As individuals and companies increasingly turn to the NFT market to raise money for important causes, the metaverse is shaking off its gamer associations and proving itself to be a space where strong communities can form around social goals — and avoid the will of big tech and government agencies

What brand hasn’t used a jingle to capture our attention? But in a busy marketplace is a catchy earworm still enough? Here, we report on how big companies are taking sonic branding to the next frontier.

Sports fans have attached value to physical items — trading cards, framed shirts, cup winners’ medals — for years. But with the rise of NFT collectibles, is the business about to go virtual?

In spring 2020, Rachel Steed-Middleton’s living room was stacked to the ceiling with boxes crammed full of beads. That was right around the time that her brand String Ting was transitioning from being a lockdown fundraising project to an accessories brand coveted by Hollywood actresses, supermodels, K-pop stars and New York professionals.

In series one, episode two, of the famous Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016), our protagonist Kim Bok-joo, a young, stylish university student, walks into Doctor Jung Jae-yi’s office one morning with an odd enquiry. She shuffles in sheepishly and takes a seat in front of the doctor.

I will not waste time with a typically proffered primer on what an NFT is nor offer a well-worn tale of its magic in solving enduring art world concerns. What captures my attention and imagination is the promise of NFT technology as an innovative workhorse for artists, including those who work in the worlds of music, photography and film, in managing their intellectual property rights (IPR) over their creations.