The Merge was one of the most impactful technology shifts since the formation of the internet. It transformed the most used blockchain, Ethereum, into an almost net-zero technology, reducing its electricity consumption by over 99.98% overnight. The Merge was an incredible technical feat, but one that was difficult for mass audiences to understand.
Consensys identified an opportunity to educate audiences, elevate its brand, and establish a defiantly optimistic global narrative to surround this historic moment through a multi-channel marketing campaign around three core aspects of The Merge: sustainability, security, and future scalability. "Ethereum, Evolved" was born out of a vision to spread awareness of The Merge and celebrate the decentralized developer community who brought it to life.
It has been six months since The Merge, and we are thrilled to announce that our campaign "Ethereum, Evolved" has been honored with the platinum MUSE Creative Award (their highest award!) in the Integrated Marketing Campaign category. This recognition fills us with immense pride and motivation to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity and excellence in our field.
The MUSE Creative Award is composed of a series of competitions which are organized to honor excellence in various fields. This year, the competition received over 6,300 entries from across the globe. The Muse Creative Award is hosted by the International Awards Associate (IAA), which ensures that these competitions are accessible and fair, in order to guarantee recognition only goes to those who truly deserve the accolade.
Thank you to MUSE, and especially to the amazing team behind this project for their outstanding work in highlighting the progress of the Ethereum ecosystem.
Consensys’ “Ethereum Evolved” campaign
Through a multi-channel marketing campaign driving a simple narrative around three core aspects of The Merge: sustainability, security and future scalability, we were able to educate mainstream audiences about this pivotal moment for Ethereum.
These narrative seeds set up subsequent campaign messaging, brought to life by our hero video, social assets, and targeted paid placements.
A robust organic media plan, including social, blog-based content, and global PR outreach which secured +200 pieces of media coverage, spread our message far and wide. To reach non-web3 audiences, we ran a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal, stopping readers mid-flip while inviting them to celebrate The Merge along with us.
All media drove to the Merge Hub, an interactive experience showcasing the three pillar benefits of the Merge through rich, informational content, and inviting users to claim their very own celebratory Merge NFT. The Merge Hub garnered over 600k visits during the campaign with 184k coming on Merge Day alone.
Our Regenesis NFT collection was based on the three core narrative pillars and included a free, open edition, a commemorative edition airdropped to core Ethereum developers, and a bespoke art piece, minted in block one and position one of proof-of-stake Ethereum, making it the network’s first sustainable 1-of-1 NFT ever. The NFT collection went on to become the largest NFT drop in history and 2nd most distributed collection ever.
In the end, our efforts elevated the Consensys brand, educated audiences, and shaped global narratives about The Merge all while demonstrating new ways to engage audiences through the power of web3.