As marketers, our core task isn't to master the most advanced technology—it's to become the best storytellers. Yet, the reality is that our narratives are often dry, disjointed, and disconnected.
Great stories, much like those in beloved film series, work both individually and as part of a larger whole. Each installment of the Dune series, for example, stands strong on its own, but together they form an epic, all-encompassing saga.
Of course, I'm not suggesting crypto companies need to produce cinematic masterpieces. But what is our current story? Endless product updates, podcast appearances, and low-effort posts—without any unifying theme. It’s improvisation without direction.
Good storytelling requires intention and strategy. Too many of us resort to a "spray and pray" or "throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" approach. While this might work for early ad testing, it’s ineffective for building a memorable brand. Marketing can’t start with a blog post and end with a random meme—especially when there’s no thematic connection. We can do better.
Building a Brand Is Like Boiling Water
Building a strong brand is much like boiling a pot of water. When you place it on the stove, it doesn’t go from room temperature (a mediocre brand) to boiling (high recognition) instantly. You need to apply consistent heat (marketing effort) to raise the temperature. External factors like altitude (lack of company momentum) can also influence the time it takes to boil.
How can you make water boil faster? Add a little salt. In branding, intentionality is that salt. When you plan marketing campaigns and messaging with clarity and specificity, you accelerate brand recognition. Always ask: "How does this announcement fit into our broader brand story?"
Challenges in Crypto Marketing
Let’s be honest: all crypto marketers could improve in this area. From my experience, marketing leaders (myself included) often underperform for two key reasons:
- We change core messages too frequently based on shifting industry trends.
- We’re overly influenced by feedback from all directions—CEOs, colleagues, and the community.
Our industry has a collective attention deficit. Memecoins, for instance, are driven by ever-changing meta-narratives (like politics or specific blockchains) that influence price action. At the same time, intellectual conversations on Crypto Twitter revolve around themes like:
- Modular vs. monolithic chains
- App-chains vs. application-specific sequencing
- Solana vs. Ethereum
There’s nothing wrong with aligning your project with these discussions. Tapping into trending topics can be a smart way to attract attention. But problems arise when you chase narratives at the expense of your brand’s core identity.
You can’t respond to every industry debate, and not every trend lasts. It’s easy to get distracted. While some trends may eventually influence business strategy, your brand should evolve thoughtfully and consistently. Feedback is valuable, but you must also know when to say no to protect your brand’s integrity.
Leadership, Feedback, and Staying on Brand
Everyone has an opinion, but not all opinions are equal. At Eclipse, our CEO Vijay has strong business instincts, and I often defer to his expertise on product and strategy. But when it comes to marketing, that’s my domain.
There have been times when I’ve respectfully rejected Vijay’s marketing suggestions because they didn’t align with Eclipse’s broader narrative. Sometimes, the timing wasn’t right. I’ve even told him, "I will die on this hill" to secure resources for specific initiatives. This isn’t about defiance—it’s about doing my job well.
I also value feedback from our team. Many of our best ideas, like the recent ASS content, came from colleagues. But I still reject requests when I believe they’re off-base. My goal isn’t short-term attention—it’s lasting impact.
Case Study: The Creation of Turbo
To make these ideas more concrete, let’s look at the creation of Turbo, Eclipse’s mascot. Many have asked if they should also create a mascot. The short answer: probably not. Here’s why.
Before I joined Eclipse, the team was already discussing a "thicc sequencer." Despite successful funding announcements, the project struggled to gain consistent community attention. When I came on board, I noticed that the "intern account" trend—where projects create parody intern accounts to boost engagement—was overdone. Only a few teams did it well, and it was clear that most were just copying others.
I refused to let Eclipse become another forgettable name in the crypto graveyard. We needed something unique. That’s when we saw a Highland cow go viral in an New York art gallery—completely unrelated to crypto. It was our "aha" moment. Highland cow = thicc, and thicc = viral potential. We decided to make the Highland cow our mascot in a thoughtful, organic way. We weren’t copying—we were creating a legend in real time.
Designing Turbo
Once we settled on the Highland cow, we needed a design and name. Eclipse had previously marketed around blockchain performance, but performance alone wasn’t compelling anymore. Transactions per second (TPS) figures were constantly being surpassed, and nobody cared about marginal speed differences.
Instead of abandoning performance entirely, I wanted to暗示 it indirectly. I drew inspiration from anime—Akira and Speed Racer—to create a unique aesthetic unrelated to crypto. After several iterations, we settled on a bold yellow-green color scheme, a lovable 2D/3D hybrid Highland cow driving fast cars and motorcycles, and high-quality animations that set Turbo apart.
Managing Internal Feedback
With Turbo gaining traction, everyone had opinions. To maintain momentum, I had to shield Turbo from too many cooks in the kitchen. Here are a few requests I declined:
- Ramping Up Turbo Content Too Quickly: I waited for data before investing more. Three metrics convinced me: Turbo-related tweets outperformed others, our community embraced Turbo creatively, and outsiders started asking about Turbo.
- Using Fiverr for Mass Content: I refused to sacrifice quality for quantity. Our strength is quality, not volume.
- Financializing Turbo as an NFT or Memecoin: Absolutely not. Linking Turbo to financial performance would risk all the goodwill we’d built and distract our product team.
Turbo has become one of our most successful marketing levers because we invested meaningfully in its story. If you just draw an animal and call it a day, it won’t help your brand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is storytelling important in cryptocurrency marketing?
Storytelling creates emotional connections and makes technical projects relatable. It helps audiences understand your vision beyond specs and token prices.
How can I develop a consistent brand narrative?
Start by defining your core values and mission. Ensure every announcement, campaign, and piece of content aligns with this narrative. Avoid chasing short-term trends that dilute your message.
What are common mistakes in crypto branding?
Common pitfalls include overemphasizing technical jargon, neglecting community engagement, and copying competitors instead of innovating. Authenticity and originality are key.
How do I handle feedback without compromising brand vision?
Welcome input from stakeholders, but filter it through your brand strategy. Prioritize feedback that aligns with long-term goals and politely decline suggestions that don’t fit.
Can a mascot like Turbo work for any crypto project?
Not necessarily. A mascot requires significant investment in design, narrative, and community engagement. It only works if it integrates seamlessly with your brand’s story.
Where can I learn more about effective crypto marketing strategies?
👉 Explore advanced branding techniques and stay updated on industry best practices to refine your approach.
Conclusion: Your Brand Is a Story
Turbo’s story is just beginning. We haven’t done enough yet to prove it’s a game-changer, but we’re working on bold plans for the next six months. November was only the start.
I hope you enjoy following Turbo’s journey as we continue building Eclipse’s story. Start thinking of your own brand as a narrative—find ways to connect your announcements and tie them to core positioning. Water takes time to boil, but with intentionality and consistency, you’ll get there.