Hauppauge, NY (April 4, 2022) – To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Austin Williams has released a commemorative nonfungible token (NFT). A nod to an old-school 90s video, it’s the first in a gallery of NFTs that will live in the Agency that the Hauppauge-based firm is building in the metaverse.
“Leaning into our founding moment of 1992, the NFT is a video of a Holi powder 30 Rocks explosion with layered-on effects that looks like it is being played back on a 1992 VCR—including slightly out-of-register RGB color channels, scan lines and even the date in the upper righthand corner of the screen,” says Creative Director Bryan Hynes, the talent behind the NFT.
Unlike most developers of NFTs—digital assets that represent real-world objects like art, music, in-game items and videos—AW will not be proactively selling the limited-edition NFT online, although this one, and the collection, will be hosted on OpenSea. For the leading digital agency, creating the NFT collection (which does feature a limited number for sale) is not a money-making venture, but an investment in innovation.
“There’s little doubt that the metaverse is going to change how our clients’ brands connect with consumers and we’re gaining the hands-on knowledge—with our own brand—to be in a better position to guide them and help them make the most of this virtual environment,” says Andrew Catalano, who was recently promoted to AW’s chief innovation officer from chief digital officer, to reflect the full-service and digital marketing Agency’s emphasis on bringing cutting-edge marketing strategies to clients.
“NFTs represent the entry point into the metaverse for many brands,” he explains, “so creating our own digital asset was just the natural place to start.” Catalano is also currently in the process of acquiring real estate for the Agency in the metaverse.
To find out how you can receive a limited-edition 30th anniversary NFT—or how Austin Williams can help your brand enter the metaverse, too—contact us.