Marketing Bounty 2.0 Marketing Bounty 2.0

TLDR
2. Mission Statement
3. Reformed Structure
4. Curator and Specialist Compensation
5. Ethics / Transparency / Reporting
6. Curators and Advisors
7. Curators Letters of Intent
8. Requested Funds
9. Mission statement
10. Operational Overview
11. Success Metrics
12. Closing Statement

1. TLDR

Marketing Bounty 2.0 proposes a transformation with a new structure, and new, actively engaged curators.. The Bounty requests 200,000 DOT per month on a 6 month schedule.. The scope of work includes developing strategic marketing initiatives, enhancing transparency, and executing comprehensive campaigns to expand Polkadot’s reach and impact. The bounty will abide by the wishes of DOT holders.

2. Mission Statement

The Bounty’s mission is to accelerate the growth of the Polkadot ecosystem by funding marketing initiatives. We will foster a vibrant community of developers, users, and contributors by supporting proposals that highlight the value of Polkadot’s cutting-edge technology. By driving awareness and engagement, we will position Polkadot as the go-to platform for Web3 innovation.

3. Reformed Structure

The organizational structure is undergoing a transformation. Previously unpaid curators will now be replaced by active, compensated curators that come from diverse backgrounds within the ecosystem. Additionally, new roles for Advisors and watch-dogs are being introduced to enhance oversight and guidance.

https://i.imgur.com/IdUImOy.png

4. Curator and Specialist Compensation

To attract and retain top-tier talent, curators and specialists will receive reasonable yet competitive compensation. This encourages the competent professionals to contribute, and creates an environment of trust and accountability. Fair pay reduces the risk of informal, undisclosed agreements or side deals.

• General Manager, Curators 100€/h

  • Any overtime hours must be approved by curators.

  • Any changes to max cap must be voted with 5/5 confirmation from curators and needs sound reasoning by proposer

• Specialists 75€/h will be initially limited at 1 per curator and 50h/m 

  • Any overtime hours must be approved by curators.

• Operational Supportive Roles 60€/h

5. Ethics / Transparency / Reporting

1. We are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards and ensuring full transparency in all of our operations.
2. Curators will actively seek competition from multiple agencies, guaranteeing fair and efficient pricing for all services provided to the Polkadot DAO.
3. Curators involved in conflicts of interest or unethical dealings will undergo a review process, with actions taken as appropriate.
4. Curators are not eligible to off chain vote or sign on marketing proposals submitted for their own benefit through the marketing bounty.
5. Easy-to-understand quarterly budget reports and monthly activity reports will be provided to the community.
6. Monthly office hours.
7. Agency Fees will be transparent.

6. Curators and Advisors

Evan (ET90266) Polkadot Social Media Expected maximum hours per month: 40h

• Over a decade of experience in digital marketing and helping organizations reach their ambitious growth targets. Has held leadership positions (Head of, Director, VP) in fast-paced companies in which he was responsible for multimillion-dollar budgets and leading high performance teams.
• Former Head of Social Media and then Vice President of Influencer Marketing & Brand Partnerships at one of Europe’s largest fashion brands, where he was recognized by the Board as the “employee of the year” in 2021 for driving significant business growth (20-30% of company’s annual revenue through influencers).

**Eric  Ecosystem Evangelist Distractive
**Expected maximum hours per month: 40h

• Seven years of professional experience in the Web3 industry as innovation consultant, product owner, events organizer, marketing manager, growth manager, and operations manager.
• Background as trained Industrial Manager, B.A. in business administration, M.A. in corporate management and economics, certified agile coach, trained mediator and campaigner. As well as a social entrepreneur in India, academic researcher, and controller.
• Representative of Distractive, with Katie Butler and Nate Hamilton as advisors, as well as a team of 20 marketing experts to support deal-making, direct marketing, and public relations, with past roles at Moonbeam and Parity.

**Juba CultureDot
**Expected maximum hours per month: 50h

• Creative Director with a decade+ of experience focusing on Alternative Advertising - methods, concepts & experiential design.
• Multiple years in the film industry managing budgets, labor & logistics - with a responsibility to create and deliver the physical representation of each visually conceptualized environment (set) for Production Designers, Producers & Directors.
• Began participating in OpenGov with impression based branding campaigns late 2023, which have since evolved into targeted campaigns like In-App placements with Lyft Inc., or Institutional collaborations with Virtune AB.
• Projects completed in: New York, Berlin, London, Singapore, Zurich & Stockholm returning millions of impressions IRL & online.

**OpenGov.Watch
**No pay as covered under DF grant

• Tommi (AnB) and Ugur (Jeeper) will be a part of the rehaul of the Marketing Bounty. They will make sure the internal processes are transparent to the Polkadot DAO and there is a community oversight on the bounty spends.

**Crane NoSpec
**Expected maximum hours per month: 120h

• Formerly Project manager with a master's degree in engineering. Worked for multiple big infrastructure projects in Germany. Now fulltime Crypto at NoSpec Consulting, Kusamarian.
• Daoist at ChaosDAO. Supporting many Ecosystem projects, the latest is Webzero in their quest for a revamp of Sub0.
• Connecting link of the community (read: non-Parity or Web3 Foundation) to the marketing bounty.

Disclaimer: After the first months we will adjust the numbers accordingly of the actual necessary work.

Advisors

Distractive

• The first recipient of the Decentralized Futures Grant is taking a key role in the Polkadot ecosystem to guide marketing initiatives. Katie Butler and Nate Hamilton have been leading Marketing & Business Development for Moonbeam Networks since 2019, and are now dedicated to leading the Polkadot brand development and marketing in a collaborative approach with the community and stakeholders.

Scytale Digital

• An industry-leading digital asset manager, Scytale Digital backs early-stage blockchain projects, including key initiatives in the Polkadot ecosystem. With a focus on Web3 infrastructure and decentralized identity solutions, they provide strategic guidance on marketing and ecosystem growth.

7. Curators Letters of Intent

Crane - My role as General Manager is to guarantee that all curators and team members are maximizing their contributions to the Polkadot ecosystem and that every dollar allocated is spent wisely, with a clear and valuable purpose. I am here to ensure the highest level of transparency and efficacy in the management of the Marketing Bounty 2.0 as one strong entity.

I am dedicated to managing the Marketing Bounty to significantly enhance Polkadot's visibility and adoption through targeted marketing and strong community-driven initiatives. Our ecosystem is not only rich with cutting-edge products but also with a community of highly skilled professionals who deserve more recognition and opportunities.

In leading this initiative, I will leverage my extensive experience in steering projects and teams towards high-impact outcomes. This bounty is strategically designed to amplify Polkadot’s strengths by boosting community engagement and showcasing our technological innovations. Our operational strategy is built on a foundation of transparency and rigorous ethical standards, ensuring that every action taken is in the best interest of the community. With adequate funding, we are ready to drive substantial results. We will measure our success through tangible increases in ecosystem growth and engagement. These metrics will reflect the efficacy of our marketing strategies and our alignment with Polkadot’s long-term strategic objectives.

Distractive - Distractive is joining the Bounty because we intend to be in the room where decisions are made that affect marketing as a whole, guide with the roadmap that we shaped with our closest stakeholders, and get the highest impact per DOT possible.

We value reasonable, conservative budgeting, collaborative decision-making, tough negotiation for the best deals, and a detailed marketing planning approach.

We believe further that we have to build global partnerships with actors (agencies, marketers, brands, etc.) that apply our global strategy for more brand awareness and ecosystem growth in the respective region to target our archetypes (builders who are fed up by Web2 and the moat of FAANGs, creators who want to own their creations, gamers who want to earn money and not be squeezed by studios, fans who want to support their bands, and others).

Also, as marketing professionals, we don’t work without meaningful KPIs that allow proper campaign testing, management, and reporting, which drive our economy on measurable metrics.

By doing so, we believe that we will contribute with the best intent and skill, to produce the best results.

Evan - I intend for this bounty to operate under the following tenets: Efficient use of funds - Curators/advisors seek optimal pricing by inviting competition. Curators will proactively reach out to the top Web3 Agencies and invite them to submit campaign proposals.

• Highest Standard of Ethics - No curator or their affiliates will receive funds from the bounty, directly or indirectly, except for hours billed for their duties to keep the bounty operating at the highest standard.
• Long-term Focus - Develop long term relationships with agencies and KOLs to create ambassadors, evangelists. We want to avoid one-time, transactional collaborations.
• Community Driven - We seek constant feedback and guidance from DOT holders.
• Transparency - Easy-to-understand Quarterly Reports will be provided to the community. Agency Fees will be transparent.

OpenGov.Watch - Marketing is an essential function of any organization. We support the new marketing bounty, as it takes marketing more serious and doesn't rely on simple advertising only. Instead, it gathers the best people in the ecosystem to fundamentally reform the program. We will help make it a success by providing guidance on its structure and internal workings and offering our expertise as marketing specialists from past roles.

Juba K. - In terms of participation for Marketing Bounty 33 - I have put together a list of roles, responsibilities and restrictions that would ensure transparent and honest curation, while maintaining a fair relationship to the treasury and the bounty as to not foster any major conflicts of interest.

Should MB33 undergo a new structure - I, Juba K of Culturedot would like to be considered as a curator to manage a portion of the bounties funds, alongside a carefully selected, tight knit team, consisting of 1 or 2 more marketing specialists, who would be responsible in supporting the delivery of the listed action items below. To note: these specialists would not be signatories of the bounty, instead, working agents to help manage research, development, outreach and deliveries of projects completed by external agencies.

Roles & Responsibilities

•  Reviewing submitted proposals and negotiating fair costs for each new submitted proposal.
• Optimizing accepted projects, agencies and individuals who are being funded by this channel and wherever necessary for the bounty as a whole.
• Researching and obtaining new agencies & talent that is both financially & creatively competitive for this channel and for the bounty in general. F
• ocusing on cross chain communication between Polkadot and existing blockchains Focusing on cross industry communication between Polkadot and non-crypto entities

8. Requested Funds

An allocation of 200,000 DOT per month over a six-month schedule will sustain essential marketing functions while providing some flexibility. Should the market and treasury conditions be favorable and the operational mechanisms of the bounty function efficiently, this allocation can be increased in the future, subject to the agreement of token holders.

In instances where significant funding requests arise for marketing, for example a sport sponsorship proposal, a special fund for the growth bounty can be proposed through an OpenGov proposal. This way token holders have a say in big extraordinary spends, while profiting from the expertise and the oversight of the marketing bounty.

9. Mission statement / Scope

9.1 Initial Goals

The primary objectives include:

1. Implementing the Marketing Strategy: Execute a comprehensive marketing strategy for the Polkadot ecosystem, drawing on insights from OpenGov, Distractive, and key stakeholders. This strategy will be dynamic and adapt to ongoing feedback and market fundamentals.
2. Executing Marketing Operations: Manage ongoing marketing activities and regular campaigns that focus on brand positioning and product offerings.
3. Processing Marketing Proposals: Handle incoming proposals that align with the Polkadot ecosystem’s strategic goals.

9.2 Areas of Work

The marketing efforts will encompass several key areas:

1. Strategy: Crafting overarching strategies that align with long-term objectives.
2. Market Research: Conducting thorough research to stay ahead of market trends and understand the competitive landscape.
3. Vetting: Rigorous evaluation of marketing proposals and potential partnerships.
4. Campaigns: Developing and deploying campaigns focused on branding, positioning, and product awareness.
5. Negotiation: Securing favorable terms in contractual agreements with partners and vendors.
6. Media Production: Assigning the creation of high-quality content for various marketing channels.
7. Distribution: Ensuring effective dissemination of marketing materials across chosen platforms.
8. Earned Media: Leveraging public relations to enhance brand visibility.
9. Paid Media: Strategically investing in advertising to reach broader audiences. Reporting:
10. Providing detailed reports and analytics to measure the impact and efficiency of marketing efforts.
11. Cross-Chain Communications: Engaging with other blockchain communities to educate and collaborate, aiming to onboard new stakeholders.
12. Cross-Industry Communications: Connecting with traditional companies to raise awareness of Polkadot’s benefits for enhancing business operations.

9.3. Long-Term Objectives

1. Marketing through one Marketing Bounty: Ideally, channel all decentralized marketing efforts through the Marketing Bounty to ensure scalability and effectiveness.
2. Strong Developer Relations Strategy: Develop a robust strategy to maintain and strengthen relationships with developers across the ecosystem and beyond.
3. Positive VC & Investor Sentiment: Attract new funding pools that further increase the ecosystem viability for developers and founders.
4. Attract Masses of Users: To attract new developers, we increase the visibility of ready-to-use use cases and strengthen the user base based on an upward momentum in the public perception of Polkadot.

These structured efforts are designed to significantly elevate the reach and impact of the Polkadot ecosystem, driving engagement and adoption across diverse sectors and communities.

10. Operational Overview

• Agency Engagement: The strategy involves partnering with experienced agencies that are not native to the Polkadot ecoto significantly extend Polkadot’s marketing reach. The bounty team will guide these external agencies or agents to align all marketing efforts with Polkadot’s strategic objectives.
• Compensation Models: Contributors will be compensated on an hourly basis, while external agencies will be engaged on a commission basis. This structure ensures that contributions are fairly remunerated and that external partnerships are goal-oriented and results-driven.
• Support Functions: Technical and accounting support will be integral, ensuring all operations are executed accurately and adhere to high standards.
• Routine Reporting: In-depth reports will be generated monthly, modeled after the structure of the PAL Bounty (see: PAL Community Reports). These reports aim to maintain transparency and provide continuous updates on project progress and financial status.
• Comprehensive End-of-Period Reporting: A detailed report will be produced at the end of each funding period to assess the overall performance and the effectiveness of the marketing efforts.
• Engagement Opportunities: Monthly open office hours will be scheduled, offering a platform for stakeholders to inquire about project details, voice concerns, and provide feedback.
• Accounting Practices: A skilled accountant will be onboarded to ensure accurate and transparent invoicing. A comprehensive master budget will be maintained, showcasing available funds in the bounty, denominated in USD. This budget will include detailed categories such as pending payouts, confirmed and paid amounts, as well as requested funds.
• Oversight Capabilities: Curators will have access to review invoices from contracted agencies, ensuring that commission rates remain competitive and transparent. This oversight is critical to maintaining fiscal responsibility and ensuring that funds are used effectively. We acknowledge the recently published guideline suggestions by OpenGov.Watch and will strive to adhere as closely as possible to these standards: WFC Draft Bounty Standards.

11. Success Metrics

The Bounty program is committed to establishing a robust framework for measuring success, which will adapt and evolve to reflect the ongoing learning and changing dynamics of our operations. Initially, our focus is on setting up foundational metrics that do not constrain operations but rather inform and guide our processes towards efficiency and transparency.

General Principles:

• Flexibility in Metrics: Initially, we will employ a flexible approach to metrics, allowing us to refine and adjust as we gain more insights into what is most effective.
• Evolution Over Time: As the Bounty program matures, we will develop and hone specific metrics that truly reflect the value and success of our initiatives.

Areas of Measurement:

• Bounty Management: We will monitor general efficiency, team quality, number of campaigns launched, and overhead costs. These metrics are starting points and will be adapted based on operational feedback and results.
• Transparency Reporting: Essential documentation such as quotes, invoices, contracts, payments, proposals, and deliverables will be tracked to ensure accountability and openness in all dealings.
• Curator Reports: We will begin with tracking hours, task descriptions, milestone achievements, project completions, and availability in AMA sessions, with the view to adjust based on what metrics provide meaningful insights.
• Marketing Management: Early metrics will include the selection of balanced scorecards, results tracking, impact value chain metrics, and community sharing practices. These will be reviewed and refined to align with strategic marketing goals.

Commitment to Continuous Improvement:

• Feedback Loops: Regular feedback from all stakeholders will be instrumental in revising our metrics. This feedback will help ensure that our metrics are not only measurable but meaningful.
• Reporting: We will share initial findings and adaptations through our regular reporting processes, ensuring that the community and stakeholders are fully informed of our progress and how our metrics are evolving.

This measured and adaptable approach ensures that we remain agile and responsive, rather than rigidly adhering to metrics that may not serve our long-term strategic goals.

12. Closing Statement

Our commitment remains steadfast to advancing the Polkadot ecosystem through well-structured and effectively managed marketing strategies. We acknowledge the errors the old Marketing Bounty had and use these to strive for improvement. This proposal lays the groundwork for a transparent, efficient, and ethical approach to ecosystem marketing, ensuring all activities are aligned with the collective vision of our community and stakeholders.

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to your active participation in shaping a vibrant future for Polkadot. Together, we will maintain Polkadot's leadership in Web3 technology.