Sorry NFT maxis, but corporate engagement in the space was absolutely booming this week. From Pepsi, to JPMorgan, and a side dish of drama from McDonalds, the big box brand headlines in non-fungible tokens were sky-high this week.
When we first introduced NFTs In A Nutshell back in May, you could scroll through an entire week’s worth of headlines in less than 5 minutes and cover every story over a 7-day period. You’d be lucky to find one major brand that was doing something in the space. These days, you need an efficient scroll-wheel, as artists, brands, properties and personas all pile into the space each week. While we always aim to cover the biggest stories in NFTs every Saturday, we now have stories that we have to leave behind for the sake of the layout of the Nutshell.
We’re excited that you’re excited, and appreciate you stopping by every weekend to catch up on anything you might’ve missed over the past week when it comes to NFTs. Let’s jump in.
This Week’s Non-Fungible Token News
MakersPlace New 2Pac Collection Brings Jewelry-Inspired NFTs
MakersPlace is pairing up with Tupac Shakur’s estate to bring to market ‘The Immortal Collection’ on December 15th. The collection will be a series of NFTs inspired by 2Pac’s jewelry that was both worn and designed over his illustrious career.
A Fashion House On The Other Side Of The Coin…
While Hermes-inspired digital designer Mason Rothschild claims that many have ripped off his MetaBirkin designs through fake listings on OpenSea, the tables are turning for Rothschild as well. Reports are emerging that Hermes sees Rothschild as infringing on the IP and trademark rights of the brand, describing MetaBirkins as “an example of fake Hermes products in the metaverse.”
We have little precedent set for IP and trademark violations in IP, however with increasing brands coming into the space – expect many to start taking this more seriously. Artists may want to consider utilizing popular IP with caution.
The Beatles NFTs Are “All You Need”
Audio interviews of members of The Beatles will be minted on Ethereum, according to reports this week, with four unique NFTs for each Beatles member. The NFTs will feature rare interview audio clips, and are released by music archive Voices Of Classic Rock (VOCR).
A Country Star Launches NFTs On MusicFX
Country music star Parker McCollum is pairing up with NFT marketplace MusicFX, offering a subscription based NFT collection for the first 1,000 buyers. Check out more details and the full story from our team here.
Pepsi’s The Latest Non-Fungible Beverage Brand To Do It
Pepsi and VaynerNFT have opened up the waitlist for Ethereum-based NFTs, which closes on December 14. The beverage behometh will mint 1,893 generative style tokens for free – purchasers will just need to buy gas for the transaction. The collection, dubbed ‘Mic Drop,’ is a music-inspired series and will connect with users MetaMask wallet.
Related Reading | Chainalysis New Service: Snitching For The Lightning Network. Can They Deliver?
Ethereum continues to be the NFT mainstay, despite restrictive gas fees.| Source: ETH-USD on TradingView.com
McDonald’s Dishes Drama?
The McRib is McDonald’s staple ‘menu oddity’ – and it’s safe to say things just got even more odd this time around. The fast food brand released McRib-inspired NFTs last month, with select winners receiving the tokens. However, drama ensued recently when one Twitter user noticed that a racial slur was reportedly inscribed on the Ethereum transaction.
Regardless of how the connection is made, be it a rogue actor within the brand, or a comprised brand account, it’s a stark reminder that brand engagement in emerging spaces doesn’t come without risk.
Pantone’s ‘Color Of The Year’
Pantone is arguably the ‘pinnace of the colorwheel.’ The color of the year, selected by Pantone, is “Very Peri.” That color will be the driver of a new ‘color of the year’ NFT on Tezos, in partnership with artist Polygon1993. A Tezos representative has stated to the press that it won’t be the last collaboration with Pantone, either.
Coinbase-Backed Anima Launches Immersive AR NFT Project
Anima is a Coinbase-backed startup that is aiming to bridge the gap between the metaverse and AR-focused NFTs. The platform is partnering with digital artist Demsky to launch a new project titled Mirror. Check out the full story from our team here.
Microsoft’s M12 Venture Fund Backs New Platform Palm NFT Studio
Microsoft might be considered Web 2.0, but don’t be mistaken in thinking that they aren’t in prime position to be a Web 3.0 mainstay if they stay aggressive enough. This week, Microsoft venture capital fund M12 led the Series B round for blockchain platform Palm NFT Studio. Palm has hosted the likes of Warner Bros. recent Matrix-inspired NFTs.
Related Reading | Shiba Inu (SHIB) Gearing Up To Launch Its First Multi-Platform Game
Featured image from Pexels, Charts from TradingView.com