You’ve probably heard the buzzwords – NFTs, the metaverse, blockchain, Web 3.0, AR and VR… but what do they all mean and how should PRs be taking advantage? We sat down with Natalie Johnson, founder of neuno, to find out more.
How would you describe what you’re building at neuno?
neuno is a marketplace for fashionable NFTs. Our audience spans the fashion, crypto, and gaming realms. We are aiming to provide a teachable, equitable experience between each of those communities.
Why do PRs in the fashion and lifestyle space, and brands, need to be across NFTs and the Metaverse?
Well firstly, the traditional fashion system can be a bit retroactive. There is something exciting occurring in our corner of the world, and bridging new ways of promoting these technologies is both riveting, and exciting to an industry that depends on it. It’s a new way – the new way and comes with a new audience, new generations and new markets to explore.
How can brands better understand and leverage these new technologies? Where can they go for information?
neuno is thinking about this currently as we get asked this question on the daily! We are launching a blog soon to promote our perspective on fashion and consumer technology. As well, we will be prioritizing forms of communication that more fashion-centric audiences can appreciate.
Do you think Australian brands and PRs are leveraging tech as well as they could be? Why or why not?
Australia has a burgeoning blockchain community in industries other than fashion – Betty is an artist and founder of NFT community Deadfellaz, the Immutable X team which provides a layer 2 solution and Zed Run a wildly popular NFT horse racing game. There is a movement with Steve Vallas at the helm of Blockchain Australia and Michael Bacina an industry thought leader on legality in the NFT space. Fashion brands have remained quiet, but watch the AFC closely for some news coming later in the year.
The main reason brands aren’t connecting yet is they don’t know where or how to start and the biggest key is that they don’t have crypto communities set up yet – that’s where we come in – if brands just release an NFT collection into the void it is not going to be the best play for them.
What’s your vision for neuno? What are you most excited about?
Our vision for neuno is to create a safe space for women interested in NFTs. A lot of the industry is dominated by men, even the more curated corners. We want a femme-centric model for financial technology. Women love to shop and we are building an option for tech-savvy women with a taste for luxury.
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Still not sure? Here’s some definitions of the key terms:
NFT: A non-fungible token that can be traded and sold. NFTs are stored on the blockchain, which allows them to be verified as unique.
Blockchain: a digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed across a entire network of computer systems. Blockchain records cannot be altered, making it a perfect system for traceability and transparency.
Metaverse: According to Wired, the term doesn’t refer to any one specific type of technology, but rather a broad shift in how we interact with technology. It includes immersive virtual reality ‘worlds’ / games and augmented reality where the real and digital worlds coincide. The metaverse can have its own digital economy where you can create, buy and sell goods, and the ideal is where you could create a persona that isn’t tied to a particular platform.
