Cringe-inducing crypto moments and celebrities go together like centralized exchanges and collapse!
Here’s a rundown of 2022’s most embarrassing celebrity crypto collabs.
#1 Tom Brady’s FTX fail
Source.
Brady and his wife Gisele Bündchen were FTX investors to the tune of $650 million. His achingly cringe FTX ads are even more agonizing given the collapse that followed. Brady (along with other shillers including Steph Curry and Larry David) is now being sued by disgruntled FTX customers.
#2 Justin Bieber’s BAYC woes
Not only did Bieber’s coveted BAYC #3001 lose 95% of its value this year (he “paid” $1.3 million), but he’s also being sued. Bieber and other celebrities including Jimmy Fallon, Serena Williams and Madonna are accused of promoting BAYC without disclosing that they were paid.
#3 Kyle Lowry’s Acting
Same.
The premise of Lowry’s Super Bowl ad revolves around him missing over 6,000 shots in his career. “Don’t be like Lowry and miss your opportunity” is the sales pitch as the Bitbuy logo appears. Not only does the ad shamelessly stoke FOMO but Lowry doesn’t look like he believes or even understands what he’s saying!
#4 Kim Kardashian sued
Kim Kardashian’s EthereumMax shilling resulted in a court case brought by rugged investors. Although a judge recently ruled in her favour, prosecutors plan to “revise” their claims with "a host of additional facts.” Kardashian also paid the SEC $1.26 million in October as penance for her EthereumMax deal.
#5 LeBron James Super Bowl Cringefest
Another cringe-laden Crypto Bowl advert! This effort saw LeBron voyage back in time to meet his younger self, who asks whether he makes it to the big leagues. “If you want to make history you gotta call your own shots” replies older LeBron. The ad implies that investing in crypto is equatable with making it in the NBA.
#6 Michael Jordan’s Colossal Loss
Michael Jordan dropped his ‘6 Rings Collection’ in March, unfortunately on Solana. When FTX collapsed, Solana was the worst hit, obliterating the value of Jordan’s NFTs. They're down over 90%, around $10 million.
#7 Larry David’s Prophecy
Prophecy fulfilled.
Cringe yet prophetic, David’s ad took viewers back through history as the humorist dismissed various revolutionary inventions including the wheel, forks and toilets. Fast forward to the present and a friend recommends FTX. “No, I don’t think so, and I’m never wrong about this stuff” replies David smugly. If only we’d listened.
