2Fancient8%2Ff834661f388e4cf489fe3f0f4ed2c7dc%3Fv%3D70f6620fd3414b2aa5fa8332ae68bb9f%26p%3Dde32b72dbc4c4e75a19d94bc3d62edc9%26pm%3Ds

Burger King

The fast-food giant launched the Keep It Real Meals NFT project in September 2021, in collaboration with the NFT marketplace Sweet. The campaign featured celebrities such as Cornell Haynes Jr, Chase Hudson and Larrissa Macado. Holders of the token could call or chat with the celebrities and get a year’s supply of burgers.

To collect the NFT, users could scan QR codes tethered to six million meal boxes. The codes unlocked one of the three collectible game pieces. Once all three game pieces were complete, the customer got a fourth token that could make a digital collectible. Additionally, users can trade these game pieces with others within the Sweet platform.

Burger King partnered with NFT marketplace Sweet to deliver digital collectibles via QR-codes

Taco Bell

Taco Bell launched a series of 25 taco-themed NFTs in early March 2021. The tokens, each of which initially went for 0.001 ETH, sold out in about half an hour. The resale prices soared in some NFT markets, in at least one case for more than $180,000. According to Taco Bell’s listing on Rarible, “100% of the profits earned from this sale will be donated to Taco Bell Foundation, Inc. to empower youth to discover and pursue their career and educational pathways.”

https://twitter.com/tacobell/status/1368807880434982912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.notion.so%2Fancient8%2Ff834661f388e4cf489fe3f0f4ed2c7dc%3Fv%3D70f6620fd3414b2aa5fa8332ae68bb9f%26p%3Dde32b72dbc4c4e75a19d94bc3d62edc9%26pm%3Ds

Hennessy

In January 2022, LVMH-owned Hennessy released its first NFTs — each will represent physical and digital ownership of the first and last bottles (1 and 250, respectively) of Hennessy 8, a limited-edition expression from the Cognac house. Launched in the BlockBar marketplace, the NFTs were priced at 70.47 ETH.

The buyers of the NFTs also gained access to the actual bottle, which Hennessy would send them on demand. The owners could also engrave a personalized message on the carafes and visit the Hennessy estate in Cognac, France.

The physical part of the sale included custom-made chests with copper keys, designed by artist Arik Levy. A commemorative sculpture, a Baccarat-blown and engraved carafe, a pipette, cork holder and four tasting glasses were also included as part of the NFT sale.

Hennessy has another digital + IRL NFT initiative in the works called Cafe 11, which is a collaboration with leading social DAO Friends With Benefits ($FWB). The partnership proposal was approved via an off-chain vote by the DAO in June 8th. This sort of collaboration between major brands and popular DAOs will likely become more and more common as brands seek to penetrate dedicated, decentralized communities.

FWB x Hennessy partnership announcement

Bacardi

In September 2021, Bacardi announced the launch of its five-year Cask Finish Series. The brand debuted with the limited-edition Reserva Ocho Sherry Cask Finish. The NFT was also the first in a line of five series of NFTs that Bacardi plans to release through 2025.

Designed by photographer Cam Kirk, the first Bacardi NFT was launched in partnership with the NAACP to support black-owned establishments to get liquor licenses.

In October 2021, Bacardi released another NFT. It was designed to support the brand’s Music Liberates Music program, which was launched in 2017 to help aspiring artists gain exposure and build their careers.

The new NFT was created in collaboration with Caribbean producer Boi-1da. Together, they selected musicians Bambii, Denise De’ion and Perfxn to first create Caribbean-inspired soundtracks and then mint them as NFT mixtapes for auction.

Snoop Dog x Eminem

Bored Ape Yacht Club made its worldwide television debut last week at the MTV Video Music Awards in a virtual, metaverse-hosted performance by rap icons Eminem and Snoop Dogg of their song, “From the D 2 the LBC.” Eminem and Snoop Dogg using their Bored Ape Yacht Club IP at the VMAs as Yuga Labs, the company behind Bored Ape Yacht Club, gives the owner of the individual NFTs a broad license to use the image of the NFTs that they own.

This year’s awards also featured a metaverse awards category, although no blockchain platforms were nominated.

From the D 2 The LBC official video

Conclusion

With a unique representation of physical and digital goods on a blockchain, NFTs provide a wide array of valuable benefits. NFT use cases are still in their infancy, but it is clear that not only games will benefit from this, but also regular people who are going about their daily lives.

With an increased understanding of its technology from the public and private sectors, coupled with progressive policies regulating NFT use, NFTs will steadily gain popularity and see encouraging market growth down the road. Web2 companies are helping to prepare the world to join Web3 using NFTs as a bridge. Branding technology and marketing strategies are already being revolutionized through NFTs.