As we continue to explore the vast expanse of the digital landscape, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of new technologies and platforms. But amidst all the hype surrounding social media and short-form content, there lies a hidden gem waiting to be tapped – television.
A Bygone Era? Not So Fast
Many have declared television a relic of the past, a bygone cultural linchpin facing obsolescence as people shift their focus to smartphones and social media. But the numbers paint a different picture: 97% of United States households still have a TV to watch programming. Television remains the go-to source for most Americans to consume media.
The Rise of Short-Form Content: A Double-Edged Sword
While platforms like TikTok have seen explosive growth, they often come at the cost of depth and nuance. Web3 innovators, accustomed to communicating with a tech-savvy, crypto-native audience on these short-format social networks, fail to realize that television’s longer format and massive reach are better suited to teaching so-called "normies" about the wonders of blockchain, non-fungible tokens, and digital assets.
The Shark Tank Template: A Blueprint for Success
Without delving into the debate over how video-sharing platforms erode attention spans and dumb down culture, it’s difficult to dispute the merits of longer-format media. For crypto to succeed in the long run, it must find the quickest path to mainstream adoption. Television has a template to achieve this – the success of Shark Tank.
A Reality Show with a Purpose
Created by Mark Burnett, the mastermind producer behind The Apprentice, Shark Tank has won numerous Emmys in its 15-year run, racking up an impressive 340 episodes and reaching its 16th season. While concerned as much with entertainment as education, it’s fair to say that the series has helped teach the American public how entrepreneurship and investment work against a backdrop of booming tech startups.
A Similar Format for Crypto
It’s not a stretch to think that a similar format could do the same for crypto. Web3 startups looking to win hearts and minds and onboard mainstream users need only look to Shark Tank’s success. By leveraging television’s unique blend of high-value production and real-world coverage, entrepreneurs can put themselves on a firmer footing.
Deep Dives: A Necessity in Education
Speaking of long formats and their suitability for education, we would be remiss not to mention The Joe Rogan Experience – which, funnily enough, launched the same year as Shark Tank. Known for its in-depth conversations with guests such as comedians, academics, scientists, politicians, sportspeople, and entrepreneurs, the podcast’s popularity saw Joe Rogan secure a multi-year deal with Spotify.
A Lesson from The Joe Rogan Experience
The success of The Joe Rogan Experience serves as a lesson to Web3 projects: there has to be room for both short- and long-format content when educating the masses about Web3 and crypto. Many projects fail to recognize the inherent advantages of long format, believing that abstracting all complexity away is the ultimate goal.
Why TV Matters
There’s another point worth making: TV, by definition, is mainstream. For all that Web3 projects profess to want to "onboard grandma," they spend much time in the echo chambers of X and Discord rather than beaming into the homes of millions of viewers. If they are serious about turning skeptics into believers, they should take their messaging to a familiar medium that gives them the breathing room to convey why blockchain is here to stay.
Conclusion
Fintech entrepreneurs at the forefront of the DeFi movement underestimate long-format mediums like TV at their peril. While it’s no longer the focal point of family life, the "box" still possesses a rare power – the ability to connect with mainstream audiences and educate them about the wonders of Web3.
About the Author
Sander Gortjes is co-founder and CEO of Hello Labs. Entering cryptocurrency in 2017, he became active in venture capital and advisory roles starting in 2020. Hello Labs focuses on developing mainstream intellectual properties, including TV sensation Killer Whales, and boasts a roster of key opinion leaders.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information purposes only and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.