The global sports apparel brand adidas is back in Web3 news. On Tuesday, adidas announced a three-year partnership with Tokenproof, a blockchain-based authentication platform, to launch a token-gated feature in its Confirmed app.
The move will give holders of specific NFTs exclusive access to products and experiences. Users of the Confirm app can see the latest NFT drop from adidas, ‘Into the Metaverse,’ which features an exclusive hoodie and pair of Superstar sneakers that were created in collaboration with Punks Comic, Gumney, and the Bored Ape Yacht Club. But to purchase the apparel, users must own an adidas’ NFT.
Through the Confirmed app, adidas will give loyal customers access to airdrops, special virtual and physical events, discounts, and other perks. In other words, adidas is launching a loyalty club that connects the brand with customers through non-fungible tokens.
The co-founder of adidas’s Web3 studio, Erica Wykes-Snead, said that token-gating is more than limiting access to products. It also enables certain groups (those who hold tokens) to avoid lines and bots, and could improve overall engagement and help adidas connect with customers in innovative ways. He called it a “direct to collector” or “direct to fan” model.
Wykes-Snead also added that for the first time ever, NFTs let people “authenticate a real person and give them token-gate access to highly curated shopping.”
To use the new feature, customers must download a crypto wallet and the Tokenproof app. When they connect their wallets to the Confirm app, adidas can see what NFTs they hold and provide curated offers that are more personalized than traditional emails. It will also reward customers for providing data.
Adidas, Nike, and Puma Jump into Web3
Adidas’ new partnership with Tokenproof isn’t the brand’s first move in Web3. As competition heats up in Web3 fashion, we’ve reported several stories about adidas launching Web3 initiatives and features. Here are the top headlines from adidas in Web3 this year:
- adidas’ ALTS Journey Reimagines Digital Fashion
- adidas drops Virtual Gear NFT Collection
- adidas to Create Personality-Based Metaverse Avatars
- Prada and adidas to Launch NFT Collection on Polygon
And adidas isn’t the only sports apparel brand that’s diving headfirst into Web3. Nike, which has established itself as an industry leader in Web3 fashion, recently airdropped 106,454 digital posters to members of .SWOOSH — its new Web3 platform. Puma has been active as well, most recently dropping an NFT collection to commemorate the brand’s 75th birthday.
Web3 technologies are becoming increasingly important in fashion (and across a myriad of industries) because they let companies connect with fans in novel ways, sell digital products, and create online communities. If adidas’s latest move to bring token-gated experiences and products to its members is successful, it could lead to more brands adopting NFTs and Web3 tech. At Rarity Sniper, we’ll be on the lookout for any updates to the story.
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