Daily July 25

Digiday is launching a special project called Token to Play, which includes 10 stories exploring the challenges and opportunities associated with NFTs in media, marketing and gaming & esports. This 10-part series will cover everything from WTF is Web3 to the economics of virtual real estate to how DAOs can support publishers. Read all the coverage here.

Additional coverage:

• Joe Anthony sees Hero Media, a new media company he founded earlier this June, as one that’s akin to Condé Nast or Vice. With a growing portfolio of brands, the company isn’t there yet, of course, but one day. Read more about his strategy.
• Mini-holding company Meet the People invested in a Swiss loyalty rewards gatherer using blockchain tech to access vital consumer purchase habits data. Read about this and more in this week’s Media Buying Briefing.
• A recent study found that advertisers are spending roughly a tenth of their budgets on click bait sites.
• Smaller and mid-sized esports orgs are now in the sights of management firm Dulcedo, which has acquired gaming and esports startup C4G Agency in a bid to capture their business, viewing them as a more cost-effective avenue into the world of esports brand partnerships.
• Since unveiling its official advertising partnership with Microsoft, set to launch under a new lower-cost subscription tier early next year, Netflix has announced another virtual fan event: Tudum, set for Sept. 24. More in this week’s edition of the Digiday DealBook.