Ran Neu-ner - Your Attention Please – Why Some Tokens Succeed and Others Fail - TOKEN2049 Dubai 2025

Summary

In this video, the speaker explains why some crypto tokens succeed while others fail. Key to success is building powerful networks, where user growth increases the token's value exponentially. The speaker emphasizes the role of human psychology, particularly hormones like dopamine and oxytocin, in fostering trust and relationships with users. With over 1.5 million subscribers, the speaker leverages his marketing expertise to show how understanding the brain's function, along with strategies like making people rich, paid marketing, PR, viral features, and influencers, can help create strong networks that drive token performance.

Takeaways

• 😀 The global crypto market has 42-43 million tokens and 600 million users, creating intense competition among tokens.
• 😀 To succeed in crypto, the key is to attract attention to your token in a global market.
• 😀 Crypto is fundamentally about building networks, and the value of a network grows exponentially as more users are added (Metcalfe's Law).
• 😀 Larger networks will always outperform smaller ones, as seen with platforms like WhatsApp, Uber, and Amazon (Barabási's Law).
• 😀 Networks force users into relationships, creating trust and engagement, as seen with services like WhatsApp, which is a 'forced relationship'.
• 😀 Building trust and relationships in crypto relies on understanding human psychology and emotions, especially the role of hormones like dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins.
• 😀 Marketing in crypto must leverage human connection, with trust being the ultimate goal to evoke oxytocin, which fosters strong relationships and loyalty.
• 😀 There are five primary ways to build relationships in crypto: make people rich, paid marketing, PR, viral features, and influencer engagement.
• 😀 Making people rich is a strong tool for trust-building, as seen with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana; it creates loyalty through financial success.
• 😀 Influencers play a critical role in guiding attention and trust in crypto, as their credibility and attention can significantly boost a token's visibility and adoption.
• 😀 Understanding the human brain and its role in decision-making helps crypto projects build more effective marketing strategies and trust-based relationships.

Q & A

Why are there so many tokens in the crypto market, and what challenges do they create for token success?

There are over 42 million tokens in the crypto market, with 600 million users worldwide. This creates a challenge where each token is vying for attention in a vast, global market. With so many tokens, it becomes difficult for a single token to stand out and succeed unless it attracts significant attention and builds a strong network effect.

What role do networks play in the success of a crypto token?

Networks are crucial in the success of a crypto token because they follow Metcalfe's Law and Barabási's Law. Metcalfe's Law states that the value of a network grows exponentially as more users join, while Barabási's Law suggests that bigger networks will always outperform smaller ones. This means building a large, engaged network around a token is key to its success.

What is the importance of attention in the crypto world?

In crypto, attention is vital because it helps build trust and drive network effects. Tokens that manage to attract and retain attention can develop relationships with users, leading to increased trust, value, and ultimately, success in the market.

How does the human brain's functionality relate to marketing strategies in crypto?

The human brain is wired to prioritize safety and trust, and marketers can leverage this by understanding the brain's reward systems. The key hormones—dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins—play critical roles in driving decisions. Effective marketing in crypto taps into these hormones to build trust, create emotional connections, and reinforce positive behaviors, such as investing in tokens.

What are the four key hormones mentioned in the script, and how do they influence behavior?

The four key hormones are: dopamine (reward and pleasure), serotonin (happiness and social connection), oxytocin (trust and bonding), and endorphins (stress relief and relaxation). These hormones influence behavior by reinforcing positive feelings and behaviors, such as trust, social connection, and the desire for rewards, which are essential in building relationships around crypto tokens.

What are the five strategies for building relationships and trust with users in the crypto space?

The five strategies for building relationships and trust in the crypto space are: 1) Making people rich (creating financial incentives), 2) Paid marketing (though it's challenging due to trust issues), 3) Public relations (PR), 4) Viral features (creating shareable, engaging content), and 5) Influencing people (leveraging influencers with attention and credibility).

How can making people rich contribute to building trust in crypto tokens?

Making people rich through token investments creates a deep trust and emotional connection with the token. When individuals profit from an asset, they develop a sense of loyalty, leading to higher trust and a stronger relationship with the project or token. This is why successful projects like Bitcoin and Solana gained so much trust.

What is the problem with airdrops in the crypto market?

Airdrops often fail to build lasting trust or relationships because they are typically seen as one-time events. Since recipients do not invest effort to earn the tokens, they are less likely to develop a connection to the project, resulting in a lack of trust and engagement.

Why is paid marketing not always effective in the crypto world?

Paid marketing often starts from a point of zero trust, meaning most of the money spent is used to establish trust rather than generating actual engagement. This reduces the effectiveness of paid campaigns because it takes significant effort to build trust before getting any action from users.

How do influencers play a role in building trust and credibility in the crypto space?

Influencers can effectively build trust by leveraging their attention and credibility. When influencers with high trust and credibility endorse a crypto project, they direct attention to it, creating a relationship with users. This is a cost-effective method to build trust and drive network effects, which are crucial for a crypto token's success.