This article was updated on December 17, 2021
adidas has quietly entered the metaverse with a mysterious digital collectible, predating its Bored Ape Yacht Club partnership.
In late November, the footwear giant directed members of adidas CONFIRMED — an app for drops and exclusive content — to POAP (Proof of Attendance Protocol), a platform that event organizers can use to distribute crypto-badges, essentially NFTs, to attendees.
(For those unfamiliar with the blockchain and cryptocurrency, POAP is a bit confusing. Check out its FAQ page for more information.)
adidas' POAP doesn't seem to commemorate a specific event, but rather functions as a way to identify its most loyal followers — members of the CONFIRMED app.
adidas later tweeted a link to its POAP, opening up access to the brand's general fanbase. But by then, most of the POAPS had already been claimed.
"For those of you in search of new playgrounds where possibilities are limitless, we invite you to join us as we voyage into the Metaverse," adidas wrote.
"This digital collectible is our way of rewarding you for following your curiosity....this token proves you were here from the beginning of this journey. Keep it safe — it may come in handy."
adidas signed off its cryptic message with "WAGMI," short for "We're all gonna make it," slang used by crypto-traders as a positive reaction to good news related to their holdings.
So, if you were lucky enough to snag an adidas POAP, hang onto it. They're apparently your ticket to adidas' mysterious plot of land on The Sandbox.
