A Modest Blockchain Proposal: Reshape Advertising with Varanida's Token Sale
Building a better Internet through a decentralized advertising and content solution.
Blockchain innovator Varanida plans to do nothing less than change the nature of internet advertising. Advertising has long supported the internet, keeping much of it free to users. But with privacy and phishing concerns on the rise, and with the broader and even more dangerous perception that the internet has been hijacked by profit-obsessed click baiters, link farmers, etc., to the detriment of the old dream that ‘information wants to be free,’ it has become clear that internet advertising will have to change.
The goal of Varanida is to get out in front of and mold that change.
In broadest terms, the idea is to produce a world in which internet users see the advertising they want to see, given their ability to earn VAD tokens by watching it. So the users win. Also, publishers win by paying a fair value price for their advertising and preserving their engagement with their audience. And the advertisers win, getting a fair and transparent advertising network.
The key to achieving this: blockchain technology. As the white paper says, the Varanida Blockchain will deploy “a crowdsourced advertising validation through the validation by users of the quality of the advertising.” This will be a fraud-proof system, allowing for trust within the triangle of advertisers, publishers, and users.
Varanida issued its token sales announcement on June 27.
On that day, Round 1, an invite-only round, began. The minimum contribution for this round is 3 BTC, or 30 ETH, and 30.15% of the new tokens, VAD, will be sold during this round.
Round 2 is slated to begin on August 15 (unless the maximum amount for Round 1 is hit before then). This will be open to the public, subject to know-your-customer restrictions.
The project’s mother company, Varanida SAS, is headquartered in Lyon, France. One of its early investors and strategic advisors is Joel Comm, the bestselling author of The AdSense Code (2006) and Twitter Power (2009).
Peering Through the #FUD About #Crypto
Bitcoin has thrust cryptocurrencies into mainstream consciousness by shaking up the financial world in the past 9 years.
Since its inception in 2009, the preeminent cryptocurrency has thrown a spanner in the works of traditional banking and financial institutions and has paved the way for the creation of a plethora of industry-shaping virtual currencies and blockchain-based innovations.
With that being said, it’s been far from smooth sailing for Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. Dramatic highs and soul-shattering lows have been part and parcel of the past nine years.
The volatility of cryptocurrencies has created more than a few detractors and we’ve seen a number of headlines exclaiming the ‘death’ of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general.
These obituaries have come from a wide variety of industry experts and commentators. While they’re almost always subjective, they portray a negative, fear-mongering mentality that detracts from the technological breakthroughs that have been sparked by blockchain technology.
Let’s take a look at some of the instances that have led to mainstream media outlets signaling the death of Bitcoin and examine where the industry is at midway through 2018.
It’s not difficult to find articles slamming Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies — just look at 99bitcoins.com, which has a compendium of Bitcoin obituaries that has now surpassed the 300 mark.
The earliest headline heralding the end of Bitcoin, according to the website, is an article entitled ‘Why Bitcoin can’t be a currency’ published in a blog entitled The Underground Economist in 2010. In essence, the writer pointed to Bitcoin’s constantly fluctuating value as the main reason why it shouldn’t be considered a currency.
“While Bitcoin has managed to bootstrap itself on a limited scale, it lacks any mechanism for dealing with fluctuations in demand. Increasing demand for Bitcoin will cause prices in terms of Bitcoin to drop (deflation), while decreasing demand will cause them to rise (inflation).”
Since then, the number of headlines suggesting that Bitcoin was doomed to fail has increased year on year. In 2017, there were a total of 118 Bitcoin obituaries articles.
These obituaries are any articles that predict the demise of Bitcoin, based on assumptions or quotes from a wide range of commentators. This includes mentions of fraud, ponzi schemes and money laundering and frankly anything that is negative enough to cast aspersions on the future of Bitcoin.
While the sheer number of articles that have predicted the death of Bitcoin may be humorous, a glance down the list of headlines from various publications tells a different story altogether.
Small scale blogs like the one that is credited for the first Bitcoin death article have a limited reach and aren’t likely to have a profound effect on the sentiment of a large group of people.
However, as the number of these articles increases, so too has the caliber and profile of the publications producing this content.
Mainstream mania
CNBC has covered cryptocurrencies extensively over the last few years, with content that is fairly objective in terms widespread coverage of both positive and negative sentiments towards the industry,
With that being said, CNBC has been the source of numerous interviews quoting various sources that have labelled Bitcoin a bubble and ponzi scheme, while speculating on how it would crash.
The most telling example of this was JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon comparing Bitcoin to the Dutch Tulip Mania before predicting it would blow up on CNBC. Perhaps more telling was the effect Dimon’s statements had on Bitcoin’s value, which fell after the American executive’s comments:
"It's worse than tulip bulbs. It won't end well. Someone is going to get killed. Currencies have legal support. It will blow up."
In November 2017, Bloomberg published an article that speculated on a number of different factors that could potentially derail Bitcoin as it headed to that $20,000 high in December.
The article quoted several sources that point to the number of altcoins, regulations, cyber attacks and the launch of derivatives as pitfalls to Bitcoin’s rise in price and popularity.
Bubble talk
The Guardian published an editorial in November 2017 that labelled Bitcoin’s price as a bubble, and pointed to the costs of mining, slammed the endorsements by celebrities and made strong statements about Bitcoin’s primary use as means to buy drugs and pay ransoms online.
Forbes contributor Jay Adkisson wrote an op-ed which went on to describe the way Bitcoin is currently sold as a scam. The writer boiled down Bitcoin to a core existence as a number, without an intrinsic value.
He went on to suggest that cryptocurrencies lack ‘uniqueness,’ pointing to the sheer number of cryptocurrencies in existence.
The Telegraph also published a number of articles last year, drumming up ‘bubble’ rhetoric as the 2017 wound to a close. Abhishek Parajuli took a mighty swipe in his own op-ed on the platform, citing wild volatility, poor utility as a medium exchange as well as slow transaction speeds:
“So, hype aside, Bitcoins are lottery tickets. They have no underlying utility. When the music stops, those left holding them will be burned.”
Wall Street Journal contributor James Mackintosh weighed in on the value of Bitcoin in mid-September 2017. In essence, the writer delved into the notion of Bitcoin having become digital gold as a store of value.
Going on...
Working for a “Big Company” Can Be Fun, If . . .
Big companies don’t innovate fast enough.
Big companies tend to build a “kill-zone” around themselves. They destroy everything and everyone that gets too close.
There is no joy in working for a big company. More personal fulfilment can be found in a startup or other younger and smaller organization.
I come across these statements a lot in the media (old and new) recently. Many of my co-workers and students appear to agree.
Of course, there is something to these ideas. The pace and range of digital innovations as well as shorter innovation cycles make it much more difficult for bigger companies to survive. This sort of pressure is not going to deliver a stable and fulfilling work environment. And this trend seems set to continue in the future, making working for (and with) big companies even less attractive.
But there is a flip side and we shouldn’t dismiss corporate giants too quickly. Working for (as an employee) or with big companies (as a startup or research institution) can be exciting, rewarding, and inspiring. It may even be the best and only way to build a career or have an impact with your startup.
However, this will all depend on whether that big company is operating as an “intelligent platform.”
What is an “Intelligent Platform”?
When I use the term “Intelligent Platform”, people immediately assume that I am talking about companies that operate a “social” platform (Facebook, Instagram), an “exchange” platform (Amazon, Airbnb), a “content” platform (YouTube, Medium), a “software” platform (GE’s Predix, Microsoft’s GitHub), or even a “blockchain” platform (Ethereum, EOS).
This is not surprising. After all, the emergence of these new platforms and services has been one of the major economic developments of the last two decades.
But we should recognize that there is so much more to “platform companies” than facilitating transactions, exchanging information, or connecting people. There is a much more important lesson to be learned from the success of such companies.
What platform companies all have in common is that they empower and facilitate experimentation, collaboration, and co-creation amongst multiple groups of stakeholders.
These stakeholders include employees and investors, but also consumers, developers, content creators, other companies (both large and small), non-profits, educational institutions, governments, etc.
What makes an “intelligent platform” special is that it uses stakeholders’ input and feedback to improve the user experience and engagement with the “platform” and its products, services, and other solutions. This is the real lesson to be taken from the success of Amazon, Facebook, Netflix,etc.
Crucially, digital technologies are central to this approach. In this sense, all companies that wish to operate as intelligent platforms need to think and act “as if” they are a tech company.
As such, intelligent platforms are built around the idea of delivering constant innovation via an open and inclusive process of co-creation. By “organizing-for-innovation” in this way, such platforms are radically different from the clearly defined, static roles and fixed hierarchies of traditional organizations.
These are the distinctive features of “intelligent platforms”, and this is why, in an age of hyper-competitive global markets, every company needs to re-invent itself as an “intelligent platform.”
But more than that, everyone needs to ask themselves:
Is my (current or prospective) employer organized as an intelligent platform?
And why does this matter so much? Because only “intelligent platforms” can deliver the kind of environment conducive to a meaningful, fulfilling, and fun experience. Working for a big company can be fun, but only if it is organized as an intelligent platform.
So, how can we tell whether a company is organized in this way?
The 4 “Ingredients” of Intelligent Platforms
It should be noted that there is no “one-size-fits-all” model for such platforms.
Intelligent platforms can take multiple forms ranging from slightly “tweaked” versions of traditional (hierarchical and closed) companies through to the (flat and open) blockchain-based “decentralized autonomous organizations.” The “best” approach depends on the individualized circumstances of a particular business or organization.
The structure and organization of an intelligent platform does depend on four crucial “ingredients.” Every company has to analyze and use these ingredients to find the unique recipe for its “platform” to maximize creativity and opportunities for innovation.
And every employee needs to understand these ingredients in order to find an organization that works for them.
1 — Technology
It could be argued that intelligent platforms aren’t new. Some form of platforms has always been around. The exponential growth of technology, however, has significantly accelerated the emergence, possibilities, and opportunities of platforms.
For instance, Airbnb or Amazon rely...
ICO & Token Generation Audience Development Marketing
Source oneQube by Peter Bordes
360-degree audience development and marketing strategies are mission critical to get your brand above the noise as blockchain proliferation accelerates, and the number of companies looking to launch ICO's and Tokens grows exponentially.
Blockchain companies need customized, multifaceted programs, and the ability to execute simultaneously across all organic and paid channels in order to compete effectively for market share. We have developed a proprietary data-driven audience automation software stack for ICO and token generation event (TGE) marketing, and a team of audience architect specialists who are obsessed with developing powerful highly engaged audiences for our partners. Not just for their launch, but for the full life cycle from ICO/TGE launch to post-event to build brand awareness, platform adoption and visibility in their cryptocurrency and token markets.
The cryptocurrency space is becoming exponentially more competitive. In order to have a successful token launch, projects have to communicate their value proposition and connect to relevant audiences at scale. Having a technology partner that has the necessary tools and ability to identify, communicate and engage with token buyers significantly impacts our partner's ability to deliver their message at the right time, right place and right method to their target market.
Launch a Successful ICO / TGE by leveraging our Audience Development and Engagement Platform
The blockchain space is in its nascent days and many of the marketing tactics deployed in other industries are not effective. The use of antiquated siloed mass marketing tactics are ineffective compared to the hub and spoke ecosystem approach developed by oneQube. For instance, when looking at any given ICO / TGE, a company cannot expect to effectively rank their keywords in a timely enough fashion to achieve the desired result. If they are not leveraging and syncing all channels simultaneously to accelerate their keyword ranking trajectory.
OneQube focuses on driving direct and measurable results for our partners. We use a combination of Organic Audience Development, Paid Social Media, Organic Community Management, Email Nurturing, Community Activation, Content and Social Amplification to drive interested parties to their website to learn more about their project and drive conversions.
Establishing trust and credibility within your community and potential users of the platform is key to a successful token generation event. Together with our clients, we put great effort into building trust with the audience. Creating a highly engaged passionate audience, and enabling our partners to harness the powerful collective network effect of that audience.
We leverage our network of thought leaders and add additional exposure through networking our partners with advisors and business development relationships to help our customers build their business, increase their visibility, reach their target token buyers and successfully convey their message.
oneQube ensures our clients build the reputation and awareness for their token to have the most successful project launch. As well as developing and executing a post-event marketing strategy to build their business and cryptocurrency markets.
EOS 1st, BTC 17th in China's Latest Government Crypto Rankings
The 2nd China government-backed cryptocurrency rankings were released.
The second round of China’s state-backed monthly ratings of cryptocurrencies and blockchain projects has been released, Cena News reported June 21.
Dubbed the “Global Public Chain Technology Evaluation Index,” this latest round was announced at the Shanghai Science Hall on June 20, and ranks EOS 1st, Ethereum (ETH) 2nd, and Bitcoin (BTC) 17th, out of a total of 30 analyzed cryptocurrencies.
China’s monthly “Global Public Chain Technology Evaluation Index” is published by the China Center for Information Industry Development (CCID) of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and is said to be compiled by “first-rate domestic experts and scholars,” according to the original Index press release.
EOS’ top ranking is attributed to the “outstanding technical advantages in transaction confirmation efficiency, network throughput, and transaction costs” of the protocol.
While conceding the EOS...
LookRev's LookCoin Token Sale
LooksCoin is the digital token used on LookRev's open network for discovering and creating new products, verifying origins of creative assets through a truly transparent blockchain system.
LookRev offers a visual interactive product design, virtual outfit and shopping network built on modern technologies. It already has more than a dozen launched applications, customers and millions of shopper usages.
The network primarily concentrates on creating a winning business solution for creative product makers, designers, distributors and customers. Using LookRev, users can create immutable and time-stamped digital signatures for their creative works, watermarked onto the product images and register their creative assets on LookRev network. Secured by the blockchain, the origin and attribution of a product remains safe, verifiable and immutable, recorded with smart contracts, encrypted and watermarked onto the product images....
Indian State to Use Blockchain to Streamline Food Supply
Blockchain technology is starting to gain ground by being used to address critical global issues such as food supply, fraud, and finance.
The world is slowly starting to realize the immense potential of the blockchain technology. The latest implementations are taking place in the field of finance, but this is just a tip of an iceberg. The huge power of blockchain lies in the fact that it could bring much more effective administrative outlook. By cutting out the middleman, time and resources could be much better used in order to create a better administrative environment for the people.
Kerala to implement blockchain to streamline supply
One of the most recent decisions regarding blockchain comes from the Indian state of Kerala. As Business Standard reports Kerala’s government has decided to apply the strategy to leverage blockchain tech in order to streamline distribution network and purchase of food supplies.
Supervision and implementation of the project will go through Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC). Every product will be registered on the newly created network. This will ensure that the information about manufacturer, origin, quality, and movement of the product are easy to find. Also, blockchain will do one of its main purposes in cutting out the middleman. This will be done in the field crop loss where...
A Comparison of Digital Transformations: Blocknet and Evernote
Blockchain technology. The Evernote app. Two completely different worlds, right? Well, there might be a whole lot more in common than you may think. Before the internet took an irreversible hold on the world, digital note-taking took place on simple programs like Notepad. Notes could be easily taken and saved onto your local—but isolated—machine. As the internet grew, the need to access this type of saved information across multiple devices soon became vital. Eventually, Notepad was usurped by the Evernote app, which utilized the power of “the cloud.” Evernote allowed notes to now become accessible across multiple devices and via peripheral services, including Quickbooks, Dropbox, Google Drive and many more.
As the internet opened the door to a new wave of cloud applications—just like Evernote—Blocknet is creating an internet of blockchains for a new generation of decentralized applications that can interconnect any blockchain to another. Blockchains today are at the cutting edge of technology, yet their isolation is similar to that of the original Notepad app. Specifically, there’s an obstacle that needs to be tackled: blockchains can only communicate with themselves and cannot communicate with any other blockchain. Data cannot be transferred between blockchains. This places enormous limitations on what blockchain technology (as a whole) has the potential to achieve. Blockchains need to evolve in the same way that Notepad lead to Evernote. Blockchains should be able to freely and effortlessly connect with any other blockchain.
The Internet of Blockchains
Blocknet has built an interoperability infrastructure that enables blockchains to connect with one another, creating an “Internet of Blockchains.” The Blocknet protocol gives blockchains the ability to communicate, opening the door for cross-chain applications. By allowing blockchains to integrate with each other, directly chain-to-chain, without being a middleman to the data itself, the Blocknet protocol gives any application the ability to utilize different blockchains. In addition, the Blocknet protocol offers a solution to the issue of...
Crypto Critics Ignite After EOS Blockchain 'Freeze'
You may have missed it, but over the weekend, transactions on the live EOS blockchain came to a complete – yet temporary – halt.
Coming less than 48 hours after the much-anticipated blockchain network went live, the announcement kicked off a social firestorm (not to mention a reported 5 percent drop in the value of the network's cryptocurrency).
Some background: the EOS launch, reported last week by CoinDesk, came at the end of a topsy-turvy period illustrated by last-minute code tweaks, an elaborate election of entities tasked with creating the network's transaction blocks, and, of course, the $4 billion EOS token sale.
So, it came as a surprise to some that the network would run into enough trouble that it triggered a failsafe network freeze. And unsurprisingly, critics of EOS were quick to pounce.
However, in the fast-moving world of crypto, there was already damage done to the network's reputation.
That's not to say that EOS didn't have any commentators – or outright supporters – going to bat for it during the weekend debate. From a more supportive perspective, the weekend stoppage was seen largely as a growing pain and a symptom of a network controlled by no single entity, still getting its bearings so soon after...
Accounting Blockchain (TAB) Token Sale
ABOUT
The future of accounting, saving businesses billions and sparing the individual sole reliance on expensive accountants.Integrating blockchain into the industry streamlining the supply chain, saving money to businesses, and moving towards a healthier economy away from the risk of fraud and away from present gross accounting inefficiencies.
Owning TAB tokens gives access to three solutions to 3 problems in dire need...