NFTs Revolutionizing Technology and Software - Industry Examples

In this edition of “Brands in Web3”, we turn our focus to the profound impact of digital tokens and blockchain technology on the technology and software sectors. We will dive into real stories and showcase 11 pioneering examples from industry giants such as Pantone, Salesforce, and Opera. These case studies illustrate how NFTs are enabling businesses to innovate in customer engagement, create new revenue models, and bridge traditional industry practices with the dynamic capabilities of Web3.

Our goal with this deep dive is to clear up how NFTs are driving transformation in the tech and software space, promoting growth, enhancing user interaction, and paving the way for a new era of digital enterprise.

If these stories catch your interest, you'll find more in-depth insights and analysis in our comprehensive summary. This summary equips brands and developers with the tools to strengthen customer relationships, democratize asset ownership, and push the boundaries of software innovation. Click here to explore the summary and discover how NFTs are sculpting the future of technology and software.

But first, let’s explore the compelling examples of how major players and innovative startups are utilizing Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to revolutionize the technology and software industries.

Are you already following us on Twitter? 
Stay in the loop with Ludo's latest developments and industry insights – follow us @LudoHQ and be the first to stay informed about the latest in Web3 through Ludo's reputation-driven curation, offering insights into the best NFTs, opportunities, and dApps.

Industry Examples

1. Pantone

Very Peri | March 2022

In December 2021, Pantone, the leader in the design industry's color trends, announced its "Color of the Year" for 2022: a periwinkle color named "Very Peri." Stepping further into the digital realm, Pantone released its first-ever non-fungible tokens (NFTs) inspired by this color, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri. Collaborating with Paris-based multidisciplinary artist Polygon1993, Pantone gave away nine NFT artworks on the eco-friendly Tezos blockchain.

The first five NFTs were offered for free on Tezos’ largest NFT marketplace, Objkt. The first drop of two pieces went live on March 9, and the second drop of three pieces launched on March 10. Additionally, four new NFTs created by Polygon1993 were available exclusively at Tezos’ SXSW 2022 experience, Block/Space, from March 11-14 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Visitors could also immerse themselves in the color and view the NFTs inside the “Very Peri” room at the event.

This collaboration aimed to explore new creative avenues by merging analog and digital techniques to create digital glitch art. Pantone’s venture appeared to be a strategic move in an NFT market where prices had dramatically dropped, potentially boosting their brand presence.

LNQ | May 2022

In May 2022, Pantone partnered with wearable hardware development studio Spatial Labs (sLABS) for its first wearable hardware product named “LNQ.” LNQ is a blockchain-enabled technology dubbed “the wearable Internet” by sLABS founder and digital architect, Iddris Sandu.

To celebrate the partnership, Pantone and sLABS held an event at NeueHouse in Los Angeles, featuring an interactive activation where Pantone offered a SkinTone guide in the LNQ app for users to apply to their metaverse avatars.

LNQ, the first project by sLABS, aims to redefine how products and fashion interact in both digital and physical worlds, offering users a fully immersive experience. Users can create a unique avatar, known as an Aura, to represent their digital identity and customize it with wearables purchased in the app or in real life.

As part of the partnership, Pantone and Spatial Labs announced plans to create limited-edition digital clothing that will be available later. Pantone will provide existing colors for the wearables. This is just the beginning, as more wearable products and other applications of color standards in both the physical and digital worlds are expected to follow.

2. Salesforce

NFT Cloud 

Salesforce, a well-known cloud software platform, unveiled the "NFT Cloud" marketplace during their Connections event in June 2022 to make NFT sales more accessible. Initially, the Salesforce NFT Cloud was offered as a pilot program, but it was set to be available to all clients by October 2022.

The NFT Cloud was designed as an entry point into the world of NFTs and the emerging metaverse. It enabled businesses to use Salesforce cloud tools for creating and marketing NFTs, interacting with their audience, and more.

Salesforce expected that NFT Cloud would address common issues on other platforms, such as phishing attacks and insider trading. Salesforce customers could list their NFTs on their websites, while Salesforce managed back-end security, smart contract development, and authentication.

While many thought the project had been shelved, in March 2023, a rebrand of NFT Cloud was announced.

Customer360 and Web3 Connect

In March 2023, Salesforce introduced integrated NFTs to help companies deepen their relationships with customers. The customer relationship management (CRM) platform mentioned that it expanded its services to include the management of non-fungible token (NFT) loyalty programs.

Salesforce's Web3 suite of products allows companies to easily build, manage, and integrate NFTs into their businesses. The platform includes support for Web3 technologies through its customer service product, Customer360.

Additionally, Salesforce Web3 launched an API integration called Web3 Connect. This provides insights into the customer experience across Web2 and Web3, which is especially useful for new customers entering these spaces. Salesforce has also introduced NFT Management, a platform that helps individuals and companies track their NFT collections and blockchain data through the Salesforce interface.

Salesforce began testing Web3 technologies in the past year and successfully completed 275,000 transactions during its beta phase. Companies such as Crown Royal, Mattel, and Scotch & Soda have tested Salesforce’s technology and provided positive feedback.

3. Opera

Alteon LaunchPad | February 2023

Alteon LaunchPad, a revolutionary new tool, has been available exclusively on the Opera Crypto Browser since February 21, 2023. This tool simplifies the process of minting NFTs, making it accessible even to mainstream content creators with little to no experience with Web3. Alteon LaunchPad demystifies NFT creation, allowing users to mint their NFTs with just a few simple clicks.

Using Alteon LaunchPad is straightforward since there are no platform usage fees or special requirements. Users simply drag and drop their files into Alteon LaunchPad, found on the browser’s sidebar, to preview their NFT and review the details of their smart contract. Users pay a nominal minting fee in ETH when publishing to the blockchain. They must ensure they have sufficient Ethereum in their Opera Wallet to complete the minting process. Once the file is approved, LaunchPad uploads it to the blockchain, and users can view the NFT natively within Opera Crypto Browser. They can then share these media files through dApps or sell them on private marketplaces. Opera Crypto Browser, launched in December 2022, is the world’s first multi-platform Web3 browser.

Alteon LaunchPad is a product of Alteon.io, an all-in-one ecosystem for content creators whose mission is to democratize the creative process. With its comprehensive cloud-based content management system, proprietary media transcoder, desktop upload tool, and a range of other products, Alteon is leveling the playing field for creatives by delivering world-class tools that were once prohibitively expensive for anyone outside large enterprises.

4. Sweatcoin

Sweatcoin | 2022-2023

Health and fitness app Sweatcoin entered the NFT and Web3 space by transforming its Web2 app into a Web3 platform and launching its digital token known as SWEAT in 2022. The token was built on the NEAR blockchain, and the company raised $13 million in funding backed by high-profile blockchain venture capitals to expand into the Web3 space. They also created a digital wallet to serve as a portal to Web3, offering crypto-related services and other gamification features.

In January 2023, Sweatcoin unveiled its new Sweat Hero blockchain game. The gameplay involves getting your steps in the perfect zone of a treadmill. The game provides players with Leg NFTs, which are in-game items that can be purchased. These NFTs can be combined with real-life steps to improve your score against your opponent.

5. Google

Google Updates Cryptocurrency Advertising Policy | September 2023

From September 15 onward, you will start to see more NFT gaming ads on Google, as the tech giant updated its cryptocurrency advertising policy in September 2023. The updated policy now permits advertisements for NFT games that enable players to purchase in-game items like virtual apparel, weapons, or armor, enhancing the gaming experience. However, the updated policy prohibits the advertisement of any “gambling or gambling services.”

To legally advertise gambling-related content that incorporates NFTs, developers and publishers are required to acquire the appropriate Google Ads certification and adhere to Google’s Gambling and games policy. The revised policy also prohibits NFT casino games and any social betting systems that enable users to wager NFTs, cash, or cryptocurrencies for real-world rewards.

Google has been steadily increasing its involvement in the NFT and Web3 space in recent months. Here are some of the initiatives the company has undertaken:

• Partnership with Dapper Labs: Google partnered with NFT leader Dapper Labs to support the Flow Blockchain, aiding the development of new Web3 products and services, including an NFT marketplace. As part of the partnership, Google Cloud became the network operator for Dapper Labs' Flow blockchain, providing a scalable infrastructure to strengthen the NFT, gaming, and app ecosystems.

• Blockchain Node Hosting Service: Google launched a blockchain node hosting service for Ethereum. This service enables developers to easily integrate their software with the Ethereum blockchain, incentivizing them to choose Google Cloud over competing services like Amazon Web Services. The launch of this service demonstrated Google's support and interest in the blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi) space.

• Investments in Blockchain Companies: Alphabet, Google's parent company, has invested in four blockchain companies—Dapper Labs, Fireblocks, Voltage, and Digital Currency Group—in funding rounds totaling $1.5 billion. This makes Alphabet one of the largest publicly traded companies to invest in Web3 through various investment vehicles.

• Google for Startups Cloud Program: Google launched the “Google for Startups Cloud Program” to help Web3 builders fast-track their projects. This initiative provides projects in the Web3 industry the ability to scale faster.

6. Unity

Unity Technologies Introduces Decentralization Category | 2023

Unity Technologies, the developer of one of the most widely used 3D game engines, has introduced “Decentralization” as a category in its online asset store. This aims to support developers interested in Web3 and decentralized gaming technology.

Given Unity's significant market penetration in the gaming sector, the addition of decentralized gaming technology is a natural extension of the company’s product offerings. In gaming, decentralization refers to game mechanics that allow players to create, earn, or obtain in-game resources that they can sell or trade, such as land, clothing, or weapons.

The page features 13 "verified solutions" that Unity has approved for developer use. Some of the listed tools and products include Algorand, Aptos Labs, Dapper Labs, ImmutableX, Solana, Tezos, and ConsenSys products Infura and MetaMask. Unity's integration of Web3 gaming tools is significant for the future of blockchain games, as many indie developers use Unity. Popular Web3 titles like The Sandbox, Decentraland, and Dogamí were also created using Unity's software.

Unity will only verify Web3 tools that it considers legitimate, dependable, and evolving. This means the tools are developed by public-facing firms, have reliable features and support, and are actively maintained by their creators. Developers can easily add any of the 13 Web3 gaming tools directly to their projects through Unity's Asset Store, eliminating the need to navigate third-party websites to find the tools.

7. Meta

Meta Introduces and Discontinues Digital Collectibles on Instagram | 2022-2023

In May 2022, Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, introduced digital collectibles on Instagram. These digital collectibles were NFTs that included art, images, videos, music, and trading cards. Creators were given the ability to make their digital collectibles and sell them to fans both on and off Instagram. The digital collectibles were showcased on Instagram, with the option for fans to support their favorite creators by purchasing their NFTs directly within the app.

Initially, the feature was tested with a small group of creators in the US and later expanded to more countries. The supported blockchains included Ethereum, Polygon, and Flow, with Solana coming soon. Wallet connections were available with Rainbow, MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, and Dapper Wallet.

However, as of March 31, 2023, Meta decided to discontinue digital collectibles on Instagram and Facebook. Previously shared collectibles would remain as posts, but blockchain information would no longer be displayed.

8. CHFTY Pizzas

Celebrity Chefs Launch CHFTY Pizzas NFT Collection | March 2022

Celebrity chefs Tom Colicchio and Spike Mendelsohn launched their first Ethereum NFT collection, CHFTY Pizzas, in March 2022 to build a Web3 community around culinary creators and their fans. They were initially driven down this path due to the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the restaurant industry.

The industry was upended in the early months of the pandemic, with an estimated 110,000 restaurants in the United States alone closing permanently due to shutdowns. Those that remained struggled to retain staff amid plunging revenue and had to adopt alternative service models to survive. Mendelsohn, the chef behind restaurants like We, The Pizza, and PLNT Burger and a past contestant on Bravo’s "Top Chef," said it “was a struggle to survive” for restaurant owners. He began considering different ways to embrace technology to connect with customers and fans.

This led to the creation of CHFTY Pizzas. The chefs’ Ethereum NFT collection includes 2,777 profile pictures, each featuring a cartoonish, anthropomorphized pizza slice with randomized characteristics. Each NFT was priced at 0.07 ETH, or about $210 in March 2022.

As with many such projects, the image attached to the NFT is just one part of the value equation. Each CHFTY Pizzas NFT acts like an access pass, allowing holders to join an exclusive Discord community that includes other notable chefs such as Rocco DiSpirito, Cat Cora, Jeff Mauro, Andrew Zimmern, and "Top Chef" winner Kristen Kish. It will also unlock future benefits, such as streaming classes from chefs, live events, and much more.

9. Front Of House

Front of House (FoH) NFT Marketplace Launch | May 2022

Front of House (also known as FoH) is an NFT marketplace founded by food and tech industry insiders Phil Toronto, Colin Camac, and Alex Ostroff in May 2022. The platform aims to combine physical and digital experiences to give holders exclusive access to perks, dining events and experiences, reservations, and more.

FoH offers food lovers a new way to experience hospitality from selected restaurants, while also providing restaurant owners with a way to earn income outside of the dining room through NFTs.

One notable characteristic of FoH is that it accepts credit cards, making it easier for newcomers to get accustomed to the Web3 space.

Using FoH, restaurants keep 80% of the sale of digital collectibles. The platform aims to help restaurants create deeper engagement with their customers through digital or "phygital" keepsakes, interactive experiences, and other benefits that can enhance customer loyalty.

10. Shopify

Shopify's Venture into NFTs and Web3 | July 2021 - Present

Shopify, the leading e-commerce platform, has entered the non-fungible token (NFT) and Web3 space by supporting NFT functionality for its merchants. Here's a brief overview of Shopify’s activities in this realm:

In July 2021, Shopify announced that it would allow merchants to sell NFTs through their online stores. This move aimed to provide merchants with the opportunity to tap into the growing NFT market and offer unique digital items to their customers.

In January 2023, Shopify expanded its blockchain commerce tools by enabling merchants to design, mint, and sell Avalanche-based NFTs. This expansion allowed merchants to utilize the Avalanche blockchain for creating and selling NFTs, broadening their options for digital asset offerings.

Additionally, Shopify launched a suite of blockchain commerce tools in collaboration with various blockchain-based app partners. These tools were designed to enhance the user experience of Web3-focused stores hosted on the Shopify platform. The suite included expanded crypto wallet features and a "tokengating" feature. Tokengating allowed merchants to determine which token holders could access exclusive products, NFT drops, and benefits. User eligibility was verified through connected wallets, providing a way for NFT merchants to reward specific users and add exclusivity to their products.

11. Telefonica

Telefonica Ventures into NFTs and Web3 | 2021 - Present

Telefonica, the Spanish telecommunications company, has made significant strides in the non-fungible token (NFT) and Web3 space. Here's an overview of their key initiatives:

Since its launch in 2021, Telefonica’s NFT Marketplace has undergone continuous evolution. The platform has added exclusive collections from various artists and themes while enhancing functionalities for its users.

In February 2024, Telefonica welcomed Gamium, Paysenger, The Crypto Hunters, and Metacampus to its NFT Marketplace, offering four unique and exclusive collections.

Telefonica introduced new collections to its marketplace in July 2023. These included five NFTs from the first collection of a work by Van Gogh digitized in Spain, a solidarity collection named 'Décimas Vivas' aimed at promoting educational projects, and 'Outer Ring', providing exclusive access to an innovative blockchain metaverse video game.

Additionally, Telefonica incorporated Latch into its NFT marketplace, enhancing security with dual authentication and a digital latch.

The company launched a collection of NFTs based on drawings by Ferran Adrià, comprising 114 unique NFTs, each with a digital certificate registered on the blockchain for authenticity and ownership verification.

Telefonica also unveiled a 3D virtual space recreating the physical environment of elBulli1846, a museum in space. This space allows users to explore the collection of NFT drawings based on Ferran Adrià's work, offering an immersive experience.

Furthermore, Telefonica partnered with unBlock to launch a Web3 Smart Tourism platform, introducing the concept of "visit-to-earn." This initiative provides tourists and residents with web3 incentives based on NFTs and digital tokens.

Thanks for joining us to explore how NFTs are revolutionizing the technology and software industries. From established companies to innovative startups, we've witnessed how these digital assets are driving innovation and reshaping traditional practices. NFTs are facilitating stronger connections between businesses and their customers, simplifying the ownership of unique digital items, and seamlessly integrating old practices with new digital methods.

To delve deeper into the impact of NFTs, be sure to read our full article. It offers a comprehensive overview of how NFTs are driving transformative changes and propelling us into a new era of digital innovation.

Aren’t these examples intriguing? It's clear that the technology and software industries are fully leveraging Web3 technology! Remember, if you liked our newsletter, then please share it with your peers so they can also benefit!