Gm gentle readers, 

Did you rub a banana peel on your face yet? 

If not, QUICKLY NOW.

Anyway, while some of you were jumping into pools and doing your 10K steps before 6AM, a week ago, Solana was busy dropping an ad so bad it made the entire timeline collectively cringe.

You’ve probably seen it by now, you know the one where they said “I want to create Technologies, not genders.” 

Yeah… it backfired, hard. What they thought was gonna be their big mic drop moment ended up reading more like “ Who the fuck is running this marketing team.”

Predictably, it went downhill fast. CT lit up, people called it homophobic and tone-deaf, and even die hard Sol fans were side-eyeing the campaign.

So, what went wrong? And more importantly, how do you not fumble this hard when marketing in crypto?

Welcome to another yap session: 

• So… how do you make a good ad in crypto without flopping this hard?

• But… What if it was rage bait?

• Ads that we loveeee

Let’s dig in

So… how do you make a good ad in crypto without flopping this hard?

Look, crypto is already a tough crowd. Between the permabears, the degens, and the this-is-not-financial-advice crowd, getting an ad right is like threading a needle while being dunked in ice water.

According to actual advertising science (yep, it’s a thing), good ads boil down to three non-negotiables: 

✅ Relevance

✅ Resonance

✅ Credibility

The Solana ad? Missed all three. Instead of showcasing why they matter in this market, they went with a shock statement no one asked for.

Here’s how to avoid their mistake, backed by ad strategy principles:

Start with Clear Positioning But Read the Room

The best crypto ads aren’t just yelling "we're crypto"  they answer three things upfront: why you, why now, and why should anyone care.

But hey, it’s not always about hammering utility. Sometimes, like Base’s ad, it’s the vibe that carries the message. Same format, however, Base’s version actually connected because it felt human, not forced.

They didn’t over-explain. They didn’t try to lecture. They just spoke to people; clearly, calmly, and without trying to stir drama for engagement. And that’s where most projects miss: positioning isn’t just about what you say, it’s how you say it.

Leverage emotional and rational appeals

Good ads connect with your audience’s brain and their bag. Don’t be afraid to make people feel something (FOMO is emotional, too), but back it up with rational proof.

Speak directly to your actual audience, not some imaginary one

Crypto isn’t mainstream, yet. Ads trying to be “for everyone” fall flat. Talk to the degens, the builders, the traders. Hell, name drop on-chain metrics if you must. Relevance matters.

But… What if it was rage bait?

Let’s play devil’s advocate for a sec, maybe Solana knew exactly what they were doing. Rage-bait marketing isn’t new. Hell, brands have been running the “let’s piss people off so they talk about us” playbook since the dawn of the internet.

Idk if you guys saw but everyone and their dad was talking about the solana ad last week, the engagement spiked to 920K.

If you wanna access these kind of analytics, sign up here for a 7 day trial! 

And you know what? For that reason, sometimes rage baits works:

• Liquid Death built their brand by pissing off boomers.

• Cards Against Humanity literally sells offensive humor, and people eat it up.

So, how do you successfully bait rage without setting your whole brand on fire?

Punch up, not down. Be controversial at institutions, systems, bad actors (you know fuck the patriarchy kind of stuff). Never marginalised groups.

Know your audience’s limits. Crypto twitter loves drama but will turn on you faster than SOL on a bad day if you cross the wrong line.

Back it up with substance. If you’re gonna stir the pot, make sure the product delivers. Otherwise, all you’ve got is a cheap stunt and nowhere to land.

The problem with Solana’s ad? It didn’t feel intentional or self-aware. It felt… misaligned. And that’s the worst kind of rage bait, because now you’re not just problematic, you really don’t get your audience too.

TL;DR: If you’re gonna bait, bait smart. Otherwise, just tell us why your chain doesn’t go down every other week.

Crypto Ads that we loveeee

Not every crypto ad deserves to be roasted in the group chat. A few genuinely ate (and left no crumbs). Let’s break down some of our favorite examples that nailed strategy, storytelling, and cultural timing:

🟢Coinbase’s Subtle Clapback 

They clapped back. Coinbase basically took the same concept Solana tried to pull off,  showing a societal problem and positioning crypto as the answer, but they did it with class. No weird “gender” takes. Just a clean, relatable ad that sparks conversation without alienating anyone.

Takeaway: Solana wanted to say "building on our chain = freedom + future." Instead, their messaging flopped and came off tone-deaf. Coinbase delivered the exact same narrative, but executed it in a way that didn’t backfire. That’s what good storytelling looks like.

🟢 Coinbase Super Bowl QR Ad : The “Less is More” Masterclass

The setup?
A black screen. A bouncing QR code. Zero dialogue. No forced explainer. Just pure curiosity bait.

People lost their minds waiting for it to hit the corner, legit chasing it around the screen. It hit that dopamine slot-machine effect perfectly, right down to the last-second “corner catch” that satisfied every pixel-obsessed brain.

Why it worked:

• Clean, distraction-free CTA.

• Played into our natural curiosity.

• Actually drove action, servers crashed from the traffic spike.

Takeaway: Sometimes, doing less is doing more. 

🟢 FTX Larry David “Don’t Miss Out” Ad (2022) — Humor Meets Relatability (Until It Aged Poorly)

Let’s ignore the irony of FTX going under and appreciate the ad:
Larry David playing a skeptical boomer, dunking on every historical invention, only to do the same with crypto.

It was hilarious. It hit the core fear of most crypto-curious folks: “What if I’m wrong?”
And it ended with: “Don’t be like Larry.” Simple, powerful.

Why it worked:

• Universal storytelling structure (resistance → progress).

• Made crypto’s FOMO angle relatable without sounding desperate.

• Tapped into humor + historical context — timeless recipe.

Takeaway: If you’re selling something new, humor and self-awareness can soften the sell without dumbing it down.

🟢 Crypto.com “Fortune Favors the Brave” (Matt Damon) — The One That Tried Too Hard

Matt Damon walking through history, talking about bravery, explorers, astronauts, and finally... buying crypto. Yeah, it was dramatic. Yeah, it was meme’d to hell. But guess what? People still remember it, and the tagline became part of crypto culture.

Why it worked:

• Bold, cinematic production that gave the ad a moment status.

• Tapped into crypto's own mythology around risk, bravery, and being early.

• Created endless virality, every time the market dipped, the ad resurfaced.

End of yap: 

Don’t be dumb, bashing on marginalized groups for “humorous” content is so 1960.

Got questions? Feedback? You know where to find us 📞—we’re here to help you get organized, even if we’re still figuring out our own lives.

Until next week,

stay cookish. 🍪