Memeland is a web3-focused venture studio created by 9GAG, the Hong Kong-based meme-centric entertainment website that has been built on memes for over a decade. With more than 200 million followers across its social media platforms, 9GAG is a well-established platform and was well-positioned to take the web3 space when it announced Memeland in April 2022.
The core mission for Memeland is to develop a creator economy on Web3 and empower creators by connecting web2 and web3 communities. The team at Memeland is building and investing in social products for the community, with the community, and connecting creators and communities together through creativity, $MEME, and NFTs. This view was explained in September 2022 on a podcast episode by The Nift and 9GAG CEO Ray Chan.
Memeland's approach to web3 is simple: watch the market, observe trends that have become familiar to NFT communities, and “micro innovate” on top of those to offer their community added value. The project has grown a loyal following via a strategic series of drops that provide different levels of tiers to enter the ecosystem. The first step in this aim was to launch ‘You The Real MVP’, a private group of 420 legendary MVPs of Memeland. ‘You The Real MVP’ serves as a premium membership into the Memeland ecosystem, and MVPs enjoy rewards such as two Memeland Captainz NFTs, an allowlist for all future Memeland and 9GAG projects, as well as an MVP role in the project’s Discord.
Memeland's advisors and investors include Animoca Brand’s research arm Animoca Digital Research, Moonbirds’ Kevin Rose, and VeeFriends’ Gary Vee. As with all things 9GAG, Memeland aims to under-promise and over-deliver, and the project has already achieved incredible success with its strategic drops and premium membership program. With a loyal following and a strong team of advisors and investors, Memeland has the potential to be a major player in the web3 space.
Memeland: the 9gag NFT and its projects
Memeland's debut NFT collection, YOU THE REAL MVP, was a set of 420 golden trophy JPEGs that granted holders access to private channels, information about upcoming Memeland drops, IRL events, and collaborations. YOU THE REAL MVP was released through a blind auction at a hefty 5.3 ETH per NFT and generated more than 900 ETH within seven days of release. The collection has seen more than 20,357 ETH in sales volume since its launch. This collection represents the high end of the Memeland economy, and its success demonstrated that Memeland aims to compete with major players in the NFT industry.
Potatoz is a free-mint collection of 9,999 potato-themed PFPs, released in July 2022. Inspired by memes and popular culture, Potatoz features potato-themed characters and traits. Early collectors of the NFTs could grow their Potatoz NFTs from Stage 0 to Stage 5, evolving semi-anonymous twerking potato characters into fully-fledged animated potato humanoids that resemble video game character selection menus. The Potatoz collection has seen more than 15,000 ETH in secondary sales since its launch. Potatoz serves as an entry point to the Memeland ecosystem, providing access to allowlist spots for future drops, IRL events, and the upcoming $MEME token.
The Captainz is Memeland's third NFT collection, released on January 4, 2023, for a mint price of 1.069 ETH. The Captainz is a collection of 9,999 utility-enabled NFTs, acting as a mid-level entry point to the Memeland ecosystem, between the high-end YOU THE REAL MVP and the entry-level Potatoz. The benefits of owning The Captainz NFTs are yet to be fully revealed, but the Memeland website indicates that they will be related to the $MEME token and Treasure Islandz, a metaverse experience that Memeland is developing. Captainz holders have a say in the Memeland DAO, which makes decisions about the DAO treasury, brand partnerships, governance rules, and other issues. The Captainz has already generated 6,774 ETH in trading volume within its release.
Who is behind the Meme Land project?
The Memeland NFT project burst onto the scene in April 2022, spearheaded by 9GAG, the internet's largest meme community. The platform, founded in 2008 with the goal of making the world a happier place, has been responsible for some of the most popular memes online. Now, with their extensive experience in community building and social media, the team is making its way into the world of Web3.
9GAG's massive audience, which numbers over 200 million users worldwide, includes a significant number of Web3 enthusiasts. Moreover, the company has received backing from some of the most well-known names in the industry, including Y Combinator, First Round Capital, Greycroft Partners, and True Ventures. Additionally, some of the most prominent NFT influencers, such as Moonbirds Kevin Rose and VeeFriends Gary Vee, have been involved in the Memeland NFT project.
By leveraging 9GAG's extensive experience building and nurturing online communities, the platform aims to create a space where creators and collectors can come together to share and trade NFTs. And with the involvement of such high-profile industry figures, it's clear that the project is one to watch in the coming months and years.
What is on the horizon for Memland?
The Memeland NFT project has made a name for itself by showcasing a deep understanding of the NFT and crypto markets. Despite being a Web2 social media platform, 9GAG, the creators of Memeland, have demonstrated that they can thrive in the Web3 space. Their expertise has allowed them to create and deliver to their community even during one of the industry's lowest points.
Memeland is preparing to launch its $MEME token, which the team claims will be different from the typical NFT tokens that do not resonate with the public. The way they introduce this token will play a significant role in the ecosystem's future success. The team is also currently working on the Treasure Islandz project, which has piqued the curiosity of the Memeland and greater NFT community.
In addition to these projects, Memeland is also developing several other initiatives. Among them is a "Tripadvisor for your Web3 journey," a platform for crypto staking, a "Web3 OnlyFans," and a site for pet lovers. While these projects seem ambitious, the Memeland team has already demonstrated its ability to deliver in a remarkable way in the past seven months. As such, there is a high expectation that they will be able to achieve the same level of success with these upcoming projects.
What NFTs have been bought by the Memeland NFT project?
The Memeland NFT project, a web3 venture studio backed by the popular social media platform 9GAG, has made a splash in the NFT market by acquiring high-priced Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs. Memeland spent almost 800 ETH to purchase eight BAYC NFTs, all of which included rare hat accessory traits. Among them, the most expensive one was BAYC 2059, which was purchased for 132.7 ETH.