How to Make Your Brand "Community-Driven" in the Web3 Era?

Brent Annells, CMO of Smart Token Labs, says building a Web3 brand starts with building a community. This article will highlight some successful examples of community-building.

In the early days of the internet, brands could stand out through one-size-fits-all marketing. But as the web evolved, so did the ways consumers interact with brands.

Branding in 2022

Today, consumers expect brands to be more than just promoters of products or services. They want to "align" with brands they can trust—brands that have successfully created their own values.

This is where community comes in.

A community is not merely a marketing strategy—it’s more important than branding; it's the foundation of Web3. Web3 communities consist of many elements, but at their core are decentralized ownership, governance, and incentives, enabled by new technologies and novel forms of participation.

O2, T-Mobile, and Telstra: Pioneers of “Community”

Take the telecommunications industry as an example. Over the past two decades, some of the best inspiration for community-driven brand initiatives has come from this sector. From customer co-creation to open-source development, telecom companies have demonstrated their willingness to reach users in bold and innovative ways.

One key reason Web3 differs from previous iterations of the web and drives innovation is its emphasis on forming communities and offering users multiple ways to participate in governance—something telecom companies have been doing for years.

O2, T-Mobile, and Telstra are all successful examples of companies enabling user participation in governance. By doing so, they not only built brand loyalty but also created unique, hard-to-replicate brands from the user’s perspective. These approaches were happening long before we started calling it "Web3".

Yet, the principles they applied—decentralized ownership, barrier-free participation, and openness—are now signature traits associated specifically with Web3. As we enter this new era of the internet, we can learn from these telecom pioneers to optimize how we build communities around brands.

The O2 Arena

O2, with over 30 million users, is the largest telecom company in the UK. In 2007, the company took a gamble and acquired the naming rights to London’s Millennium Dome, originally built to celebrate the dawn of the third millennium but struggling to find sustainable use.

The company revitalized the arena by launching music, festival, and sports events marketed directly to millions of O2 customers. For example, O2 members received priority ticket access and free snacks and beer at every event. The initiative proved hugely successful, delivering a 26:1 return on investment by the end of 2008.

The program not only positively impacted O2’s business but also fostered community assets. The O2 Arena became a place where people gathered and shared experiences. It was, and still is, a success story for both brand and community.

While the O2 Arena demonstrates the success of community-building, Web3 offers ways to further improve and optimize this model. One approach would be to decentralize decision-making power to the community served by the O2 Arena. As a community asset, it makes perfect sense for profits and governance to be shared among O2 users. This would represent a revolutionary leap forward, giving the community greater control over the brand’s future.

The O2 case study offers valuable insights for Web3 development. Most importantly, it proves that returns are possible through community engagement—but only if there's a clear path to scale. Community-building initiatives in Web3 need effective methods to reach broader audiences.

T-Mobile Flash Mobs

T-Mobile, the second-largest wireless carrier in the US, also has a strong history of community-driven campaigns. In 2009, the company launched its “Life’s for Sharing” campaign, featuring a series of flash mobs across various locations. These flash mob events were not only a fun way to engage customers but also generated massive traffic and attention.

The first “Dance” event took place at Liverpool Station, followed by an “Arrivals” event at Heathrow Airport. T-Mobile didn’t just share content—they produced advertisements showcasing live stunts. They even co-created ads with users and collaborated with celebrities.

Over three years, T-Mobile collaborated with thousands of users to create diverse content, engaging tens of millions and increasing sales by 52%. The company’s success with community participation—achieving viral impact—set a benchmark for brand influence in the industry.

Of course, Web3 offers ways to optimize this model. One method is using NFTs (non-fungible tokens) to collect and share moments from these events. NFTs are ideal for capturing value and verifying ownership of such collectibles, while also granting users rights to co-create content, thereby strengthening community engagement.

T-Mobile’s case provides useful lessons for realizing Web3 value. First, it shows that creativity is key. To inspire organic, large-scale participation, you need creative ideas. But equally important is remembering that not every idea will resonate. Sometimes, the best approach is focusing on smaller, more achievable goals.

Brand and Telstra: Crowd Support

Telstra, Australia’s largest telecom company, is another pioneer in empowering communities. In 2011, it launched Telstra CrowdSupport, one of the earliest examples of scaled peer-to-peer customer support.

CrowdSupport allows Telstra customers to participate in real-time customer service. This peer-to-peer support model successfully reduced customer service costs and decreased user complaints.

While Telstra’s CrowdSupport effectively demonstrates how Web3-style mechanisms can improve business processes, there’s still room for improvement. A more decentralized approach would involve using tokens to incentivize user participation. This would build greater trust and transparency within the community and boost engagement rates.

Looking Ahead: Building Brands for the Future—and Learning from the Past

“Moats” is a widely used term in Web3 community branding. While communities can indeed serve as powerful differentiators in Web3 projects, it’s important to remember that the power of community is nothing new. For years, brands have built loyalty and driven business growth through community engagement.

Web3 presents an opportunity to elevate existing infrastructure to a higher level. With new technologies and tailored models of user engagement, brands can enable consumers to participate in brand-building in ways previously impossible. At the same time, as we move forward, we must not forget to look back. Lessons from the past offer valuable insights into shaping the future of branding.

About the Author

Brent Annells is the CMO of Smart Token Labs. He has worked with some of the world’s most innovative media and technology companies for decades and recently completed KB4, a deep dive into the core research of Web3. He is now fully committed to Web3 alongside Smart Token Labs.

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