Bird Guys
NFT Collection Showcase
A creative passion project that combines collectible art with blockchain technology
Role
Platform
Artist/Illustrator, Marketer, Community Manager
Web, Mobile, Tablet
Adobe Illustrator, Animate, Premiere, Photoshop, Twitter, Discord
2021-2022
Duration
Tools
NFTs (Non-Fungible Token), is a type of digital asset that represents ownership or proof of authenticity of a unique item or piece of content,
NFTs have become a way for artists, creators, and collectors to monetize and authenticate their digital creations. The uniqueness, scarcity, and verifiable ownership provided by NFTs have attracted attention from various industries, including art, music, sports, and entertainment.
NFTs gained popularity in 2017 with the launch of CryptoKitties, a blockchain-based game where users could buy, sell, and breed virtual cats as NFTs. This sparked interest in the concept of digital ownership and scarcity. However, NFTs truly gained mainstream attention and exploded in popularity in early 2021.
Background
Origin and Inspiration
Bird Guys saw its light as an animated meme-based Youtube channel. The channel was active for a few months but was discarded as it required too much commitment and time to maintain. Although the channel had been inactive for several years, the theme and characters were the perfect base for an NFT collection.
Trading Cards and Collectibles
Credit: Beckett.com, MLB, Magic The Gathering, NBA, Pokemon
One of the appeals of NFTs is their collectible nature and their desirability among enthusiasts. Similar to sports- or trading cards, they are able to evoke certain feelings of childhood and nostalgia.
Based on this sentiment, the goal of the Bird Guys collection was to create a similar fun, collectible-driven experience, not unlike collecting Sports- or Trading Cards.
Cryptopunks and 8-bit NFTs
Credit: Larva Labs, Nessies, Chubbies
The Bird Guys collection would initially model itself on the infamous Cryptopunks. Each Cryptopunk featured a set of unique traits, something that would be a key aspect of the Bird Guys collectibles.
Other 8-bit collections like the then-popular Chubbies and Nessies NFTs was also a huge source of inspiration. These were early NFT projects that proved successful in terms of community building and distribution.
Team Fortress 2
Credit: Team Fortress 2
A key inspiration for the collection came from the video game Team Fortress 2. One of the aspects of Team Fortress 2, is the amount of hats that can be collected, crafted or bought through the in-game marketplace.
Not only does Team Fortress 2 share the ethos of collectability, but its vast amount of hats and collectibles would inspire many of the Bird Guys´ various traits.
Distribution
Proven Methods
The Bird Guys collection would base itself on a few proven methods:
Limited Supply
The collection would feature a limited amount of collectible characters to create scarcity. After several rounds of consideration, the amount was capped to 2000 total.
Price point
The plan was to gradually increase the listing price as the project grew. This would be done to reward early supporters and to create artificial demand. The plan was scrapped, as the idea of making it accessible for newcomers felt like a better choice. This would also allow collectors to determine the price of the collectibles fairly on the 2nd-hand market.
Individual Collectibles
Each collectible would feature unique traits, stats and descriptions, creating an urge to collect several types.
Unique Selling Points
Early Mover
Bird Guys were launched right before massive NFT projects like Bored Ape Yacht Club, Cool Cats, and Veefriends came out. Launching in the early transition towards mass adoption, meant that the collection would have a visible and unique position in the NFT market.
Unique Artstyle
Based on the success of the Cryptopunks, many NFT creators would mimic the 8-bit art style Cryptopunks were known for. With its quirky and vibrant cartoon style, the Bird Guys would differentiate itself from an 8-bit focused NFT market.
Talking Points
Each collectible featured a unique description or a quirky detail. This reinforced the uniqueness and the collectability of the Bird Guys, and would often become fun talking points among collectors.
Reasons to buy an NFT
📈 Investment
🗣 Buzz/FOMO
👟 Interest
🖼 Art
🎫 Collectability
💎 Rarity
💰 Price
🔨 Utility
🤝 Trust
📝 Contract
The Design
Colors
Bold but not harsh.
Colorful yet easy on the eye
Dimensions
Smooth lines and consistent stroke-width to emphasize traits and characteristics
Unique anatomy with balanced size and dimensions
Visually appealing regardless of trait combinations
Descriptions
Handwritten, unique and tongue in cheek
Stored as part of each token
Trait Examples
10 Trait categories
Headpiece
Type
Mouth
Eyes
Facial Features
Body
Arm
Leg
Background
Effect
Minting Process
The collectibles would be released in batches of 100 pieces every week. Each collectible was priced depending on trait rarity, ranging from 0.01- to 0.025 ETH per collectible. (Roughly 30-40$ at the time)
Trait Randomization
In order to fully randomize the Bird Guys´traits, a spreadsheet was used. Each trait would be categorized and tied to an individual numeric range, making certain traits rarer than others.
Contract
The collection would be deployed on Opensea´s Shared Contract. The contract utilizes the ERC-1155 standard, and was picked due to its accessibility and ease of use. Although this smart contract has its fair share of limitations, The main focus of the collection was on the artwork, not utility.
Finalized Version
ID
Type
Head
Eyes
Mouth
Leg
Effect
Background
Description
Token ID
Contract Address
#1285
Guy
Top Hat
3D Glasses
Cigar
Peg Leg
Shiny
Turquoise
This Bird guy was not harmed in the making.
95435191367528230118348852388102853153675043326016066080545105318875462893569
Marketing
Used to post and interact with NFT artists, collectors and enthusiasts.
Channels
Discord
Used to to post meaningful updates and interact with the continually growing Bird Guys Community
Strategies
Posting
Using Twitter, I would post several times daily by using the following posting strategies:
Post various types of posts (original posts, shares, and retweets)
Use Videos, Gifs, Images, and memes extensively
Include relevant Hashtags
Use the tag feature when appropriate
Engage in meaningful conversations
Post WAGMIs and GMs
Investing
I would use some of my initial earnings to invest in other artists and NFT collections. There were several reasons for doing so:
Create valuable relationships with others in the NFT space based on mutual support and reciprocity.
Leverage certain NFTs to create hype and attract new collectors
Get access to specific communities and benefits within the NFT space
Outreach
I would actively reach out to other artists and enthusiasts in the space to have meaningful interactions and create unique relationships. This was done using Twitter and Discord.
Some of these interactions would result in certain collaborations. This meant that the Bird Guys would be seen by new collectors.
Community Engagement
Certain events were created using Discord and Twitter to spark engagement among community members:
Rare Drops
To create hype and capitalize on certain happenings, drops were released. These drops would highlight events, holidays or key moments within the NFT space. The drops would often be auctioned for certain prices to create urgency and FOMO.
Raffles
As the project grew, gas prices and availability became a huge problem, something that caused frustration among collectors. To ensure fair distribution and to prevent excessive gas prices, a raffle system was set up. This would also give newcomers a chance to obtain one when they were dropped.
Competitions and games
Competitions were held for community members, to create a bit of fun and activity on Twitter and Discord. The prizes would usually be rare collectibles.
Conclusion
Key Stats
Volume Traded
98ETH
Highest Floor Price
0.37ETH
Twitter Followers
2700+
Unique Holders
485
Highest Sale
6.9ETH
Discord Members
630
Personal Takeaways
Based on the proven methods and the unique selling points, The collection became a viral success within the NFT space. Unfortunately, the popularity would only last briefly, and upholding the momentum became exceedingly hard. This goes to show that focusing on small steps is more important than sudden popularity when building a sustainable brand or business.
One of the keys to growing any brand or business is to communicate with your community or customers. They are the ones who use your products or services, which essentially allows you to do what you do.
When tackling a project like creating an NFT collection, make sure you are able to handle the pressure that comes with it. Outsource if necessary, and give yourself room to grow the brand in meaningful ways.