making SO-COL SO-COOL

Here’s an overview of my work as Brand/Marketing Lead at SO-COL, an NFT-powered social network for creators (and brands) to build and grow their fan communities. I joined the founding team and built the brand from the ground up. From the logo, brand guides, (key change in brand spelling from Socol to SO-COL), disruptive campaign and activation ideas, event branding, X (Twitter) posts, Spaces banners, Zoom backgrounds, product UI direction, influencer content and so much more. This is how I made SO-COL, SO-COOL.

NFT designs for the SO-COL HQ sub communities. SO-VIBES, SO-TIGHT, SO-FOCUSED ON THE TECH, SO-ARTSY.

Graphic design with the words 'WEB2 TO WEB3' in a mirrored, double-layered font and a red geometric wireframe structure in the background. The words 'SO-COL' appear in red at the bottom right corner.

A digital graphic design featuring a three-dimensional wireframe tunnel gradient background in shades of pink, purple, and orange. Two wireframe hands extend into the scene from the sides, positioned as if holding or reaching through the tunnel. Bold white text in the center reads, 'SO-CAL FEATURES. MIND BLOWN.'

A digital graphic design featuring a wireframe face in a neon style, vibrant purple grid background, and a bold, pink and orange abstract shape. Text overlay reads '#SOCOL SOCOOL' in large white letters and the website 'SOCOL.IO' in smaller white text at the bottom left corner.

Click to play video

Event poster featuring a black and white photo of Jacob Thomas with text detailing a scheduled live session on March 24th, with times in various time zones, set against a pink and orange gradient background.

Design of a collectible premium tribe pass featuring a woman with long black hair, wearing a black top and a necklace, with the name Irenado and the number 1102 on the pass, set against a green background, on a pink and beige promotional layout.

A woman lying on grass wearing sunglasses reflecting the sky, with text overlay that says, "Wouldn't it be nice... if you could... sell tickets to your show as NFTs?"

A person lying on the grass wearing sunglasses with reflections, with overlaid text saying, 'Wouldn't it be nice... if you could like... just buy NFTs with your credit card?'

Close-up of a woman lying outdoors, wearing sunglasses that reflect the sky, with text overlay reading, 'Wouldn't it be nice.... if your fans could... actually help you do cool things?'

A woman lying outdoors wearing sunglasses, with the caption 'Wouldn't it be nice.... if you could like... turn your posts into NFTs?'

THE instagram launch grid

Telegram Stickers with team members. It increased brand loyalty and engagement internally (within the company) and externally as we used these stickers in our comms as well. The simple brand spelling change to “SO-COL” paved the way for SO-MANY-FUN-THINGS!

A digital collage featuring three separate images. The top image shows a man with short hair and a dark shirt holding a glass of white wine, smiling, with the text "SO-GOOD". The middle image is an animated cartoon of a green frog with closed eyes, a relaxed expression, wearing a blue shirt, and holding a cigar. The bottom image is an excited man with short dark hair and a white shirt, with a surprised expression, and the text "SO-AARRR". The background is black with light line drawings of various objects and symbols.

Collage of diverse people with labels describing their personalities or moods, including phrases like "so-service," "so-creative," "so-badass," "so-cool," "so-ded," "so-cute," "so-nice," "so-sunny," "so-saxy," "so-funny," "so-good," "so-simple," "so-dope," "so-chill," "so-exciting," "so-wdyt?"," "so-funny," "so-random," "so-confused," "so-true," "so-ominous," "so-ready," "so-done," "so-sick," and images of people showing various expressions and personalities.

Website DESIGN I worked on from scratch:

(content and design) in light and dark mode of course

A colorful webpage with a pastel gradient background, featuring text about a platform for content creators, with illustrations of wireframe hands, icons, and a call-to-action button labeled 'LAUNCH SO-COL'.

Webpage for SO-COL, a blockchain-related service, featuring a futuristic red wireframe graphic and text describing solving problems like accessibility and utility with real-world value through collaboration, demo access, live examples, and multi-chai

A website homepage featuring bold black and red text, 3D graphics of skulls and heads, and sections explaining NFTs, platform solutions, and community benefits.

A digital graphic promoting SO-COL, a social platform for creators and fans, with sections on community empowerment, ownership, private chat, and collectibles, including call-to-action buttons and social media icons.

Cyberpunk-themed website homepage promoting NFTs and blockchain technology with neon colors, digital graphics, and futuristic design elements.

Brand activations + global brand partners

A colorful background with gradient shades of purple, red, and gray, featuring white contour lines and the text 'so-1', 'X', and 'WEB3 CONNECT' in bright yellow-green.

Click to
play video:

Three young adults standing together at an indoor event, holding signs that read 'SO-CHEEKY,' 'SO-BADASS,' and 'SO-SILLY.' The woman on the left is smiling, wearing a white crop top and distressed jeans. The man in the middle is wearing glasses and a black shirt. The man on the right is wearing glasses, a white polo shirt, and gray pants, with his hand holding the sign. There is a neon sign above them that says 'SO-COL' and a patterned background behind them.

The nft
Photo booth

IT PRINTS AND MINTS!

You step in, take a photo and get a link to your NFT in minutes (dare I say seconds?). Oh and you get a print too! It prints and mints.

SO-COL’s mission is to make NFTs easy for creators, influencers, and fans to create, use and enjoy. Why not show that ease of creation with the simple magic of a photo booth? An NFT photo booth. We looked at creating a portable version for trade shows too 👀

A digital illustration of a cartoon character sitting on a chair, using a photo booth called SO-COL with a curtain, in a futuristic setting with a yellow and purple background. The webpage provides instructions for signing up, taking photos, and prin

Launch partners for Nothing and Habitué:

NFT launch partner for Nothing’s Cube NFTs

A person wearing a bull head mask with horns and a person wearing a shirt, holding a bottle of alcohol, with logos reading 'SOCOL' and 'HABITUÉ' in the background.

NFT partner for exclusive private chef dinner in LA, seat reserved only via NFT worth $1000+

Nighttime scene at a music event with a DJ performing behind a console, a person holding a microphone and raising their hand, colorful digital visuals on a large screen in the background.

A young woman with long dark hair smiling at the camera, holding a smartphone in one hand and a champagne glass in the other, at a crowded indoor event with bright purple lighting.

Created the global NFT pass for F1’s official after party partner, Amber Lounge.

Guests could share the NFT with friends, or rent it rather, an they got a whole bunch of VIP perks with it as well.

Evolution of the brand logo.

When I joined the logo looked like this. I felt it could be punchier, more like a stamp, be something that had more of a statement like the creators we want to work with. The logo was a nod to the hashtag being a social platform, but it lacked a story.

The mission of the brand when I joined was to bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3. I wanted the logo to reflect the pass to web3, the NFTs used in the communities, and the nod to the idea of bridging the gap with the space above the “-” filled by it.

I first had the idea of changing the spelling from Socol, to SO-COL which was a more natural representation of the ode to social collectables. Spelling the brand as SO-COL created the opportunity to play with the brand and create a distinct brand tone of voice. With everything becoming SO-Something. And that’s how Socol became SO-COOL.