Going into this research, one of the most obvious and intriguing questions for me was how you make the decision and why, between sponsoring, partnering, or creating your own event.
It sounds like a simple choice. But the more I spoke to people, the more I saw how contextual it really is. It depends on your goals, your audience, the resources you’ve got, and how much control you want over the experience.
Before we get into case studies, here's a simple breakdown of what each path offers and where the tradeoffs lie.
To help map it out, here are a few snapshot examples of how teams chose a path that matched their moment.
Build community connections: Kaitlin from CryptoMondays London started her own recurring meetup series to bring marketers and builders together for consistent, no-fluff conversations. The format is simple, the trust is high, and the audience keeps coming back because it feels community-first.
Own the narrative and user journey: Louie whilst at Lukso ran a full multi-touch event strategy during Token2049 in Singapore, ending in a flagship event built around the brand’s narrative and product goals. Owning the full journey let the team shape every touchpoint from invite-only dinners to panels, exactly how they wanted.
Combine strengths of partners in event build: Justin from Safary collaborated with Blockworks to bring a full marketing track to Permissionless III conference in 2024. With limited time and budget, co-creating made sense. He got to focus on curating content and elevating growth leaders, while Blockworks handled production and logistics. The result was a standout series of talks inside an already massive event.
Build brand awareness in new markets: Nick at Story sponsored the IP Dreamscape event in Thailand — a gathering focused on intellectual property and storytelling. This was a strategic way to show up in the right room, insert the brand into an ongoing conversation, and build new relationships in the country without needing to run the show.
Reach new, high value audiences: Limone at Urbe.eth leaned into sponsoring hackathons and university events. The goal? Reach early builders in a meaningful way, especially students who haven’t been saturated by Web3 noise on CT yet. By collaborating with institutions, credibility was gained making it easier to attract early builders with less marketing and focus on content and support instead.
The above were light-touch examples, but if you’re after deeper stories and how it plays out in real-world execution, here are three case studies worth studying.
The challenge
ApeFest was never meant to be a standard conference and Chad knew that. As the VP of Brand and Production at Yuga Labs, he was responsible for shaping something that felt uniquely BAYC: exclusive, immersive, and unforgettable. But after past iterations leaned heavily on celebrity music acts and big spectacle moments, feedback started rolling in from the community.
The core message? We want more time together. Less noise, more connection.
That pivot came with a trade-off. Yuga still needed to deliver on business goals and find partnerships with global brands like BMW. Chad’s challenge was clear: design a truly community-first event and make space for the kind of brand activations that elevated ApeFest’s reach and impact.
What changed
Introduced more community-driven spaces:
The Ape Traders Market gave members a platform to showcase and trade items, with more space to build real relationships.
The challenge
Justin Vogel, co-founder of Safary, was determined to bring marketing leaders into the spotlight at one of crypto’s biggest conferences—Permissionless III. But instead of running a separate event, he explored a more collaborative approach: partnering directly with the event organizer, Blockworks, to embed a full-day marketing track inside the main conference.
It was a high reward, high risk play. The collaboration offered shared resources—Blockworks handled production and logistics, while Justin focused on content, speakers, and strategy. But the lift was still massive. With limited resources and the Safary team busy elsewhere, most of the heavy lifting fell on Justin himself. If it flopped, it could impact future partnerships like this again.
The challenge
Story creates its fair share of events but not every moment calls for a full production. Part of Nick’s job is knowing when to show up as a sponsor instead. When Dreamscape (a two-day event focused on IP, storytelling, and creative collaboration during DevCon 2024 in Thailand) appeared on the radar, it ticked every box for relevance and audience alignment.
It also came with risk. Sponsorships don’t always land. Would the audience be relevant? Would anyone remember the brand after the panel they sponsored? But Nick’s goal was clear: position Story in the right conversations, with the right people, in a region where the team wanted to grow - Thailand and the broader Southeast Asia market.
Deciding whether to create, partner, or sponsor isn’t a formula, it’s a call based on context, goals, and constraints. But the examples in this post show there’s no one right way. What matters is aligning your strategy with the story you want to tell — and who you want to tell it to.
Next up: we dive into one of the biggest challenges in events — attendance.
How do you actually get people to show up, not just click “Going”?
We’ll cover:
How standout events are getting discovered
The tools and platforms teams rely on to turn RSVPs into real attendance
Little hacks that help predict and improve turnout.
Coming next week.
Extended access through digital channels:
Livestreams and virtual components helped those unable to attend feel included without losing the sense of exclusivity.
Integrated brand partnerships more thoughtfully:
BMW brought an NFT-themed digital experience to ApeFest, using their luxury vehicles as an immersive touchpoint. The activation created shared value while aligning with the event’s new tone.
Takeaway
By creating a format that centered on community feedback while still integrating major brand partnerships, Chad helped reshape ApeFest into something more aligned, immersive, and sticky. It’s a strong example of how creating your own event and owning the experience from end to end can deliver on both community trust and business outcomes.
What worked
Division of strengths: Blockworks handled venue, AV, and operations; Safary brought the marketing know-how and a strong speaker lineup.
Community amplification: Safary’s engaged member base helped spread the word, fill the room, and source high-quality speakers.
Platform building: The marketing track gave crypto’s top growth leaders a pedestal to share insights and connect with new audiences.
Mutual value: The collaboration unlocked value for both sides—Blockworks expanded its content pillars, and Safary gained credibility and visibility in a crowded event landscape.
Takeaway
This was a textbook example of when partnering just makes sense. By focusing on what each side did best, Justin and Blockworks delivered a high-impact experience without the overhead of going solo. It’s a great reminder that collaboration, done right, can expand your reach, reduce risk, and open doors for future plays.
What worked
Sharp audience fit: Dreamscape (run by Mittaria) pulled in exactly the kind of people Story wants to reach—creators, IP professionals, and innovators working on the future of collaborative storytelling.
Lightweight, high-value presence: Without needing a full activation, the team used a booth and selected panel spots to show up in a thoughtful, intentional way.
Credibility by association: Sponsoring panels on Web3 IP management positioned Story as a leader in the space, without needing to dominate the event.
Outcomes that mattered: The sponsorship led to high-quality engagement on the ground and laid the foundation for early partnerships in the region.
Takeaway
Nick’s approach showed how sponsorships, when picked carefully, can punch above their weight. He didn’t just sponsor a relevant event, he put Story in the right room, with a high-intent audience, at the right time. That’s how you grow mindshare and build trust in a new market without overextending your team or your budget.
Jye Sandiford
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