Branding for Crypto and Web 3.0

<div class="p-lr"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h2-style">The key details of branding for crypto and web 3.0 products</p></div></div></div>

<div class="p-lr mt-24 mb-48"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">We’ve previously talked about our experience working with branding for <a href="https://www.embacy.io/story/branding-for-fintechs" class="underline">fintechs</a>, <a href="https://www.embacy.io/story/branding-for-medtechs" class="underline">medtechs</a> and <a href="https://www.embacy.io/story/branding-for-edtechs" class="underline">edtechs</a>. Even when the products in these industries are entirely digital and never seen before, they take roots from storied industries. They’re in our culture: it’s easy to explain a neobank to someone, even if they somehow have no experience with digital banking. It’s a bank, but online.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-48"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">Cryptocurrencies are brand new in the grand scheme of things, and they still don’t have established imagery to them. But there are some cliches already.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">We’ve worked on dozens of crypto-related projects, and here we’ll share what we’ve learned working with this market.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr">Our <a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/122630565/DeFi-Alliance-Brand-Identity" class="underline">brand identity for Alliance</a> portrays start-ups changing the world as terraforming, the more literal world-changing. In the inclusive community we see not only all kinds of different people, but even robots and aliens</p></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h2-style">Patterns</p></div></div></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-104 mt-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">Random gradients, portals and labyrinths, headstrong metaphors (coins have to look like physical coins, mining shows literal mining, etc) — still widespread at this moment in time, but are on their way out. In the rapidly shifting market with a low entry barrier, looking boring and predictable won’t get you anywhere. Of course, a brand new project might not have the resource for a well thought-out branding identity and they might have to rely on obvious solutions. Yet, they’ll have to switch it up fast if they want to stick around.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr"><a href="https://www.futureswap.com/" class="underline">Futureswap</a> with a decade old meme on its main page</p></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr"><a href="https://www.joinryze.com/" class="underline">Ryze</a> shows that just because something is obvious, doesn't mean it can't be done well</p></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-104 mt-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">Plenty of crypto projects use darker colors for backgrounds in their visuals — this is a key pattern. They invite us into their own world, with its own community and its own rules. But even that is on its way out, as crypto projects now choose to remain in light.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr"><a href="https://bloom.co/" class="underline">Bloom</a> blooms</p></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr"><a href="http://avax.network/" class="underline">Avalanche</a> nears isometrics in showing everything at a different angle</p></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr"><a href="https://gitcoin.co/" class="underline">Gitcoin</a> plays around with generic space imagery and shows it in a new light</p></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-80"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">The key is the audience. While crypto is still brand new on the historic scale, it’s becoming more and more common. It’s not enough anymore to say "we’re crypto" and explain blockchain in simplistic terms. A project needs to stand out to find its audience.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h2-style">Audience</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr">The key illustration for <a href="https://ethereum.org/en/" class="underline">Ethereum</a> again portrays a different the world, the world you’re invited into</p></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">While far flung all over the world, the crypto community is unified. The only shared cultural code is the belief in this bright tomorrow. Some products, for a wider audience, do have to explain crypto to their potential customers: but that’s not the universal case anymore. The audience knows who they are and what they’re here for, and they need to be pulled into this world that is being created in front of our eyes.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr">In <a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/140403535/WeMeta-Brand-Identity" class="underline">our identity for WeMeta</a>, we pull you into this futuristic and exciting world full of opportunity</p></div>

<div class="p-lr"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h2-style">Branding for Platforms</p></div></div></div>

<div class="p-lr mt-24 mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">Sushi with its neon logo doesn’t make any sense. It’s not edible or anything. And there’s no correlation with the product whatsoever. While the neon trend is on its way out, it’s working for Sushi for the time being: it is memorable, after all. Crypto Sushi.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr"><a href="http://sushi.com/" class="underline">Sushi.com</a></p></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">Whereas newer products that aren’t as recognizable come out with more down-to-earth branding. Simultaneously with these pie-in-the-sky notions, we have more day-to-day applications to crypto, and this clash of something new and vibrant with our daily routines. That is particularly notable for wallets.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr">Unlike the aforementioned products, <a href="https://firi.com/" class="underline">Firi</a> doesn’t show a new world, but crypto finding a home in ours</p></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr"><a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/133258149/Stockpay-Brand-Identity-Website" class="underline">Our identity for StockPay</a> also doesn’t show some far away galaxy: instead, it’s here right at home, in our big cities</p></div>

<div class="p-lr"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h2-style">Branding for Wallets and Banking</p></div></div></div>

<div class="p-lr mt-24 mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">Crypto wallets and banking apps now don’t stray far from fintech branding. The cutting edge of the fintech branding — more emotional, vibrant, but not as bold or mismatched as one could expect from a crypto product.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr"><a href="https://nuri.com/" class="underline">Nuri</a>, another down-to-earth crypto project. Friendly but exciting with purposefully mismatched fonts</p></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr">Our dynamic <a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/126080091/Bravecash-Branding-Web" class="underline">identity for Bravecash</a> is all about not staying still</p></div>

<div class="p-lr"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h2-style">Branding for NFTs</p></div></div></div>

<div class="p-lr mt-24 mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">While OpenSea and NFTBank maintain a safe, practical look, the projects that directly deal with NFTs are a lot more colorful.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr"><a href="https://www.theweirdos.com/" class="underline">Weirdos</a> show that the NFT community totally isn’t a cult. Absolutelyl</p></div>

<div class="p-lr mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">NFTs are connected to a lot of things — art, music, gaming, etc. All of these would require a different approach, one that is appropriate for the niche, but they will always be more audacious than their regular counterparts.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr">On one hand, <a href="https://axieinfinity.com/" class="underline">Axie Infinity</a> presents itself similarly to any number of cutesy <a href="https://marketplace.axieinfinity.com/" class="underline">marketplace</a>, you see familiar exchanges</p></div>

<div class="p-lr"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h2-style">Outro</p></div></div></div>

<div class="p-lr mt-24 mb-104"><div class="g-7-15"><div class="transp-bl"></div><p class="h4-style">Web 3.0 projects aren’t brand new anymore, but they are still going through growing pains. At a glance, the industry so focused on decentralization and uniqueness can look surprisingly homogenous. Regardless, it is a market that shifts at an unprecedented pace. Already there is a wide and vibrant variety of takes on what a crypto project could look like — some go into 8bit stylings, some into retrofuturism, some into lineart, and more, and more, and more. We’re excited to see what comes next.</p></div></div></div>

<div class="mt-16 mb-104"><p class="text-gr">Our <a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/129091313/Scrypt-Brand-Identity-Website" class="underline"> project for Scrypt</a> mixing 3D and realistic textures</p></div>

Branding for Crypto and Web 3.0

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