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Domino’s Wants You to Embrace the Noid Through Its NFT Auction
Following Taco Bell’s lead, the pizza purveyor is dipping its toe in the blockchain pool with a new marketing gimmick.
First, Taco Bell sold non-fungible tokens (NFTs) linked to animated gifs of tacos for $1 apiece in March. They sold out in 30 minutes.
Now, Domino’s is hopping on the blockchain bandwagon, hyping a similar gimmick — or rather, its recently revived mascot from the ‘80s and ‘90s is hyping it. Yes, the Noid has been reincarnated as a Blockchain Bro.
According to Domino’s playful press release: “To Domino's dismay, their nemesis has decided to sell one-of-a-kind non-fungible tokens linked to these tools, over the course of a fourteen-day auction, to fund future schemes. Domino's was alerted to this nefarious plan and felt a strong statement was necessary: please don't buy them!”
If you’re too young to remember the Noid’s schtick, he was a villain who, for some reason, was out to ruin pizzas. Only Domino’s innovative packaging and promise of a quick delivery could foil his schemes. Let’s just say, as corporate mascots go, the public never really had much love for the Noid.
As part of his reinduction, Domino’s is tying him to the most confusing and irksome economic instrument of the year, the NFT. Simply put, an NFT is a piece of unique computer code, which is stored on the blockchain platform and allows people to declare ownership of various assets, including digital works.
The Noid’s NFTs include digital images of a collection of his pizza-destroying gadgets — called Noid's Failed Tools — and will be auctioned on the NFT trading platform Rarible over the next two weeks.
But has the chain arrived too late to capitalize on the craze? While this sale may be effective in drumming up a quick press hit for the Domino’s brand (not that it needs it), unfortunately, the Noid may find his plans foiled again. Interest in NFTs has recently tanked.
“Sales are plummeting. The NFT bubble has popped,” said tech site Gizmodo, which goes so far as to invoke ‘90s collectible crazes like Pokemon cards and Beanie Babies when discussing the non-fungible tokens.
At least the Noid will be in good company.
