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Coca-Cola has launched 136 non-fungible tokens (NFTs) collectibles on the Polygon (MATIC) network in commemoration of Pride Month. The global soft drinks giant says the proceeds from the digital collectibles sales and resale will go to LGBTQIA+ charities.
Coca-Cola Pride Month NFTs
The Coca-Cola Company, an American multinational beverage corporation, has minted a collection of 136 non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the Polygon (MATIC) blockchain in celebration of this year’s Pride Month.
For the uninitiated, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual/aromatic/agender Pride Month (LGBTQIA Pride Month) is an annual celebration organized in America every June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots and aims to achieve equal rights and justice for LGBTQIA+ Americans.
Though this year’s LGBTQIA+ Pride Month began on June 1 and ended on June 30, Coca-Cola continues to send its message of love to these special people with its NFT collection. The company wrote:
“The Coca-Cola Pride collection is a series of digital collectibles made in celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community and in collaboration with artist and advocate Rich Mnisi. Each piece aims to shine color-filled light on the community’s members and spread a message of Love.”
Advocating for Equal Rights with NFTs
LGBTQIA is a highly sensitive and controversial topic. While some nations are now advocating for equal rights and justice for people that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender queer, intersex, or agender, law enforcement agencies in jurisdictions such as Saudi Arabia aggressively pursue and prosecute these sets of people.
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa in December 1993, Rich Mnisi doubles as the founder of RICH MNISI, a multidisciplinary brand established in 2015 and a leading campaigner for LGBTQIA+ rights in Africa.
Coca-Cola says Mnisi drew inspiration for his Coca-Cola Pride artworks from the idea that energy and love cannot be destroyed but can only be transferred, changed in form, locked up, or freed.
The NFTs come in the form of brightly colored Coke bottles, with the number 136 representing the age of the company. The firm hopes the NFTs will increase visibility by radiating the broad spectrum of the LGBTQIA community.
Coca-Cola says the entire proceeds of the sale and resale of the digital collectibles will be sent to charitable organizations that take care of LGBTQIA+ people, with this year’s funds going to OUT, the preferred LGBTQIA+ charity of Mnisi.
“OUT is the second-oldest South African organization to professionally service the LGBTQIA+ community with physical and mental health care. Dedicated to empowering members of the community, we are proud to give back o them this Pride,” noted Coca-Cola.
The Coca-Cola company remains one of the global brands actively exploring the potential of blockchain technology, crypto, and NFTs.
Last July, Coca-Cola joined forces with Decentraland (MANA), a leading metaverse project, the OpenSea NFT marketplace, and Tafi, to organize a digital collectibles auction in commemoration of World Friendship Day.
In related news, the current bear market is also taking its toll on the NFT ecosystem, as sales dropped to a 12-month low in June 2022.