Digital Memorabilia for Alumni Weekend with Token Gated Beer

To commemorate the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Alumni Weekend 2024, I crafted a digital keepsake for participants, utilizing Consensys Phosphor Studio for its creation.

To enhance the experience, I developed two straightforward websites. The primary site, smcm.me, served as a navigational hub for the experience, while the secondary site, tokengatedbeer.com, offered a swift method for revealing the beer's location by linking to a digital wallet.

The concept was straightforward: attendees of the Alumni Weekend could acquire a proof of attendance souvenir in the form of an NFT, which entitled them to a complimentary Ukrainian beer. The main site included FAQs and a link to a Signal channel for inquiries.

I distributed and re-posted 120 high-quality, full-page and quarter-page flyers throughout the campus, targeting central communal areas such as the waterfront, campus center, and the doors of student residences used by alumni. Some flyers were removed by college staff over the weekend since this initiative was unofficial. The removal was moderate since since some of the event organizers know me personally.

I implemented Google Analytics for both websites, and Phosphor Studio provided statistics for the digital keepsakes. The primary aim of this experiment was to gauge perceptions of the digital memento offering. Throughout the experiment, I engaged in numerous discussions with individuals while distributing flyers, observing QR code scans, and in casual conversations.

The Alumni Weekend at St. Mary’s College of Maryland offers a unique experience, inviting alumni from all years, resulting in a cross-generational attendance.

Observations and Lessons

Context is crucial. Official activities were centered around the waterfront, featuring a variety of events and open campus buildings. In the evenings, attendees divided their time between organized activities and outdoor spaces at their residences, fostering a lively campus atmosphere. Most attendees were unfamiliar with web3, with familiarity mostly limited to my close friends.

All residences have common outdoor space. People either brought their own chairs or pulled the chairs from the townhouses / suites and spent time outside playing games and socializing. These small groups (between 6-20 people) were the "chill area" in the afternoon and in the evenings.

Observations

• My flyers were the only non-official signs, capturing attention due to the absence of other flyers.
• The event emphasized in-person interactions, with minimal phone usage except for photography.
• Confusion arose regarding the need to download a new app (MetaMask), creating a significant barrier.
• Skepticism towards the QR code was noted, with concerns over identity theft, though having a website address on the flyer proved beneficial.
• This unofficial memento was met with openness for potential official adoption, despite the need for formal approval processes.
• The term NFT was not used in communication. except with those already comfortable with the concept.

Outcomes

• Only 6 NFTs were claimed, with 2 people I don't know.
• The smcm.me site received 98 visits, and tokengatedbeer.com had 27 visitors.
• Only one beer was claimed, leaving a surplus of Ukrainian beer. Not a loss.
• No comments were made in the Signal app.

Lessons

• The importance of understanding the context of the offering was highlighted. Attendees sought organic interactions and activities in a phone-free environment, making the digital aspect less relevant.
• The requirement to download MetaMask deterred web2 audiences unfamiliar with web3.
• There was little interest in spending time to learn about the initiative on the site, though there was meaningful curiosity about it in personal and small group discussions.
• A progressively decentralized wallet is needed for such initiatives in the future.
• In personal discussions the idea of a lasting digital memento was understood. People understood that the token will survive the temporary site. But all of these people don't live in the web3 realm. Therefore moving to web3 for the sake of a memento or a free beer wasn't worth the effort.
• Key lesson: Understanding receptivity of the audience is critical. Friction cannot be present where people come to be entertained.