Unbox: Care Bears™ Leverages The Sandbox to Build a Stronger Bond with Fans
Have you ever wondered how The Sandbox fits into the strategy of the world’s most iconic brands and celebrities? In this edition of our Unbox series, we sat down with Robert Prinzo, Head of Licensing at Cloudco Entertainment, to discover why Care Bears™ decided to experiment with web3 in The Sandbox and how they amassed 1.4 million completed quests across 100k+ unique users who visited the brand’s three gamified experiences 330,000 times.
Activating in The Sandbox to Explore New Distribution Channels
Heading into the tail end of 2020, the Care Bears team had been observing the latest developments in the web3 industry for some time. Knowing they wanted to take the leap into the new frontier of cutting-edge technology innovation, they looked to The Sandbox as a viable platform that could provide tools that would enable them to branch out from traditional means of brand engagement and experiment with something new.
“We were thrilled to embark on a journey of exploration and expansion with the Care Bears, venturing into new digital realms and pushing the boundaries of our beloved IP. Our aim was to connect with diverse audiences and enthusiastic consumers across the globe. While the Care Bears’ iconic content has traditionally found its way to fans through broadcast channels, we felt the need to embrace a more direct-to-consumer approach and open new doors for innovation and connection.”
In The Sandbox, direct-to-consumer shifts to themes of collaboration, mutual trust, and shared experiences between brands and their communities. To the Care Bears team, this new method of content experience, as well as the “openness and robustness” of the platform, stood out as key reasons why the team ultimately decided to make the leap and begin a journey to avatars, NFTs, and gamified experiences at the intersection of fun and social collaboration. These developments attracted a fresh audience to the Care Bears brand in a much more tangible, collaborative way than ever before possible. Nothing was a better demonstration of that progress than the launch of Care Bears avatars, a collection of 3,060 NFTs that sold out in 27 hours after its mint was initiated.
These developments attracted a fresh audience to the Care Bears brand in a much more tangible, collaborative way than ever before possible. Nothing was a better demonstration of that progress than the launch of Care Bears avatars, a collection of 3,060 NFTs that sold out in just 27 hours after its mint was initiated.
“It’s truly incredible to witness how our initial foray into the metaverse has captivated and engaged fans. It’s a thrilling new chapter that pushes boundaries and opens up limitless possibilities for the Care Bears.”
Involving the Community Provides the Blueprint for Web3 Success
Where they currently stand, the Care Bears team is incredibly happy with how their journey into web3 has shaped out, but it was initially a “completely new” turn for the brand without a predetermined blueprint for success.
“We embarked on this journey with no clear expectations or established benchmarks. It was a bold leap for the brand to venture into uncharted territory, where uncertainty loomed. However, the risk has undeniably paid off. The evidence lies not only in the impressive numbers but, more importantly, in the sheer joy and excitement radiating from the community as they engage with the brand.”
Now that they’ve proved to themselves that they can build a loyal audience in web3, the team is prioritizing an ongoing commitment to interact with their community, which has so far resulted in valuable real-time feedback and a much more engaged audience for the brand to work with.
“We find ourselves in an exciting position within the web3 space, where we have established a solid foundation to build upon. Although we are still in the early stages of this journey, there is a never-ending curiosity to push the boundaries and discover just how far we can go.”
Centered entirely around the community, no activation has been a better indication of Care Bears’ commitment to community than Game Jam, a 2022 contest that saw dedicated Care Bears fans build gamified experiences inspired by the Care Bears universe. Winning experience builders received rewards from a pool of 30,000 SAND — an incentive that boosted the activation’s fun and contributed to the ever-present theme of building together.
Care Bears are Moving Forward Focused on Avatars & NFTs to Keep Engagement Steady
Web3 culture is about storytelling, community, and utilities. With that top of mind, the Care Bears team recognizes that their Sandbox community establishes a baseline from which new upgrades and activations can be built upon.
“We’re incredibly excited to continue nurturing the strong engagement we have with our loyal visitors. Our ultimate goal is to create an engaging experience that keeps players and our beloved community eagerly coming back to explore new adventures within The Sandbox. Stay tuned to see what surprises we have in store for you!”
Coming off of launching three experiences — Care-A-Lot Plaza, Valley of Whispered Winds, and Merry Beary Winterfest — during Alpha Season 3, community feedback is being utilized as the driving force behind upgrades to Care Bear experiences using new features provided by Game Maker 0.8
