🟔 Implementation Update | AIP-545: Beyond the NFT: Renewal of NFT Lab Magazine’s Plan for Empowering ApeCoin’s Global Community

AIP Name: AIP-545: Beyond the NFT: Renewal of NFT Lab Magazine’s Plan for Empowering ApeCoin’s Global Community

Implementation Status: Pending

Implementation Date: N/A

Author: @JasonJape

Proposal Description: NFT Lab Magazine is a well-established physical publication that has distributed over 40,000 magazines through 8 issues across 1,200 locations, reaching over 50,000 readers. After a year of operation, we learned that producing a magazine once a month is not feasible due to the rapidly changing market and the voluntary nature of community content contributions, which can lead to delays. To adapt, we have successfully shifted to bi-monthly editions with thicker pages (72-96 pages), enhancing the magazine’s prestige and allowing for more comprehensive content collection.

Building on the success of our previous AIP-314, which was well-received by the community, we are proud to announce that we have produced two years of Apefest editions. This proposal aims to continue promoting ApeCoin and Yuga ecosystem news and projects to both our existing audience and beyond. Our strategy includes generating content that spotlights community projects, ApeCoin DAO news, and Yuga initiatives, while also allowing communities such as MBA, Mocaverse, Pudgy Penguins, Azuki, Thank Ape and GWG to contribute contents upon selection.

We are excited to announce a partnership with TIMEOUT Portugal 2025 | Ultimate Guide To Where To Go, Eat & Sleep in Portugal | Time Out , which operates in 108 cities across 39 countries and has a global audience reach of 242 million across all platforms. This collaboration opens up possibilities for NFT Lab Magazine to be present worldwide for every Apefest in the near future. Its a remarkable milestone for a magazine that’s only 1 year old.

Additionally, we will introduce international shipping for a limited number of physical copies to our content providers, enabling them to promote their products and services globally through a tangible show-and-tell approach. Furthermore, we plan to implement token-gated content using ApeChain and $Ape, allowing exclusive access to our community and enhancing engagement.

Our online versions (as promised from AIP-314) are already available on multiple Asian news platforms such as ā€œblockchain of the dayā€

and as free downloadable e-books on the ā€œLikerlandā€ media platform.

liker.land

like12w5…4mv2p6’s Bookshelf

I am what I read. Explore my collection.

By enriching the ApeCoin and APECHAIN ecosystem and utilizing token-gated content, we aim to drive mass adoption and potentially increase the value of $Apecoin and Yuga collections.

Overall Cost: $168,000

Related AIPs:

Timeline Updates:

  • 4/3/2025: The author of this AIP has not yet provided their required monthly progress report to the community regarding the ongoing status of their proposal’s implementation.

Interview Q&A:

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Hi ApeCoin DAO,

The author of this AIP has not yet provided their required monthly progress report to the community regarding the ongoing status of their proposal’s implementation.

We urge @JasonJape to respond in this comment thread with any updates.

-@Facilitators

(questions written by AI after using prompt ’ ask AIP recipient the status of their AIP)

:yellow_circle: Follow-Up on AIP-545: Beyond the NFT (NFT Lab Magazine – $168,000)

Hi @JasonJape — following up as a DAO member tracking funded AIPs. A few observations and questions:

  1. This AIP is requesting $168,000 to renew a physical magazine initiative that has already missed its required monthly update (as of April 3rd). Can you explain the delay?
  2. AIP-314 funded a similar initiative. What’s the total $APE received so far across both proposals, and where can the community find a clear breakdown of spending?
  3. You cite distribution of 40,000 magazines across 1,200 locations with a claimed reach of 50,000 readers. That’s ~41 readers per location. How are these numbers verified?
  4. You now mention a TIMEOUT Portugal partnership with a claimed global reach of 242 million. That’s… massive. What exactly does ā€œbeing presentā€ in Timeout mean? Is this paid PR? A feature? Sponsored ad? Can we see a signed agreement?
  5. The original problem stated in this AIP is that ā€œmonthly publishing wasn’t sustainable.ā€ Given that, how does repeating the same model with international shipping and token-gated content on ApeChain solve the issue?
  6. You promise token gating and exclusive content tied to ApeChain. Where is the smart contract repo, dashboard, or beta to show progress on that?
  7. You claim the online versions from AIP-314 are ā€œalready availableā€ on platforms like Likerland and Blockchain of the Day. How many unique readers did those editions reach?

It’s clear that you’ve built a well-designed print product — but without verifiable reach, shipping transparency, or on-chain progress (despite the ApeChain focus), it’s hard to justify another $168K without basic delivery benchmarks.

Please help the DAO understand:
What have we truly gained so far — and what are the measurable KPIs for this round?

Thanks so much @Cryptosheep for reaching out. please allow me to answer your questions for transparency.

Hi @JasonJape — following up as a DAO member tracking funded AIPs. A few observations and questions:

  1. This AIP is requesting $168,000 to renew a physical magazine initiative that has already missed its required monthly update (as of April 3rd). Can you explain the delay?

ANSWER: to be honest, i wasn’t aware that a monthly update is required, until i see a ā€œred dotā€ in the Implementation Update section. Our magazine publishing are in schedule in which we had publish in Jan/feb and March/april. We also distributed during Consensus Hong Kong 2025 and HK Web3 Festival. We had some obstacles during March with the censorship department, due to the content nature of crypto currencies and government policy. But its all resolved.

  1. AIP-314 funded a similar initiative. What’s the total $APE received so far across both proposals, and where can the community find a clear breakdown of spending?

ANSWER: AIP-314 was Sep 2023 to Sep 2024. $92000 Usd. Break down as follow.
but these doesn’t include the printing cost, distribution and transport. Since that year we had a printer sponsorship and distribution sponsor who covers most of the cost.

(AIP-314 recap)

  1. Hire a full-time editor-in-chief [US$3,000 per month]

  2. Recruit dedicated part-time resources for illustrations, photography and website administration for content updates [$1,000 per month collectively]

  3. Appoint two ambassadors to liaise with ApeCoin DAO special council members, AIP proposal owners, and the BAYC communities for content sourcing. [US$2,000 per month]

  4. Online magazine development with open recruitment prioritized for BAYC community members, assuming price competitiveness. [US$20,000]

  5. UI./UX Design

  6. Backend content management system

  7. On-going hosting and maintenance for 12 months

  8. You cite distribution of 40,000 magazines across 1,200 locations with a claimed reach of 50,000 readers. That’s ~41 readers per location. How are these numbers verified?

ANSWER: In Physical magazine industry of Hong Kong, there is a Norm and methodology. Since magazines locations involved Salons, Coffee shops, Clinics, convenient stores and train stations. The same magazine can be viewed multiple times per day by different person. so its the methodology of Average views per day X number of days per month. so its approx 1.4 person per location daily estimation. we took the conservative estimation.

  1. You now mention a TIMEOUT Portugal partnership with a claimed global reach of 242 million. That’s… massive. What exactly does ā€œbeing presentā€ in Timeout mean? Is this paid PR? A feature? Sponsored ad? Can we see a signed agreement?

ANSWER: This partnership took place during Apefest Lisbon October 2024 and its not using any funding from the AIP-314 (ended). its a separate Sponsorship that we found and we not using any of the ApeCoin Dao funds. This is our tribute to BAYC and Apecoin Community.

TimeOut is a Global travel magazine with 242 million readers and 1.1 million readers in HK alone.

Our Apefest lisbon magazine was attached together with their Timeout Magazine during the Apefest month in Lisbon. We are all over the place during Apefest in Airport, kiosk, news stands, supermarkets and cafes. To be honest i didnt conduct a survey of readerships during Lisbon.

  1. The original problem stated in this AIP is that ā€œmonthly publishing wasn’t sustainable.ā€ Given that, how does repeating the same model with international shipping and token-gated content on ApeChain solve the issue?

ANSWER: Yes, monthly isn’t sustainable , due to the volunteer nature content submission and rapid changing market. so we changed to Bi-monthly instead, allowing more time for content providers to submit and its working.

  1. You promise token gating and exclusive content tied to ApeChain. Where is the smart contract repo, dashboard, or beta to show progress on that?

ANSWER: We have been told to wait for the apechain apecoin staking which took place in April. we have not engage any Dev yet until the second tranch of funding are received.

  1. You claim the online versions from AIP-314 are ā€œalready availableā€ on platforms like Likerland and Blockchain of the Day. How many unique readers did those editions reach?

ANSWER: These two online are reputable News platform and online E-book platforms.

i will have to ask them from the record how was the readership, since its till Sep2024. however, they are still keeping our magazines online and maintenance for free. i will have to come back on this one.

Hope i have answer your questions to my best effort. i am still working my best to improve and deliver a good job. please dont hesitate to ask me further for transparency. My bad for not aware of the Implementation Update.

JasonJape

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Could @Boredapegazette provide content that could be included into the print magazines. Could be a nice win-win.

2 Edition of NFT lab magazines are successfully launched in the month of Jan/Feb and April.
Publisher was under government review during March.
magazines were well distributed during HK fintech week and Web3 festival HK.

we are now in milestone 2 whereas the implementation of apechain development.

we have also answered community questions and transparency report from the reply thread above.

thanks for all the support and we shall continue to deliver to our best effort.

best regards

Jason

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