Issue #8 - Web3 Recruits Lebron, Larry David & QR Codes 🏈

GM Shifters,

We've got a pretty exciting announcement on the horizon. Here's a sneak peak for our lovely subscribers: along with our newsletter, we're launching our very own "Intro to Web3" course, which will feature lessons on blockchains, NFTs, DAOs, and much, much more. Some say the course is pretty, pretty, pretty good.

Anyway, this week we're announcing a beta lesson for the course. Every person who successfully completes the first lesson will receive a limited edition POAP (a type of NFT). Probably nothing 👀

In Today's Issue

→ Web3 OWNS the Super Bowl (+ my my favorite ad)

→ Is Aave Building a New Social Media?

→ YouTube Might Integrate NFTs (creators 🤝 web3)

1. Crypto Exchanges Are Super Bowl Darlings 

Web3 just won the Super Bowl. Matthew Stafford: you did well, but seriously, does anyone even know who you are? As in most years, mediocre Sunday night football was overshadowed by brilliant (and mostly perplexing) advertisements.

Among these were five crypto ads, including ones from crypto exchanges Coinbase, FTX, and Crypto.com. Coinbase crushed their QR code stunt, generating 20 million website visits in less than 60 seconds. My favorite? FTX's Larry David ad. For those civilized among us who didn't watch the "game", Larry David hates successful emerging technologies and, as a result, hates crypto.

Watch the full clip here:

2. Aave is Creating a New World of Social Media 

The protocol team at Aave, a decentralized lending platform, is creating Lens Protocol, a new type of social media infrastructure that allows consumers to own their their digital identities. Content creators run the internet: think YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, & Instagram. Yet at the end of the day, creators serve the platforms more than they serve themselves.

Lens Protocol is a smart contracts-based social graph on Polygon's Proof-of-Stake blockchain. In regular person language, Lens Protocol will allow consumers to own their interactions on the internet. Pictures, music, videos, and articles will become NFTs that can be collected, traded, or used as voting power.

In typical crypto twitter jargon, Web2 = read & write. Web3 = ready, write, & own.

Read more about Aave's Mirror announcement here:

3. YouTube Hints At An NFT Integration

What are the odds YouTube reads this newsletter? I'd say somewhere between me becoming an influencer and none... But still, given the recent announcement of YouTube's Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan, it seems like we're on to something with this whole Web3 thing:

"We believe new technologies like blockchain and NFTs can allow creators to build deeper relationships with their fans...For example, giving a verifiable way for fans to own unique videos, photos, art, and even experiences from their favorite creators could be a compelling prospect for creators and their audiences."

Say less Neal, say less.

web3 content we’re munching on 🍿

1. The Web3 Evolution and How It Can Help Creators Today by Marc Angelos

2. Larry David Doesn't Get Crypto. That's Why He's the Perfect Pitchman. by Tiffany Hsu

3. What is Solidity, How It Works + Free Resources to Become a Web3 Developer 🧵 by Vitto Rivabella

4. Visible Capital by Dror Poleg

5. NFTs, Explained by Johnny Harris 

Jobs 🤓

1. Manager, Brand Marketing Insights @ Coinbase

2. Senior Fullstack Engineer @ Aave

3. Executive Assistant @ FTX

Bounties 💸

1. Explain Braintrust's Fee Converter in a YouTube Video ($732)

2. Supply some tokens to an Aave lending pool (100xp on RabbitHole)

3. Write and document an Anchor client for Solend that supports all of the callable methods. ($5,000)

Have a great rest of the week!

Sincerely, 

Noah from Shift