On the first Monday of May, the Met Gala went meta. Alexis Ohanian, American internet entrepreneur and husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, sported a custom made Gucci brooch and cufflink set based on the Yuga Labs "Otherside" character "Blue." New York-founded cult label Vaquera also shared its take on the annual fashion extravaganza, exploring what the event’s red carpet would have looked like through the lens of artificial intelligence (AI).
As for this week's round-up, Mandopop star Jay Chou is back to boosting his metaverse presence via Tmall’s newly augmented digital space. Jing Meta also looks at how Adidas is taking its Web3 community to the next level and committing to its pledge to bridge the worlds of Web2 and Web3 through fresh activations. Alo Yoga is making moves in the metaverse too, after launching a new NFC-powered "Tap For Mindfulness" campaign across its stores — demonstrating once again how brands are pushing to connect their virtual presence with their offline one.
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Alo Yoga Launches "Tap For Wellness" Tokens For Mental Health Awareness Month#
What happened
Alo Yoga is keeping up its wellness endeavor in Web3, and has launched a new project centered around the wellbeing practice of affirmations. To commemorate mental health awareness month in May, the athleisure label partnered with MoonPay to create its “tap for mindfulness” project.
Customers visiting the brand’s brick-and-mortar store can tap an NFC-activated display to claim their free daily affirmation collectible, which provides access to a range of mental health resources and affirmation NFTs via email.
The verdict
The mission-driven lifestyle brand has become one of the fastest growing retail labels globally thanks to its community-centric approach. Its presence in Web3 is no different. Tapping into its core values of better health and lifestyles, Alo has been utilizing technology like near field communication to advocate for holistic health practices and intentional self care in the metaverse.
As for its community, the scan-to-unlock process which the brand implemented in its IRL shop floors is a seamless method of introducing its cohort to the prospect of NFTs and digital collectibles, with minimal risk in the process.
Jay Chou Unveils "Special Demo" Metaverse Space In Tmall For Fans#
What happened
The musician and co-founder of fashion label PHANTACi has upped his status in China’s metaverse once again, this time by launching a new immersive space in collaboration with digital collection platform Mint App. Leveraging fan engagement and participation, visitors can discover "Easter eggs” hidden inside scenes, which unlock secret soundtracks and unique postcards.
China's leading e-commerce platform Tmall upgraded its metaverse before launching the new 3D music area. In the space, users can access Chou’s popular music works and explore the storyline of music videos in an interactive way.
The verdict
This is the second virtual space established by Chou. Last year, the musician transformed five of his songs into 10,000 digital collectibles that unlocked access to an exclusive virtual fan experience. The project gained a lot of traction across China, but the “keys” ultimately failed to sell out. While Chou’s metaverse ambitions may not have always taken off, his commitment to cracking the Chinaverse has been anything but momentary, with the artist continuing to dive deeper into the ecosystem through explorative adventures. As for this latest drop, it’s yet to receive as much exposure across China's socials as Chou's previous digital project; however, its official Weibo hashtag has already garnered 128,000 reads (at the time of publishing) since it was first posted.
Adidas rolls out “Golden Ticket” NFT raffle for its growing Web3 community#
What happened
This week, the sportswear label offered its community the chance to win an “Adidas Confirmed Golden Ticket” NFT, which grants its winner (chosen on May 5) guaranteed access to one drop of their choice over the next year via its dedicated app, Adidas Confirmed. Participants in the draw needed both the brand's Confirmed app and an ETH wallet to enter. In an official Tweet for the raffle, the brand wrote, “This is not an #ALTSbyadidas exclusive activation, but our pledge to use our brand and technology to further bridge the gap between Web3 and Web2.”
The verdict
This past year has seen the brand roll out a new Web3 loyalty program and adopt a new-and-improved direction in its roadmap. What has surfaced as a result is ventures like its new ALTS by Adidas, which is overseen by the label’s Bored Ape mouthpiece — also recognized as Indigo Herz.
This next phase in its ALTS journey celebrates community rewards. The official Tweet for the raffle received over 110,000 views, with enthusiasts saying that the competition was a “fantastic” use of blockchain technology. Overall, Adidas’ Web3 strategy is based on utilizing the power of tech and the steadfast loyalty of sneaker communities to cultivate a new generation of fans — a tactic that has secured its position as a role model in the industry.