$whale
community

CREATIVE DIRECTION, COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING, BRAND SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT, CONTENT + EVENT STRATEGY

  • $WHALE is one of the largest NFT-backed social token communities, bolstered by the worlds largest collection of NFT Art, social NFTs, and virtual land, known as “The Vault”. 



    The founder wanted to strengthen member connection, support creator engagement, and evolve the brand experience during a period of rapid growth.


    The initiative combined brand system development, community programming, creator partnerships, and live events to help transform $WHALE from a token ecosystem into an active cultural community.

  • I collaborated with the founder, guest creators, and community leadership to evolve the brand experience while developing new programming designed to increase participation, belonging, and long-term community engagement.

    Established Whale Wellness and Whale Kids, two weekly event series providing value to members and non-members alike. Additionally 
lead the design team in developing scalable brand systems.

  • As the $WHALE ecosystem expanded, the community needed a more cohesive identity and stronger engagement opportunities without disrupting ongoing content creation, events, and member experiences.

  • Foster a participatory culture built around creativity, education, wellness, 
and connection, while creating experiences that extended beyond token ownership, through initiatives like Whale Wellness and Whale Kids.

  • Community is built through participation. Members are more likely to remain engaged when they are invited to contribute to the experience.

    Aligned programming creates a sense of belonging. Recurring curated events and shared experiences help transform audiences into communities.

    Creator partnerships and access drives member and non-member engagement. Direct conversations with artists, collectors, and cultural leaders create meaningful value for members while reinforcing community identity.

Experience design

  • Community Programming Layer

    Developed and launched recurring community experiences including:

    • WhaleWellness
    • WhaleKids
    • Artist Fireside Chats

    These programs expanded the community beyond NFT collecting and created opportunities for education, creativity, wellness, and family participation.

  • Creator & Cultural Partnerships

    Sourced artists, collectors, and notable cultural figures for interviews and community events, helping members gain direct access to influential voices within the NFT and creative ecosystem.

    Featured conversations included creators, collectors, and public figures such as Tom Morello, Paris Hilton, and other prominent participants in the emerging NFT space.

  • Brand System Evolution

    Developed interim visual frameworks, templates, and scalable guidelines that supported a phased rebrand rollout while maintaining consistency across social, video, and community channels.

  • Participation Ecosystem

    Created multiple entry points for engagement through educational content, artist interviews, wellness programming, and community-focused experiences, helping strengthen long-term member involvement.

outcomes

Over a six-month period, community growth efforts yielded:

1,287 new Discord members and 234 new $WHALE token investors

More members actively participating in new and recurring events, with an 86% increase in event attendance

High-profile partnerships with celebrities like Tom Morello, Paris Hilton, BT, and more

An established design system that allowed the
design team to create assets with clarity

REFLECTIONS

My approach to creative leadership focuses on:

Designing experiences that foster belonging
and turning audiences into communities

Developing programming that deepens engagement 
and authentic connection

Building cultural ecosystems via curated content that resonates with audiences

Work With me
MORE CASE STUDIES

ready to do work that feels like play?

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berry thief studios