Calbee Puts its Chips on NFTs
Calbee, Japan’s largest snack maker, recently launched a unique campaign on Astar Network called “NFT Chips”. The concept is simple but innovative: buy a packet of crisps, play an origami-like game and earn a free, evolving “potato NFT” . This event attracted me because it demonstrated new ways to engage consumers with the latest blockchain technology.
How does Calbee use NFT?
Calbee’s approach can be described as innovative. They incorporated NFT into their physical product packaging, blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds. Consumers follow the origami instructions on the potato chip package to fold and confirm completion via Calbee’s “Lbee Program” app to get their NFT. Each time a new origami is registered, the NFT evolves. Sign up five times and you’ll see your NFT become a character in the “Jagaverse” virtual world. It’s an interesting way to combine a physical product with a digital experience that sets brands apart.
What interests me about Calbee’s use of NFT?
The campaign showcases a clever blend of traditional consumer engagement strategies, such as collectibles, with cutting-edge digital technology. Calbee isn’t just selling chips, they’re offering an engaging experience that goes beyond the physical product. The appeal of this strategy is that it taps into the rising tide of NFT and blockchain technology to create a unique consumer-brand interaction.
Did it help them achieve their marketing goals?
While it’s too early to say for sure, the campaign seems to align well with Calbee’s marketing goals. It may drive sales, as customers may buy more chips to collect and evolve their NFT. In addition, it creates an additional point of contact between the brand and the customer, increasing brand engagement and visibility. In addition, the campaign helps position Calbee as an innovative brand at the forefront of technology trends.
Will this trend continue?
The NFT industry reached generated $24.7 billion in sales in 2022. These traditional sales reached $67.8 billion in 2022. Brands such as Calbee that use NFT in their marketing strategies further validate this trend. However, while the growth is impressive, we must remember that this technology is still in its infancy and the market is highly speculative. Much of the future of NFT will depend on whether they can provide real value beyond hype and novelty.
Overall, Calbee’s NFT potato chip campaign reflects a growing trend of brands using NFT to enhance customer engagement. Although the long-term future of NFT in marketing remains uncertain, innovative campaigns like this show that they are more than just a passing fad. The key will be to continue to find innovative ways to integrate NFT and deliver real value to consumers.
