Crypto.com
Global Brand Partnerships & Growth Marketing
Growth Marketing Lead | Feb 2021 - Aug 2023
Challenge
Scale brand awareness and user acquisition in a highly competitive crypto market while building trust through strategic partnerships.
Solution
Created compelling blockchain marketing strategies targeting mainstream audiences through sports partnerships and celebrity endorsements.
Strategic Thinking
Business Context
Crypto.com was competing against established exchanges like Coinbase and Binance to capture mainstream crypto adoption. The company needed to differentiate through brand trust and mass-market appeal.
Strategic Approach
Identified sports and entertainment as the key bridge to mainstream audiences. Focused on high-visibility partnerships that would associate crypto with trusted, established brands rather than tech-first messaging.
Key Strategic Decisions
- •Prioritized sports partnerships (UFC, F1, NBA) over traditional fintech channels
- •Leveraged celebrity endorsements to build trust with skeptical mainstream audiences
- •Created integrated campaigns that drove both brand awareness and direct user acquisition
- •Built SEO and content strategy around education to reduce crypto adoption friction
Lessons Learned
“Partnership marketing at scale requires tight coordination between brand, product, and legal teams. The most successful campaigns combined brand moments with clear conversion paths, awareness without activation wastes partnership value.”
Technologies & Skills
Project Collateral
UFC Fight Kit Sponsorship
Supported go-to-market execution for landmark UFC partnership, the first global fighter uniform branding deal in UFC history. Coordinated campaign launch timing with UFC 264, developed activation content, and built conversion funnels to capitalize on mainstream sports audience exposure.
View on ESPNUFC NFT Collection Launch
Drove marketing execution for UFC NFT marketplace launch under multi-year licensing deal. Coordinated drop timing with UFC 268 at Madison Square Garden, developed campaign messaging around fighter collections, championship belts, and event artwork.
View on UFCUFC Fan Bonus Bitcoin Program
Supported launch of fan engagement program paying fighters $30K-$10K in Bitcoin based on fan votes. Built voting platform promotion strategy and event-based activation campaigns starting with UFC 273.
View on Crypto.comFormula 1 Sprint Global Partnership
Executed marketing activation for inaugural F1 Sprint partnership, the first cryptocurrency sponsorship in Formula 1 history. Managed trackside presence rollout, NFT collection launches, and fan engagement campaigns across the 2021 race calendar.
View on Formula1.comMatt Damon & Water.org Partnership
Supported campaign launch for $1M Water.org donation and celebrity partnership with Matt Damon. Developed user engagement initiatives to mobilize 10M+ Crypto.com users around crypto-donation capabilities and CSR messaging.
View on Crypto.comNBA All-Star Joel Embiid Campaign
Contributed to "Fortune Favors the Brave" brand campaign featuring NBA All-Star Joel Embiid. Supported digital distribution strategy and conversion funnel optimization for brand film launch across paid and owned channels.
View on Crypto.comVisa FIFA World Cup NFT Experience
Supported "Visa Masters of Movement" NFT campaign for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Coordinated cross-brand activation between Visa and Crypto.com, managed NFT auction promotion, and drove fan engagement at FIFA Fan Festival in Doha.
View on Visa"Fortune Favours the Brave" Campaign
Supported launch of flagship brand campaign starring Matt Damon, directed by Oscar winner Wally Pfister. Managed digital activation across 20+ countries, integrated messaging across UFC, F1, and NBA partnerships, and optimized conversion funnels for Thursday Night Football debut.
View on Crypto.comCrypto Market Sizing Report
Supported distribution and promotion of thought leadership research report. Developed content amplification strategy across owned channels to maximize PR pickup and media positioning.
2022 Year Review & 2023 Outlook
Coordinated marketing rollout for annual industry report covering 2022 events and 2023 predictions. Managed cross-channel promotion to drive PR coverage and support investor communications.
Visa USDC Case Study
Supported promotion of co-branded Visa case study showcasing USDC settlement partnership. Amplified enterprise credibility messaging across B2B channels.