“Hell, I can get you a toe by 3 o’clock this afternoon with nail polish.”

In the last post, we discussed why you should consider a “Forever PFP.” 

Forever PFPs tie recognizability, signaling, and consistent personal brand together. Inextricably linked to your identity, a Forever PFP hypothetically does not change. I add “hypothetically” because there are cases in which I believe a sale is appropriate. If a sale would materially change your life for necessary real world expenses, I support it.

But in general, if we adopt the notion of a “Forever PFP”, what principles should we use to select this critical PFP? First and foremost, select something you like. After all, the PFP is a reflection of you as a person, an early web3 adopter, and cultural appreciator. 

Choose something that is, in a word, you.

Digging deeper, I propose three selection principles: community, project distinction, and rights model.

Community

NFT projects showcase vastly different communities. For example, I have been to both BAYC and Creature World events IRL which I believe are representative of the respective brands. Epic shocker: they were vastly different! 

As communities continue to evolve, consider two framings: where has the community been and where is the community going. 

History gives you community genesis foundational understanding.

The most critical aspect with community history is that the more of a distinctive cause the initial community rallied around, the stronger the community is likely to have grown. If you can point to a distinctive cause for a community to rally around (“their own version of Punks” for BAYC, collecting art for Proof Collective, etc), the more robust the foundation is.

Evaluate community direction with IRL meetups. Doodles meetups showcase exquisitely made merchandise and experiences, suggesting a focus on brand and design. VeeCon focused on networking with professionals and educational content. 

Does the direction of the community align with your personal values?

Project Distinction

A few posts back, we discussed the dichotomy between static and dynamic projects. As you consider static versus dynamic models, think about the history etched into static projects versus the potential of dynamic projects. 

If your immediate reaction is, “I want my Forever PFP to have potential, grow, and adjust sail when the wind changes,” hit the brakes because it’s not that simple. Consider Yuga’s ostensible decision after the Otherside drop to transition $APE to their own blockchain; hoo boy that is not something most crypto-natives are excited about. Alternatively, Chromie Squiggle is an enduring collection that has a high probability of accruing greater value and respect; but Squiggles are static.

Rights Model

Lastly, consider the rights model for your Forever PFP. Consider a PFP that has the CC0 rights model. Why?

It’s NFT schmuck insurance with a free marketing engine attached. It’s impossible for a static CC0 project to “rug” you. The project isn’t changing and anybody can use the images and brand anyway they want. Don’t think of this as “I don’t control the IP so where is the benefit?” and think of it more as “composability is to NFTs as compounding interest is to finance.”