eDAO is a recent entrant in the Web3 space backed by Ethereum platform, Polygon. Founded by Anand Venkateswaran and Mairu Gupta, the DAO offers a Web2-Web3 bridge for creative practitioners and brands, with offerings that include deep tech services, a design studio, go-to market strategy, network support and community nurturing for NFT projects.
eDAO’s Web3 and media credentials are impressive. Venkateswaran was co-founder of Metapurse and creator of the pseudonym @twobadour, best known for joining hands with @metakovan to buy the Beeple NFT for $69 billion. Gupta comes with experience in scaling media and entertainment businesses, having led the digital businesses for Sony Music and NBA in South Asia.
What makes eDAO interesting is the fact that they span multiple worlds – from visual art to music and sports. Their genesis NFT, ‘The Strand,’ is a single access pass to pop culture, music, art, film and celebrities like Gully Gang & Divine, MF Hussain and Arzan Khambatta.
Earlier this year, eDAO launched Unlabel, an NFT series, which minted eight NFTs from artists like Sajid Wajid Shaikh and Santanu Hazarika. And while self-initiated projects like Unlabel will always be centre-stage, eDAO is also racking up commercial brand partnerships. Recently, they collaborated with Flipkart to launch the Flipverse, an interactive space for consumers to discover and buy new products.
Fans engage with pop culture and creative projects first; and in most cases, brands follow. This is a necessary progression that helps support creators and offset cost for fans.
Mairu Gupta, Co-founder, eDAO
Arriving at the Brand Proposition
Gupta admits that in the beginning, “We were trying to do too many things – invest, curate, design and engineer projects.” He reached out to Kunal Ghosh, who was at the time heading strategy at advertising agency, Cheil. After much discussion, they agreed on the unifying brand proposition: “eDAO unlocks subcultures in Web3 for IPs, brands and creators.” This was the foundation of the brief to creative partner, Animal.
Designing the Brand Identity
What are the standards for Web3 brand identities?
Kunel Gaur, co-founder of Animal, says it is too early to put Web3 design in a box. Their biggest considerations while designing for EDAO were threefold:
- Capture the DAO’s progressive, inclusive and inter-dimensional nature
- Build in a feeling of solidity and substance, while allowing for movement and animation
- Communicate that this is a brand focused on the future of the Internet.
Gaur describes the end result as “Fluidity meets substance.”
A bespoke wordmark deconstructs into W, E and 3, paying homage to Web 3.0, while its curved type reflects the nature of an ever-evolving space. The brand world is sleek and metallic, yet inclusive enough to be home to artists of all genres.
The primary colour palette of red and black is bold – and a marked departure from the gradients that have become popular in the Web3 world.
Animal chose Pangram’s Supply Mono as the house style, a type face inspired by industrial design and architecture.
Given that eDAO’s members are all creators themselves, what has been their reaction to the new identity? Gupta says that it has been “both a fun and grilling experience since everyone has a strong creative point of view.”
Join the Daoverse
eDAO wants fans and communities to directly support and be an active part of the success of artists and brands.You can join the eDAO Discord server here.
Team THC and Meeta, now that the hype is lessened, could you hold a masterclass for designers who want to understand web3?
A must-read article for anyone who’d like to appreciate a structured way of designing a fluid philosophy. Thanks for this.
How does one become a member of EDAO?
Very interesting. Thanks THC for keeping us on-trend and updated
IMHO this DAO business is all thin air but great design work by Animal