In this cycle, attention is everything—unique narratives and Gen Z support have become the key.
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In this cycle, attention is everything—unique narratives and Gen Z support have become the key.
The hardest game in crypto is capturing attention.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAuthor: milian
Translation: TechFlow
The truth is simple: the best ideas don’t always win — getting attention does.
A project's success hinges on its ability to attract, inspire, and be memorable. Ultimately, success depends not just on innovation, but on storytelling and reach. Polymarket wasn't the first crypto prediction market—Augur launched back in 2015. Uniswap wasn’t the first decentralized exchange; EtherDelta achieved that in 2017. OpenSea? RareBits entered the space in 2018. The point is clear: first-mover advantage matters, but it’s not decisive. Execution, narrative, and timing are what truly count. Of course, excellent user experience is also essential. This article explores how marketing—not just technology—can drive the survival and growth of crypto projects. Drawing from my own insights and experiences, I’ll examine founder-led marketing, team-driven strategies, Gen Z cultural dynamics, and the power of memetics in helping projects stand out in a crowded landscape.
Founder-Led Marketing
This is something we all understand now. In this space, a founder’s voice often defines the project. Leaders like Vitalik, Anatoly, Mert, Keone, and CZ have mastered this. The ability of a founder to clearly articulate a vision, authentically engage with the community, and tell compelling stories often outweighs even the strongest technical foundation.
Why? Because human connection is everything. Audiences respond more to genuine expression than polished messaging. A relatable, charismatic founder can turn an idea into a movement and followers into loyal advocates. People don’t follow logos—they follow the people behind them.
This isn’t just about technical expertise—it’s about humanity. Founders who build emotional connections by sharing insights, thoughts, and everyday life become the heartbeat of their projects. They’re not just leaders; they’re storytellers.
Team-Driven Momentum
While founders set the tone, teams amplify and spread the message. Active team members bring fresh perspectives, making a project’s value easier to grasp. Teams that encourage creativity and open dialogue tend to attract and retain users more effectively.
Recently, I’ve noticed @OmniFDN and @EclipseFND excelling in this area. By sharing insightful educational content around marketing and business development, they’ve drawn in many builders across the crypto space. They also post thought-provoking material that resonates with the broader crypto community, significantly expanding their reach. Special thanks to @0xMatt1, @grahamfergs, and @akachacolate—their work has been outstanding.
Team diversity creates a multiplier effect by bridging different communities and reaching new audiences. For example, while Milady and Pudgy Penguins communities differ culturally, a strong team can unite these distinct groups to drive growth and engagement.
I’ve found many team members only talk about how great their project is on X. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it limits their impact. To expand reach and capture more attention, try diversifying content. Share insightful, educational, or entertaining posts to appeal beyond just niche project followers. Discuss industry trends, share personal perspectives, or explore non-work topics to keep content fresh and engaging. Use X Analytics to identify what resonates most with your audience, then double down on those themes.
Be the protagonist of your unique story. As your audience grows and engages with your content, they’ll naturally become curious about what you're building.
A protagonist isn’t defined by status, but by the change they create. What resonates most is the impact you make and the journey you share.
Gen Z Perspective
A salute to the cryptic: Milady, 21e8, Urbit, Kinode, and beyond
Let’s talk about Gen Z—the generation I belong to. We’re becoming a rising force in crypto, and we play by our own rules. For us, authenticity, humor, and relevance matter far more than traditional corporate messaging. Polished, serious marketing doesn’t work; we value clever memes, distinctive branding, and transparent, direct communication. If you want our attention, speak our language.
We easily spot inauthenticity and can’t tolerate boring or outdated content. Brands that embrace humor, bold narratives, and open interaction are the ones that succeed. It’s not about perfection—it’s about relatability. Make us laugh or resonate with our culture, and you’ll stand out.
We’ve grown up steeped in meme culture. We know what creative content looks like. To stay relevant, projects must understand what we love: cinematic visuals, the music we listen to, the memes we share, the emojis we use. To connect with us, lead the culture.
We all appreciate what Teamspeak is doing here… you know what I mean.
Don’t think shortcuts work. If you rely on tools like ChatGPT to communicate with Gen Z, you’ll end up looking out of touch. A poorly made meme can embarrass us—and push us away.
The core of Gen Z language is memetics—the key to connecting with this digitally native generation.
Memetics: The Language of Gen Z
Slides from @BasedBeffJezos
Memetics isn’t just about humor—it’s a powerful cultural force. Strong projects use memetics to simplify complex ideas, making them easy to spread and hard to forget. When a project masters memetics, it understands how to scale its influence.
Memetics creates a snowball effect. Once embraced, people share and remix your content for fun and value. It’s not just about motivation—it’s about enjoyment, which is why communities thrive.
Memetics isn’t limited to “memes” like Wojak or Pepe. It lives in animations, visual design, and writing style. Memetics is the music that builds hype around your major announcements, the fonts and color schemes that make your brand instantly recognizable. It’s the subtle phrasing in your tweets that people can’t help but repeat. It’s the handmade merch people actually want to show off—like socks, Muay Thai shorts, or balaclavas. Memetics is everywhere. We live in an era where humans, technology, capital, and memes co-evolve. Memetics is the trend—and people love trends.
Evoke emotion.
Memetics can transform what’s traditionally seen as dull into something incredibly cool. Special shoutout to @bioprotocol for their exceptional work in making DeSci emotionally resonant.
If science can change the world, why hasn’t it? — @bioprotocol
Hire top-tier GFX and VFX designers. Collaborate with exceptional writers. Fuse memes with high-quality production. Capture the zeitgeist.
Make your thing cool.
Here’s the reality: the hardest game in crypto is capturing attention. Even if you build something incredible, it can easily drown in the noise if no one notices.
Successful projects don’t just rely on being good—they build connections. In this fast-moving space, your story and community support are what matter most.
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