Today's crypto marketing is not just about advertising; it's a psychological war.
Author: TM
Translation: Deep Tide TechFlow
This is a masterclass in modern psychological tactics.
I shouldn't be writing this article; the amount of information is overwhelming—frankly, this is also my super skill. But who cares, let's dive deep into the marketing strategies in the crypto space: a masterclass in psychological tactics.
If you still don't know what "psyops" is, it means you've been manipulated since you became an adult.
Welcome to the Meme War.
Milady
Case 1: Kalshi Enters the Crypto Market
Let's talk about @Kalshi. This is not spreading fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD); I actually admire their execution. These are just personal opinions, with no solid evidence.
After the hype around memecoins faded, prediction markets began to gain attention. Some KOLs started pushing this narrative, one of whom is @j0hnwang.
Prediction markets are indeed fairer than memecoins. Memecoins are a brutal "1 vs. 1000" game, while prediction markets at least offer a more balanced chance of winning. But to be honest, crypto enthusiasts (degens) have a deep-rooted love for coins, and that has always been the case.
So the question arises: how to capture market share from the memecoin space without issuing a coin, while also attacking dominant players like @Polymarket?
The answer: psychological warfare.
Here’s how the events unfolded:
John Wang had already signed with Kalshi before the official announcement.
In the following months, engagement farms and researchers began to hype up his account.
When the signing was officially announced, the entire release process was meticulously coordinated: news media, influencers, and "research" pages all reported on this news—about a KOL's signing.
News pages reporting on a crypto KOL's signing?
This was seen as a milestone event, as if Kalshi had just poached an executive from Google or Apple.
This is a simple yet brilliant psychological tactic: turning a personnel change into a full-blown marketing campaign.
Kalshi not only entered the crypto space, but they also made it look like a paradigm shift.
They paid these websites, researchers, and influencers to talk about the announcement. This hiring event caused a stir. Kalshi officially entered the cryptocurrency market. It was as if it were a FAANG stock.
A very simple yet effective psychological tactic: they carefully orchestrated this announcement and turned it into a large marketing campaign.
So, is John Wang Kalshi's marketing manager?
Case 2: ai16z's Flywheel Effect
Next, let's talk about ai16z.
This operation can be described as a genius move. It filled people (including myself) with genuine hope for the future of "crypto x AI" for a time.
Here’s how they operated:
They launched a meme DAO around the concept of "tokenizing a16z (the famous venture capital giant)."
Marc Andreessen (one of the founders of a16z) personally engaged, lending authority to this meme.
Instantly, the entire industry focused on this "new AI fund."
Then, they launched the product: Eliza AI agent.
It quickly became the top platform on GitHub. The timing was perfect. The hype was unstoppable.
Shaw flexing
But what’s the reality? From a technical standpoint, it’s just a wrapper for GPT. In simple terms, it connects existing large language model (LLM) APIs to a front-end interface. There’s nothing groundbreaking.
However, did anyone care? Almost no one. The product works, the atmosphere is right, and that’s enough.
The key to psychological tactics lies not just in technology, but in narrative.
Becoming a member of the ai16z DAO became a status symbol. Just like wearing a Rolex in the early days, being an "ai16z partner" meant you were something special. It attracted elite developers from universities and wealthy believers.
The DAO's market cap reached $2.5 billion (with liquidity so thin it’s laughable). The flywheel effect formed: hype attracts liquidity, liquidity attracts investors, and investors create more hype.
But the next question is: how to cash out without wrecking the price chart?
The answer is: you don’t cash out directly. Instead, ai16z "sold" their technology to other AI crypto projects and secured up to 10% of the supply agreements before token issuance in exchange for market support.
What was the result? A wave of half-baked AI projects emerged. These projects were supported, hyped, and then quickly dumped.
After discarding the AI projects they got for free from him.
In the end, the psychological tactics worked. Liquidity was drained. And now, ai16z is brewing for the next comeback.
The Essence of Crypto Psychological Warfare
Here’s the crux: any tactic can not be reused.
Once people see through the trick, it becomes ineffective. The public will quickly turn to the next shiny new thing. This is also why many projects keep recycling those clichés:
Airdrops
Roadmaps
Buybacks
Flywheels
Tokenomics
If you hear these terms, it means the team hasn’t realized the market has changed. Today's marketing is no longer about hollow announcements. In this market, only products that actually deliver matter.
Welcome to the Meme War
Today's crypto marketing is not just advertising; it's a war.
Narrative is the weapon. Engagement is the ammunition. Every announcement, collaboration, or dispute is a battle for "mind share."
Winners are not just projects selling technology, but those teams that can execute coordinated psychological tactics: telling stories, creating memes, strategizing, and making target users willing to believe their narrative.
Of course, not all projects play by the same rules.
If you want to capture market share in this industry, you must arm yourself. Assemble your team like a Roman general preparing for conquest.
Because in the crypto space, it’s a war.
“Si vis pacem, para bellum.”
If you want peace, prepare for war.
My victorious pose after defeating the opponent.
The battle is against your competitors, not your community. Supporting your allies is your true camaraderie.
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