Solana Pulls Controversial Ad After 1.4 Million Views and Public Backlash Over Political Messaging and Gender Diversity

2025/03/18 18:20

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Solana Faces Backlash Over Controversial Ad

Solana's recent ad campaign, which was meant to promote its upcoming "Accelerate" conference, quickly turned into a PR disaster after facing intense criticism from the crypto community.

The video, which aired briefly on X before being taken down, was seen by over 1.4 million viewers in just a few hours.

Many viewers expressed their anger, calling the content "offensive" and "cringe."

The controversy centred around a scene where a character named "American," undergoing therapy for "rational thinking syndrome," declared, “I want to invent technologies, not gender.”

Solana is decentralized pic.twitter.com/U0nHDwsUnB
— eMon (@0xemon) March 18, 2025

Patriotic Themes Spark Criticism

The ad, intended to highlight Solana’s innovative spirit, incorporated a strong patriotic tone and seemed to push political messaging, particularly in relation to gender diversity.

In the video, the consultant attempts to focus the character's thoughts on gender identity and social constructs, only for the character to reject it, screaming, "I want to invent technologies, not genders."

This scene quickly garnered negative attention, with many in the crypto space accusing Solana of alienating diverse communities and undermining inclusivity.

Solana’s Reactions to the Backlash

The backlash was swift, with several crypto industry figures voicing their disapproval.

Tyler Bench, the Chief Revenue Officer of Tally.xyz, took to X to share his strong reaction, calling the ad “the single most toxic piece of content I have ever consumed.”

Bench compared it to earlier Coinbase ads, but in a far more negative light, saying,

"It’s like the Coinbase ads if they were created by an incel who hasn’t left the basement in years."

it's like the Coinbase ads if they were created by an incel who hasn't left the basement in years
— frisson (@0xfrisson) March 17, 2025

Adam Cochran, a partner at Cinneamhain Ventures, also criticised the ad, questioning the decision-making process behind it.

“Imagine thinking this is a good commercial,” he posted, describing it as “cringe” and a "terrible" marketing move.

Holy fucking cringe Batman.

Imagine thinking this is a good commercial.

The “mind virus” that’s infected the nation is whatever weird circlejerk is going on in Silicon Valley where people are convinced they were oppressed and that this is cool or edgy.

What a bunch of losers.… https://t.co/6NESiID3xf
— Adam Cochran (adamscochran.eth) (@adamscochran) March 17, 2025

Solana’s Co-Founder Weighs In

Solana’s co-founder, Anatoly Yakovenko, distanced himself from the ad shortly after the backlash.

In a post on X, he expressed his preference for a previous campaign, the "Maren ad," which had generated far less controversy.

This comment further amplified the discontent surrounding the ad, as many questioned the decision-making behind such a polarising promotion.

Maren ad was better
— toly 🇺🇸 (@aeyakovenko) March 18, 2025

Ad Pulls Controversial "Rage Bait" Strategy

While the ad was pulled less than 10 hours after its initial release, the damage had already been done.

Some observers suggest the ad may have been intentionally crafted to generate controversy, a strategy that often risks alienating audiences in pursuit of buzz.

Mentor Reka, CEO of Avnu.Fi, a DEX protocol, speculated that Solana’s team deliberately chose a provocative approach to attract attention.

Reka commented,

"This might be Solana's least inventive ad ever. They clearly went for attention over EVERYTHING, and well... mission accomplished, I guess."

Peak Trumpism vibes, the easiest shots, and about zero creativity. This might be Solana’s least inventive ad ever.

They clearly went for attention over EVERYTHING, and well… mission accomplished, I guess. https://t.co/ipIfHuHNil
— Mentor ✨ (@MentorNotPseudo) March 17, 2025

Industry Figures Disappointed Over Solana's Direction

Industry reactions were mixed, but the general consensus was disappointment.

Anneri van der Merwe, a product lead at Base, voiced her frustration with the ad, saying, "Offensive, cringe, and pandering," adding that Solana's portrayal contradicted the ethos of inclusivity they claimed to support.

This new solana ad misses the mark so much.

Offensive, cringe, and pandering.

Base is for everyone. Solana co-opted the "is for everyone" phrase last week too. This ad shows there’s still a long way to go in truly embracing that ethos.https://t.co/cz5UVTsIMK
— aneri.base.eth (@0xAneri) March 17, 2025

Other prominent figures in the industry agreed, highlighting the lack of sensitivity in the messaging.

Cochran and others expressed concern that the ad's tone might drive away potential supporters and create unnecessary divisions within the community.

Should Political Messaging Have a Place in Crypto Marketing?

Despite the heavy criticism, the incident has sparked a broader conversation within the industry about political messaging in crypto.

Many are questioning whether this kind of ad content has a place in an ecosystem that prides itself on neutrality and global reach.

While the deleted video remains accessible through re-posts, its lasting impact is already being felt in the growing tension between crypto’s values of openness and the political narratives some platforms seem keen to promote.

The fallout from this ad will likely continue to shape how crypto companies approach marketing in the future.

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Solana Pulls Controversial Ad After 1.4 Million Views and Public Backlash Over Political Messaging and Gender Diversity

Solana Faces Backlash Over Controversial Ad

Patriotic Themes Spark Criticism

Solana’s Reactions to the Backlash

Solana’s Co-Founder Weighs In

Ad Pulls Controversial "Rage Bait" Strategy

Industry Figures Disappointed Over Solana's Direction

Should Political Messaging Have a Place in Crypto Marketing?

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