In the long run, there are numerous potential intersections between NFTs and fields such as Intellectual Property (IP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Despite the promising prospects, many users still harbor concerns: How should NFTs be specifically integrated and implemented? How can they smoothly integrate into people's everyday lives? And how can one seize the opportunity to become professionals in this field?

In this fourth episode, we are pleased to have Web3Brand's Co-founders, @starzqeth and @rubywxt1 , sharing their insights with us. How can we seize opportunities and endure until the bullish market? Let's dive in.

Q：Please introduce Web3Brand to everyone first.

A:Web3Brand is a platform dedicated to exploring how Web3 and AI can empower personal and corporate brand development, while bridging the East and West, founders, builders, and investors. It consists of four parts:

• Weekly In-Depth Articles: Sharing industry cases and insights, including developments in branding and IP in the Web3 space, the creator economy, and how AI is transforming businesses, creators, and consumers.

• Weekly Space/Podcast Sessions: Engaging in conversations with industry leaders, sharing business cases, and discussing future developments while connecting with Chinese builders.

• Industry Builders Community: We have established a readers' community, bringing together builders from various domains within the Web3 industry, sharing case studies and sparking inspiration every day.

• Project Advisors: Ruby and I have an average of over 10 years of experience in product development, operations, and international brand building. We have worked on products serving hundreds of millions of users at major companies and have also built startups from scratch, generating annual revenues exceeding hundreds of millions. Therefore, we deeply understand the challenges faced by entrepreneurs. While we observe and contemplate the Web3 industry, we are also eager to leverage our experience and insights to assist more projects in achieving faster and better results (learn about us and the projects we have served).

Regarding why we started Web3Brand, Ruby wrote a tweet:

• Initially, because Web3 generates a vast amount of information every day that needs to be organized and digested, we decided to create some "digestible content" of our own. We used the process of "output" to help us better understand and process the massive amount of information we collect each day. Exploring this new field was also like feeling our way in the dark.

• Later on, we realized that creating content was an efficient way to connect with like-minded individuals. Through collaboration, we met people who share our interest in how technologies like Crypto, web3, and AI can transform our lives and creativity. We are connected with those who are concerned about how individuals and brands can leverage these technologies for development. These are the individuals who are not concerned about short-term fluctuations but are interested in discussing the broad applications and long-term value of NFTs.

• The bear market presented an opportunity for us to establish a readers' group. On one hand, it created a space for thought-provoking discussions and exchanges of ideas. On the other hand, coming together as a group allows us to go further together.

Q： Having noticed that Web3Brand established the "Bear Market Warm-up Readers' Group for Web3Brand" two months ago, I'd like to inquire about your perspective on the first bear market for NFTs. Do you perceive any signals currently indicative of opportune bottom-fishing opportunities?

A：A bear market signifies that the intrinsic value of NFTs is not yet sufficient to support their market value. It occurs when the macroeconomic environment worsens, market enthusiasm cools down, and speculative behavior decreases, leading to a burst of the bubble.

Following the Gartner Hype Cycle, a bear market is an inevitable stage in the development of any market. It helps the market grow in a healthier and more sustainable manner. As speculation and noise in the market decrease, builders and investors in the NFT space can calmly consider how to provide more intrinsic value to NFTs, including functionality and use cases, and develop more innovative products to capture more value in the next bull market.

Bear markets also tend to attract talent with a long-term perspective. Of course, the most important thing is to stay patient, prepare for the long haul, and survive until the next bull market.

There are actually many signals to consider. The most obvious one is gas fees, but others include the number of projects, activity on social networks, and the quantity of spam DMs received daily (which could also be influenced by Elon Musk's governance).

Q：Web3Brand places great importance on the field of intellectual property (IP) and branding. So, in your opinion, which application do you believe has the greatest potential to integrate NFTs into people's everyday lives? Is it through integration with traditional brands, through concepts like "Pass Cards" or something else?

A：We believe that NFTs will achieve mass adoption in two dimensions:

• Web3+: This involves transforming businesses using Web3 technology, with a prominent example being Web3 Native IP. By leveraging NFTs' content and product attributes, the initial focus is on gathering the first loyal fanbase for a given IP. Subsequently, influential communities are built around this initial fanbase. Following this, broader consumer goods are introduced to reach a wider audience, creating a matrix of consumer products. The ultimate goal is to reach tens of millions to hundreds of millions of users. Two noteworthy collections exemplify this approach: "Pudgy Penguins" and "BAYC". Both collections established fan communities through their initial NFT offerings, with Pudgy Penguins reaching a broader audience through toys and collectibles, while BAYC expanded its user base through gaming.

• +Web3: This approach involves utilizing NFTs within existing businesses to enhance operational efficiency and create incremental value through NFT-specific features. The core elements here are "asset-backed + Open Loyalty." For instance, using token-gated tickets to prevent scalping while establishing an Open Marketplace, or Starbucks offering additional benefits to members through NFT collectibles. Adidas may incentivize community creators through NFTs, while Smart Token Labs may facilitate brand collaborations at a lower cost using off-chain NFTs.

These two approaches will complement each other, gradually propelling NFTs towards mass adoption: Web3 Native Business will attract more attention and elevate NFT visibility, while integrating NFTs into existing businesses will quietly expose more users to NFTs in a subtle yet impactful manner.

Q： Observing that Web3Brand's Newsletter prominently focuses on three themes: AI, the creator economy, and brand IP. Apart from branding, could you discuss how AI and the creator economy intersect with Web3?

A：Creator economy: This is a relatively big topic, but overall, creators have two major pain points in the Web2 world.

• Low profit distribution ratio: The lengthy profit distribution chain and high platform fees make it challenging for creators to earn money. This situation has also given rise to a "toxic culture," where musicians no longer create for their audience but cater to recommendation algorithms, prioritizing quantity over quality.

• Difficulty establishing direct connections with fans: Taking musicians as an example again, it's challenging to identify loyal listeners on the platform, hindering the development of more direct relationships and benefits.

On one hand, Web3 serves as foundational infrastructure, capable of reducing costs throughout the entire chain. What's even more significant is that NFTs serve as the perfect representation of "artwork + fan relationships." They seamlessly combine "artwork + fans' rights + social identity" into an integrated whole, all while offering a low-cost issuance threshold. This makes NFTs an ideal vehicle for connecting with fans and supporting creators, enabling creators to better realize the "1,000 True Fans Theory" proposed by KK. For more information on the creator's economy, you can refer to this article"NFT is the best medium for creators in the new era to practice the "1000 fans theory" - taking musicians as an example"

AI and Web3 seem to be contradictory to each other. One is a product of high centralization and the other pursues decentralization. But in fact, they are empowering digital products from different aspects.

• AI enhances the replicability and dissemination of digital products, creating an unstoppable force. On the other hand, Web3/blockchain/cryptography ensure the ownership and scarcity of digital products, establishing an unforgeable identity.

Our perspective is that as fundamental digital content and artistic works become commodified, brands and IP will increasingly gain value in the long term. The value of NFT projects will be even more dependent on the "soul" of exceptional creators, the stories carried by their works, their intentions, and the fan communities built around them.

Therefore, in the era of AI, Web3/NFT becomes even more critical. Users demand not just mere content but also corresponding identities and relationships with the original creators, and NFTs happen to fulfill all these aspects.

We have also dedicated an article to explore the relationship between Web3 and AI, which you are welcome to read.

Q：As seasoned professionals in the Web2 industry, what has been the most significant advantage of our Web2 experience for the Web3Brand team's entry into the Web3 space?

A：

• Insight into User Needs and Business Acumen: User demands and business models are not confined to Web1, Web2, or Web3; instead, they require fundamental study and insight into the essence of things. The professional training in Web2 has enabled us to avoid the "holding a hammer, looking for nails" approach and encouraged us to contemplate whether there are better solutions to address real user problems, thereby identifying business opportunities.

• Experience in Managing High-Volume User Products and Operations: Currently, Web3's user base remains relatively small. Whether they have overseen high-volume user products in Web2 or managed sizable revenue-generating businesses, individuals with such experience can better comprehend the logic of Web3. They can provide more effective support for industry development and help products target mainstream markets.

• Embracing a Long-Term Vision: Any innovation or success doesn't happen overnight. Our experience in Web2 has allowed us to personally witness how a successful product or company navigates through countless challenges to eventually stand out. This experience has cultivated our patience and long-term commitment, equipping us with a better mindset to face bear markets.

Q： It is more suitable to recharge in a bear market. What advice or recommended learning paths does Web3Brand have for those outside the industry who want to become professionals as quickly as possible during this bear market?

A：The essence of learning is to "create a positive feedback system with inputs and outputs," and there are several key points within it.

• Inputs: Creating high-quality sources of information is crucial in this regard. Your information sources determine your cognitive ceiling. Ruby has curated some excellent overseas podcasts, which we listen to every day/week. We also welcome you to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter @starzqeth，@rubywxt1 and @0xWeb3Brand We also regularly share interesting cases we come across.

  • Furthermore, within Web3, there are many niche domains. If you don't have clear areas of interest at the beginning, it is recommended to listen and engage more, so you can discover relatively specific areas of interest. Afterward, you can create information sources that align with those specific interests.

• Output: We strongly believe in the "Feynman Learning Technique," which involves using "output" to consolidate and digest the vast amount of information collected daily while enhancing one's understanding. There are various ways to output, including writing threads, articles, sharing within communities, and building projects, all of which are different forms of output.

• Find your own community, connect input and output, turn it into a positive feedback system, drive your own improvement, and eventually discover your own opportunities.

  • Opportunities don't appear overnight. We have previously shared "Joe O'Rourke: How to go from a traditional industry sales manager to the chief creator of Starbucks Odyssey ". where Joe had accumulated four years of experience on Web3 before joining Forum3. In our September 5th Space session, the founder of Foresight Ventures, Lao Bai, also shared his journey into the industry, having spent several years in crypto trading before transitioning from the securities industry to become a Web3 VC.

  • Therefore, the community serves as a vital support system. In the bear market's long journey, it's essential to have like-minded individuals who can mutually inspire and support each other. This is one of the reasons why we established our reader community.

Epilogue

Thank you very much to @starzqeth and @rubywxt1 for their sharing, and we look forward to the moment for Web3 Native Business.

We look forward to seeing what’s next for them and how their plans unfold in the years ahead. Stay tuned for our next engaging conversation with another prominent Web3 Builder.