Title: APE Strong: Strengthening Health, Revenue and Community through a new line of Ape-branded nutritional products. Will include a ‘proof of concept’ for a new sales and distribution channel to benefit the MBA community.**
ABSTRACT
It happens to most of us. Especially in Web3 - We move fast. We get bullish. We get busy - with Apechain mints, trading, staking, kids… life - and we forget to prioritize our own health. We put off the gym, don’t eat like we should, and end up in a spiral of low energy… feeling like we’re in a ‘rut’… and desperately wanting to get back on track.
Product:
There is a solid market opportunity for a new line of premium products to leverage current health trends and address nutritional and fitness needs… A product line and brand inspired by the Ape Community. The first and cornerstone product will be a protein + all natural adaptagen to enhance energy. Product packaging will feature an Ape. And the Brand ethos will reflect the spirit of the Ape Community - bold, strong, high energy, and slightly audacious.
Target demographic encompasses males (and females!) ages 20-45 - both Web3 enthusiasts and Web2 users, fitness-focused individuals (both beginners and gym rats) who are keen on improving their health, energy, and muscle mass. The target demographic values high-quality products that deliver actual results and appreciates products that help them optimize their efforts toward goals of physical well being, more energy and strength.
Exploring TikTok Shop as a new Sales and Distribution Channel for MBA:
Proof of Concept: We will use TikTok and TikTok Shop as our primary sales, marketing, and distribution channel for this brand (with a secondary sales page on Amazon). Channel strategies could be applied to help other MBAs expand to the TikTok Shop platform.
More background: There is a strong interest in health products on TikTok (#2 product category on TikTok Shop) and a strong overlap between the key demographics for TikTok users and Web3. TikTok represents a significant opportunity to expand BAYC’s visibility and to help MBAs reach to new audiences. Launched in Asia in 2022, TikTok Shop has grown rapidly, becoming a major force in e-commerce, especially in Southeast Asia. TikTok’s short-form videos and social commerce model have helped it capture a large share of the market, challenging traditional e-commerce giants.
TikTok Shop launched in the U.S. in late September 2023. With historically low cost-per-acquisition, It is now the fastest growing platform for small business in the U.S. In August 2024 - TikTok Shop did more than $600M in monthly sales. TikTok is taking significant market share from Amazon and Google on product searches, similar to the change from Google search to Amazon in 2012.
- In 2024 - 74% of GenZ uses TikTok as their first and primary source for product searches.
- Beyond attributable sales on TikTok Shop, product brands are seeing a significant ‘halo effect’ for sales that occur on Amazon and Shopify, but start through first search or exposure on TikTok Shop.
For Marketing and Sales - we will leverage TikTok Shop’s incredibly strong creator (affiliate) program that allows for low cost; high reach product marketing and sales conversion. Trained Affiliates create content, but are paid only on actual conversions. For fulfillment and distribution - we will leverage TikTok Shop’s built-in fulfillment and distribution platform. Fulfillment and distribution is often a friction point for MBA businesses, but through TikTok’s platform, our product will ship within 3-5 days.
If successful, the model is infinitely scalable through deeper marketing and building out adjacent product offerings in the health space. Also, our learnings and the model could be applied to benefit multiple other MBA businesses.
Additional Benefits:
⧫ Rev Share. There is an opportunity for significant rev share back to ApeCoin DAO.
⧫⧫ To support Apes’ fitness goals, we have an additional long term goal to develop a health focused sub-community on Otherside/Apechain where Apes can motivate together and celebrate fitness milestones and wins. Could include fitness challenges, gamification, etc. to promote healthy living.
We are deeply passionate about creating and launching this new product that embodies a strong commitment to health and wellness, but also reflects the best vibes of the Ape Community. Everybody (Web3 and beyond) needs that same LFG energy to motivate them toward better health…
Here’s to Apes pushing boundaries and getting healthier together! Ape Strong!
TEAM DESCRIPTION
“Jinx” - Former head of Legal Operations for Yuga Labs and former Legal lead supporting the MBA program (handled MBA applications review and approvals).
Education: IP Law Expert
- JD - University of Oklahoma College of Law
- Masters in Intellectual Property (MIP) - Commercialization and E-Commerce -
Franklin Pierce Law Center
Professional Experience: Builder for IP Expansion - 12+ years experience helping grow and scale startups, including fitness app -
Daily Burn and incubation team for video platform, Vimeo. - Former Director of IP for Warner Music Group (Atlantic Records, Elektra
Records, etc.). - Senior Director, Business and Legal Affairs for IAC Applications (incubator
division of tech conglomerate IAC; annual rev. $3.3B). - Expert in TikTok Shop Ecosystem
Personal: Deeply passionate about health and wellness and entrenched in these communities. Obsessed with how to optimize daily health and nutrition routines with quick, easy, and manageable solutions that deliver best results so I can focus on my Web3 projects.
BrandGrenade: The BrandGrenade Team is a global consulting group made up of proven product and sales experts, each with more than 25 years experience specializing in business development, marketing strategy, licensing, and retail sales for iconic brands in CPG, media, sports and web3. BrandGrenade experts work with leading retailers from Costco to CVS to Target. BrandGrenade has generated over $750M in net revenue for its brands through 200+ partnerships.
Advisors: We’ve assembled a world-class advisory team of top performers/experts in the health and wellness category, including:
- Founder of a top 10 protein brand in the U.S.; Top category performer on Amazon and TikTok Shop. Also has strong retail partnerships with Whole Foods, Walgreens, Target, and Vitamin Shoppe.
- Former CEO of the top health store retailer and online vitamin and supplement seller in the U.S.
- One of top strategists and creator community managers on TikTok Shop for the Health and Wellness category. Manages 2 of the top creator communities on TikTok Shop
BENEFITS TO APECOIN ECOSYSTEM
- New revenue source for the DAO / significant rev share opportunity.
- Will increase visibility for Apes, Apechain and Apecoin within the Web2 community – and with larger demographic reach (could help grow younger and different demographic into Web3).
- Opens a new low risk, sales, marketing, and distribution channel for MBA businesses to leverage to expand their sales (limited barriers to entry).
- Will drive new traffic to Apechain through rewards and loyalty program codes.
- Will introduce 3rd party TikTok creators/affiliates (average ages 18-30) to the Ape ecosystem creating brand evangelists for Ape/MBA Brands.
- Will develop a creator/affiliate community that could benefit other MBAs.
** Additional Long Term goal - Establish a health & fitness-focused sub-community for Apes on Otherside/Apechain.
PLATFORM TECHNOLOGIES
TikTok Shop - Sales, Marketing, Fulfillment and Distribution will be handled through TikTok and the TikTok Shop Platform. (Amazon page will serve as a secondary sales platform).
ApeChain - In each delivered product - we’d like to include rewards/loyalty messaging to drive visibility and traffic to Apechain. The rewards messaging will provide (1) quick promo/education point about Apechain and (2) instructions on how to claim the loyalty spotlight points to allow customers to interact with the Ape ecosystem. Goal is to onboard new users to Apechain, Apecoin and the Apes ecosystem.
STEPS TO IMPLEMENT / TIMELINE
Product Development, Market Testing and Inventory
to begin asap with AIP approval - 12-16 weeks
Packaging development and production of sample for affiliates - 4 weeks (overlap with development)
Secure and manage TikTok creator affiliates group to create content and market the product - 8 weeks (overlap with development)
OVERALL COST
Product Development, Market Testing & Launch Inventory $165k
Samples distribution and promotion for affiliate $44k
Secure and manage affiliate creators for TikTok Shop $37k
Total Cost $246k