I’m Seeing Dots… Polkadots

Our digital asset solutions client Osprey Funds recently got us on a Zoom call to deliver some big news: they were launching their new Polkadot Trust and they wanted us to develop the campaign. Polkadot is the latest digital token to rise up among the plethora of competing cryptocurrencies. Phil Pearlman, their chief marketing officer and chief behavioral officer, gave us a simple but challenging mission: to find the believers, and convert some of the crypto-curious.

So, who (and where) are they? I was contemplating this question the following day as I went out for a trail run, huffing and puffing up the thousand-foot climb overlooking Muir Beach with my running club. I somehow managed to communicate to a fellow runner that I was working on a project for a cryptocurrency called Polkadot. He nodded politely, registering zero interest, when suddenly our running group leader Travis zipped right up next to me. He’s a track coach for the local university, sporting his well-worn, ultra-bougie Swiss brand On running shoes, Patagonia shorts, and a slightly too small Brooks tank top. Turns out he knew all about Polkadot and already held some of the currency. 

Let’s pause and think about a guy like Travis. A running coach and investor with a brilliant mind, a thirst for knowledge, and little patience for being marketed to. His desire is to be the first to get the latest insights and predictions. He’s wearing pricey running gear, lives in the Bay Area, and either drives a Tesla or aspires to. 

Are there a lot of others like him? It’s harder than ever these days to get in front of people, so which channels and platforms would you use to reach them? You want to speak to them in a way that shows you are credible and cutting edge, but also inclusive, to draw in the prospect that wants to learn more. It’s our job to use simple language and give people the permission to speak knowledgeably about things like Polkadot. This requires agility, to be able to respond accordingly as you learn what’s effective. This is how you demystify the crypto-verse. 

What has started out as a financial tool with benefits - discretion, elimination of banking fees, low transaction fees for international payments, accessibility - has now become a red hot investment vehicle. Since the launch of Bitcoin, there have been a number of cryptocurrencies that have emerged including Litecoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin, to name a few. However, none may be hotter than Polkadot. 

Osprey’s Polkadot Trust launch campaign is a perfect project. It’s moving hyperfast, with some efficient upfront input, creative strategy, communications planning, some quick creative development sprints, followed by production and media placement across multiple channels. It pays to be nimble and efficient, with a strong network for projects like this, so it felt tailor-made for Partners in Crime. The ability to tap into our syndicate of experienced professionals when we need unique or deeper expertise is also helpful. 

“We needed to move quickly to launch this product and Partners in Crime understood the realities of our timeframe as well as the creative task at hand. They created work that cuts through the financial chatter and feels as innovative and compelling as the Osprey Polkadot Trust itself,” said our client Phil Pearlman, Osprey Funds chief marketing officer and chief behavioral officer. 

So now we’ve just launched our client’s new Polkadot Trust and we’re excited. Cryptocurrency is certainly at the forefront of a new age of financial products. With all of the numerous crypto products available, will it come down to a showdown like VHS vs. Betamax, winner takes all or more of a peaceful coexistence, like iOS and Android? It’s too early to tell. 

Erik Petersen is head of client services, Partners in Crime