Banijay is making its first foray into the metaverse with an NFT drop for the popular comic character Mr Bean.
One of the largest global content producers, Banijay is working in collaboration with FOMO Lab, an IP specialist and metaverse architect that has become an early leader in the Web3 revolution.
Owain Walbyoff, Chief Commercial Officer at Banijay, says the project will be the first of many.
“Banijay has many exciting Metaverse projects to announce this year, as we continue to adopt new technologies to futureproof our brands,” Walbyoff says. “With his huge global following, Mr Bean is rightly taking his first steps into this space, and the combination of digital and physical rewards gives the NFT long term value for the lucky few who manage to purchase them.”
Fans will be able to own Mr Bean digital assets and collectibles, inspired by the hit animated series. Available via FOMO Lab’s marketplace, The Avenue, the genesis Mr Bean NFT collection will be an assortment of 3,333 unique digital collectibles, purchasable from May 25 using cryptocurrency Ether on FOMO Lab’s NFT marketplace, TheAvenue.market.
By purchasing the Mr Bean digital collectibles, holders will also have access to phygital rewards, competitions and redeemables including a signed, unpublished hand-drawn still of Mr Bean from the first animated series. Further Mr Bean NFT drops with FOMO Lab are planned throughout 2022. Keep up to date by joining the official Discord channel.
“I think that this is a great idea,” said Mr Bean co-creator and actor Rowan Atkinson. “Any initiative which not only draws attention to but actually enables access to the fabulous artwork associated with the Mr Bean Animation series, I welcome with open arms.”
One of Britain’s most famous comic creations of all time, Mr Bean first appeared on screens in 1990, with the versatile performer Rowan Atkinson playing the hapless character. The show has now been in continual distribution for over 30 years, spawning a globally successful animated series voiced by Atkinson which launched in 2002.
Mr Bean: The Animated Series is produced by Tiger Aspect Kids and Family, part of Banijay Kids and Family.
The brand attracts significant digital audiences, with over 129 million followers on Facebook, making it the biggest TV brand on the platform; nearly 50 million subscribers and 15 billion lifetime views across official YouTube channels; 8.7 million followers on Instagram; and 8.3 million likes on TikTok.
That massive fan base makes it a natural for a collaboration in FOMO Lab’s digital world, says co-founder and Chief Business Officer Khalil Kassam.
“FOMO Lab is the bridge between brands entering the Metaverse and NFT space and the Web3 Community changing the digital landscape forever, and we are delighted to partner with innovator Banijay to launch the official Mr Bean NFT collection, available via our marketplace The Avenue,” said Kassam. “We are continuously evolving our product offering, working closely with tier one brands, as well as the next generation of creators, relentlessly providing value to our community. It’s our mission to bring NFTs to a wide audience, with exclusive access to the latest and most sought-after products on the market.”
FOMO Lab is creating an entire product suite which includes a multi-chain NFT marketplace, a staking ecosystem, FOMO Lab Launchpad, a revolutionary metaverse platform with a ground-breaking mobile social application for NFT collectors, and many more products. The Avenue provides its holders with full control over their digital assets with over 3,000 users signed up, alongside an average visitor count exceeding 30,000 monthly. FOMO Lab says its mission is to bring NFTs to the masses, ensuring that NFT utility, Web3 and metaverse applications are here to stay.
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