With the help of early cinema technology, Disney became one of the most famous entertainment companies globally. Marvel also ventured into the big market by bringing favorite comic books back to life. Now, a new story will be unfolded, and it will begin in the digital world — the metaverse. The Superplastic’s origin story plans to connect the digital and physical worlds by qualifying storytelling without boundaries.
Superplastic has managed to raise millions of dollars to build a global entertainment label in this age where viral videos, virtual characters, and nonfungible tokens are widespread. The funding was secured through the auction at Christie’s for nonfungible tokens (NFTs) based on digital celebrities like Janky and Guggimon.
Guggimon became part of Fornite’s playable characters in June 2021.
The company is taking on the challenge to make NFT art, and other new business models monetize famous characters like Janky and & Guggimon, who have evolved into synthetic celebrities.
Superplastic chief executive officer, Paul Budnitz, mentioned in an interview that they are planning to expand its first-of-its-kind virtual ecosystem in which fanciers can interact through nonfungible tokens (NFTs). They plan to employ blockchain technology’s transparent and secure digital blockchain ledger to authenticate unique digital items, retail experiences, and animated films.
As such, he’s brooking a page from other mega brands in the industry like Disney and Marvel.
Budnitz stated that they had created virtual beings that function similarly to an animated cartoon character. These fictional characters can interact in the real world.
Origin of the Creation of Influencers’ Digital World
Budnitz easily gets fascinated by characters that are given birth from toys, and he has been capitalizing on it since 2012 with KidRobot, Ello, and Budnitz Bicycles. With this being said, it’s no surprise that this toy enthusiast CEO would take an interest in following waves of virtual influencers.
One of Superplastics’ visions was to create the next famous universe of animated characters that didn’t come straight from Disney movies or Marvel series but from social media.
Many pioneer virtual influencers possess a human appearance, but Budnitz believes that creepy-looking, animated characters will rule the digital influencer’s world.
Through these digital influencers, Superplastics was able to covey stories like never before. They managed to share interactive, fun, and remarkable stories.
Budnitz and his team of experts are expanding and are working on new characters, having an animated hip-hop group that is to be launched next year. They are also working on movies. They surely have their hands full this year around.
Project Funding
At the time of writing, the company has raised $38 million, with rounds’ investors that include Index Ventures, Founders Fund, Galaxy Digital, Google Ventures, Electric Feel Entertainment, Day One ventures, Chamillionaire, Justine Timberlake, and a lot more.
Budnitz appreciated Bannister for conversing with him over a bowl of cheese and macaroni in New York City. In that simple talk, they mapped out a brilliant plan for the company that makes quite a lot of sense in this age of virtual beings, which Bannister has supported big time.
Through the metaverse, Superplastic wants to redefine the rules of fashion, social media, celebrity, and entertainment, in which intellectual property meets halfway other media worlds and properties. Not to mention their ideal to have a world where fans can interact directly with Superplastic virtual celebrities on social media.
The company has already begun its exciting and thrilling venture of rewriting rules. With more than 8 million followers, virtual celebrities like Janky & Guggimon have already collaborated with stars like Lil Nas X and J Balvin, working as models for high-end fashion brands like Gucci.
Superplastic’s plan would open up an ample opportunity for people who take an interest in cyberspace, hiring more people to join their team. And because there would be more and more people working for the team, well, Budnitz jokingly said that they would be able to get some sleep.
Just in September 2021, the company dropped a new road map to their highly active community. The Jankyverse highlights future developments in digital art and other blockchain-related projects. It will also launch an exhibition on an animated feature film starring characters from the Superplastic universe.
A month before the company dropped a new roadmap, about 4,000 Superplastic King Janky units were sold under three minutes. Guggimon Chop Chop and UberJanky J Balvin collectible toys drop also sold out just a few minutes after launch.
Superplastic has created a whole new world of exuberant, animated characters that shift seamlessly between mediums. They are continuously getting catapulted into the cultural zeitgeist, changing the rules of animated entertainment and concocting a Marvel-like universe of IP braced by designer toys, hyper-engaged fans, NFT collectors, etc.
Digital Influencer Casts
Janky and Guggimon are the core characters of Superplastics, but a lot of different virtual characters surround them. Once these extra virtual characters acquired big tractions online, the company would whirl the characters out into their social media feeds and other endeavors.
Budnitz mustered the famously complex image by Disney of the “washing machine,” his conception of the ways his comics, movies, theme parts, books, toys, and other products all provide into and build off each other. This 1950s image has informed core features of the Disney ethos ever since, staying ahead of the furlough of Hollywood in cross-media strategizing.
The internet celebrated that Janky and Guggimon are of certain species, gender preferences, and identities. They possess a deep sense of goofy mayhem that routinely interacts all day with social media fans. That, in turn, has led to multiple high-profile partnerships between characters and notables such as the Grammy-winning band Gorillaz, the musician Steve Aoki, and Rico Nasty.
Superplastic’s Synthetic Celebrities
The virtual musician business is booming these days because of the digital shift that is happening in various industries. In the 1990s, Gorillaz pioneered the idea of a digital band, exhibiting a cluster of semi-human animated figures baked by the adventurous musicianship of Brit popstar Damon Albarn and other casts of collaborators.
In the early quarters of 2021, Superplastics collaborated with the renowned band to establish an intricate toy tuck called the Geep, concluded with functioning headlights, motivated by the Tonka toy trucks Budnitz grew up with as a child.
Recently, some virtual influencers have gained massive followings and a lot of brand deals, taking virtual influencer marketing to a whole new level.
Characters made by Superplastics purposely don’t look human or any other recognizable species to provide a more leveraged storyline. Not giving them a familiar identity also helps in making good collaboration deals and much else for anonymous architects of the characters.
The company treats its crafted characters as living beings, similar to what Muppeteers have done for the Muppets. They have them drive a Delorean car, they make them wear labels as a person would, and they go along with the trend in the real world. This is what enticed a lot of brands to go after their characters.
The company has been receiving multiple offers from Hollywood studios, but they had to repeatedly decline, not wanting other media companies to acquire rights for their company’s merchandise.
