GM. This is Needs to Exist (aka NTE), today delivering a startup ideas that makes NFTs cool again (or at least useful).

Here’s what we’ve got for you today.

• Daily Idea - NFTs unlock products.

• OG Marketing

NFTs that unlock real products

The One Liner

NFTs that actually do something.

The 140 character tweet (or X) version

This ain’t 2021. No JPEGs, no Ponzi. Buy an NFT, redeem it for a real product. No bots, no fakes, no BS.

The Longer Story Version

The Problem

Every drop is the same story. Hype builds, bots eat, resellers flip, and real fans get left holding Ls. Oh, and let’s not forget the flood of fakes that follow.

Meanwhile, brands? They get nothing from resale markets. Once the product is gone, it’s gone—zero control, zero upside.

Collectors, sneakerheads, and merch fans want fair access. Brands want real engagement. But the system is rigged.

The Solution

NFT-powered product drops—but without the 2021 BS. No overpriced JPEGs. No roadmaps full of dreams. Just NFTs as digital keys to claim real, physical items.

Here’s how it works:

1️⃣ Mint First, Buy Later – You mint an NFT on Solana that represents a product. This NFT = your digital proof of ownership.
2️⃣ Fair Drops, No Bots – NFTs control access, so only real fans can claim the item.
3️⃣ Trade Before You Buy – Not sure if you want the item? Sell or trade the NFT before it’s redeemed. Real resale market, no middlemen.
4️⃣ Claim Your Item – When ready, burn the NFT to get the physical product shipped to you. Simple. No fakes, no fraud.
5️⃣ Built-in Perks – Holders get access to VIP drops, discounts, or special collabs.

This isn’t some speculative NFT cash grab. This is digital ownership unlocking real value.

How We’d Build It

⚡ Solana OR Base NFTs – Low fees, fast transactions, no gas nonsense.
🛍 Shopify + Solana Pay – Seamless claim experience, direct crypto payments.
📦 NFT Redemption via Burn Mechanism – Once redeemed, NFT updates (or burns) to prevent duplicates.
🔄 Secondary Market on Tensor or Magic Eden – Resell the NFT before claiming the product, keeping the market liquid.
🎟 Token-Gated Drops via Dialect or Drip – Exclusive access to future releases, tied to NFT ownership.

Why It Needs to Exist

Because hype drops are broken.

✅ No fakes – Every item is tied to a Solana or Base NFT, proving authenticity.
✅ No bots – Minting NFTs controls access, making drops fair.
✅ New revenue streams – Brands get a cut from secondary sales, not just the first drop.
✅ Real fan engagement – Holding = perks. Discounts, exclusive drops, event access—whatever makes sense.

This isn’t 2021 NFT hype. This is a better way to launch products. If you care about collectibles, merch, or exclusive drops—this changes the game.

Needs To Exist Pro

For just $99/year, you get access to the ultimate startup idea database. That’s like… what, less than the cost of a fancy coffee per month? Unless you drink really fancy coffee. Then, I don’t know… maybe rethink your coffee habits?

• 2,000+ Startup Concepts and Growing!
  Yeah, that’s a lot of ideas. More ideas than you can shake a stick at… and honestly, why are you shaking a stick at ideas? Just pick one!

• Effortlessly Searchable and Categorized!
  No more scrolling endlessly like you're lost in the depths of a bad streaming service. We make it easy to find the perfect idea.

• Handpicked from Hundreds of Reputable Sources!
  We scoured the Earth (okay, the internet, but still...) to bring you the best business ideas out there.

• Comprehensive Action Plans Included!
  Not just "Here’s an idea, good luck!" Nope. We actually give you steps to make it happen. Because "Step 1: Win" isn’t helpful.

Old School Marketing

You’ve got the next big thing—an idea that could change the game. But here’s the problem: ideas don’t sell themselves. You need to get out there and make some noise. And while everyone else is fighting for scraps in the algorithmic wasteland, you’re gonna go old school.

Here’s the truth: most marketing today is noise. Everyone is optimizing for the same channels, using the same playbook. If you want to stand out, sometimes you gotta go back—back to when marketing was about creativity, relationships, and actually making people feel something.

Here are some “old school” plays that still crush in 2025 (with a few new tools to make them even better):

1. Direct Mail (No, Seriously)

Most people’s inboxes are flooded, but their actual mailbox? Crickets. A well-designed, unexpected piece of mail stands out. Pro tip: Try services like PostGrid or Handwrytten to automate personalized postcards and letters at scale.

2. Pick Up The Damn Phone

Everyone’s hiding behind Slack and email. A phone call (or even a voice memo) builds instant rapport. Want to go even bigger? Use a tool like Slybroadcast to drop a voicemail directly into people’s inboxes without ringing their phone.

3. The Classic Media Stunt

People don’t talk about ads; they talk about moments. Do something unexpected that gets picked up by press and social media. Example: Want PR? Make a limited-edition product that’s ridiculously exclusive (like Liquid Death’s “Armless Palmer” collab) and send it to influencers.

4. Handwritten Notes = Instant Loyalty

Sounds corny, but a real handwritten note builds connections in a way no email ever will. Use Fountain or Simply Noted to automate this at scale while still keeping it personal.

5. Bait-and-Switch with Humor

Give people a reason to stop and pay attention. Example: A pizza place once printed fake $100 bills on menus and left them around town. People picked them up, saw a promo inside, and laughed. That’s a viral moment.

6. Build a Speakers Bureau

Your founder or execs should be talking at events, on podcasts, or even just hosting webinars. Authority = trust = sales. Use Podchaser Pro to find podcasts in your niche and get booked.

7. Street Teams Still Work

Why do brands like Liquid Death and Red Bull still do in-person marketing? Because humans love real-world interactions. Send people into the world with a killer promo and let them create moments people remember.

8. Make Your Brand an Experience

Think pop-ups, meet-and-greets, collabs with unexpected partners. One brand threw a silent disco for dogs to promote their pet headphones. Absurd? Yes. Memorable? Absolutely.

The Takeaway: Old School + New Tools = Marketing Gold

Marketing is about attention. The game has changed, but human psychology hasn’t. Combine classic tactics with new tools, and you’ll cut through the noise while everyone else is drowning in the algorithm.

So, you’ve got the idea. Now go sell it.

One More Meme