This year, NFTs did not take over the Super Bowl as they did in 2022. This was perhaps to be expected considering that the NFT market has just emerged from a market lull. NFTs were still present despite the absence of blockchain-centric ads during the big game. This presence was far beyond Reddit’s highly successful collaboration with the NFL on collectible avatars.
DigiDaigaku is what we’re referring to, of course. DigiDaigaku, a NFT-powered game that Limit Break created, was a hit as the Super Bowl’s only Web3-leaning commercial. The project received mass attention but generated mixed reactions. This sent many people in the NFT space reeling, and eventually led to controversy.
DigiDaigaku NFT Super Bowl commercial
A press release shared by nft now states that the DigiDaigaku advertisement was intended to inspire “the largest ever minting event.” Viewers would be asked to scan a code to get a free token that would allow them to create one of the 10,000 collectibles. However, that is not what actually happened.
The commercial was poorly executed. The content, which featured 3D animated characters running wild for a QR Code for 30 seconds, was a little disappointing. However, the QR code, which was a prominent feature of the ad, was flawed. Many people felt that the code directed them not to mint an NFT, but to Gabriel Leydon, Limit Break’s CEO, and Co-Founder.
Many believed that Leydon’s QR code and commercial were high-end engagement farming, with a large banner reading “follow to Win” as the Twitter header. However, it turned out that this was not the case. It was actually an unfortunate result of DigiDaigaku’s website redirecting to Leydon’s Twitter account after it failed to load. This was a significant problem for an advertisement that reportedly cost $6.5 million.
NFT Super Bowl commercial aftermath
It became clear that the DigiDaigaku commercial was just one part of a rapidly developing DigiDaigaku mess. Users noticed that Leydon had tweeted the ad along with the mint link prior to the commercial airing. This meant that only those with an Ethereum wallet could claim the NFT claim.
Many took to Twitter to express their disappointment at the loss of an opportunity to onboard NFT enthusiasts. It became apparent that DigiDaigaku wasn’t the guiding light it should have been. Some collectors were able to claim digital collectibles, and took home 0.5ETH ($700) or more. However, floor prices started to fall and now sit at 0.288ETH. Leydon announced that a second chance mint would be available with 5,000 more of the unrevealed NFT dragon eggs. But only time will tell what the future holds.
Leydon considers the commercial a success, regardless of public sentiment. After the game, Leydon responded to detractors via DigiCult’s Twitter account, saying that he didn’t know what to expect, but Digi did what we promised. He asked, “What was I supposed do?” “We spent seven millions dollars and, after 4k minted. I’m supposed say thanks for stopping by.” Yes, I will use the money to engage.
We don’t know how DigiDaigaku and Limit Break will proceed after the disappointing launch. They will be remembered for the toxic consequences of not meeting expectations and operating under a microscope, much like other hyped NFT drops in the past.
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