Diamond Hands, Hans Zimmer, A New Club And A Bored Ape: IWC & Jung von Matt NERD Are Entering web3

Apr. 05, 2022

IWC announced its NFT & web3 strategy during "Watches & Wonders 2022" in Geneva.
The starting point is a genesis token that grants access to an exclusive membership program – the "IWC Diamond Hand Club". The Diamond Hand is an homage to blockchain culture: it stands for people who don't sell their NFTs and coins in volatile market situations. IWC also used the chance to make use of April fools by announcing a new brand ambassador, namely a Top 100 rarity Ape from the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC). But while BAYC#2986 may not act as a constant ambassador, it will remain with IWC and its metaverse agency Jung von Matt NERD in other ways. 

IWC has entered the Metaverse with a community-centered approach. The IWC Diamond Hand Club (Genesis) is a token that verifies an exclusive web3 membership program that grants rights to exclusive digital and real-world utilities. The longer the IWC Diamond Hand Club (Genesis) is held, the more individual utilities are unlocked by members who prove to have Diamond Hands – a term that is popular within the web3 and crypto community. Diamond hands are people who don’t get nervous in volatile market situations – a logic that applies to true watch aficionados too. The opposite are "Paper Hands" who sell fast when prices go up or when they go down.

Maurice Moitroux, Global Brand Marketing Director at IWC comments on this strategy:

"Web3 is not just about technology, it’s about culture as well. We wanted to start with something that paid homage to the community and that can grow over time".

 

One of the first utilities for holders was a private VIP Hans Zimmer concert on Friday.

The token, club, and announcement campaign were developed by JvM NERD – a specialized boutique for nerd, fandom & digital pop culture of the Jung von Matt Group (Top #4 indie agencies of the decade, Cannes Lions). JvM NERD has been known for accompanying brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Pringles, and McDonald’s into esports & gaming. Another pillar of the agency is to create capsules for Nintendo and Warner Bros. and Snipes. 

The team also holds a collection of exquisite NFTs such as CLONE X by RTFKT (Nike), Adidas, HAPE, Adam Bombs, Cyberbrokers, and some Bored Apes – the current most expensive NFT avatar collection. Many of these NFTs grant commercial rights to their individual owners. That’s why IWC and JvM NERD decided to announce a new IWC brand ambassador on April Fool's day on Twitter, which was quickly taken up by the community and many Original BAYC holders, who appreciated the visibility.

Maurice Moitroux adds:

"A lot of original BAYC holders jumped on the train. Many assumed that this was an April Fools joke, but they appreciated the visibility of their community and welcomed us into the space! It was one of the most successful IWC tweets ever."

 

Whether the #2986 will be featured in more campaigns remains to be seen. But the holder will from now on lead and oversee community building for IWC in web 3.

IWC also announced a roadmap for the months to come, providing a vision and a first glimpse into the utilities that token holders will get. The community will have its community hub on SPKZ which offers the perfect environment for the initial launch of our IWC Diamond Hand Club due to its easy-to-use user experiences and high safety measures to protect people who are new to the NFT space. 

The total of 1’868 black raw diamond tokens were quicky claimed during the first hours of Watches & Wonders. A simple QR code was the gateway to claim them. This QR code was shared during the keynote itself, on our website, on social media, in our newsletter as well as on our physical booth at Watches and Wonders. Buyers of one of the colored ceramics or ceratanium watches will also receive a token in the color of their watch following the purchase.