January: a strong start to the year
The year 2023 began with Pudgy Penguins spearheading key technology developments and launching initiatives to increase community engagement. The debut of Pudgy soulTransport was a game-changer, introducing a decentralized method for sub-communities to spend Soulbound Tokens (SBTs).
This innovative strategy, aimed at rewarding new users for their involvement with Pudgy Penguins, has significantly strengthened community ties and participation.
Complementing this, a partnership with LayerZero Labs emerged as a pivotal development, enabling the bridging of each Lil Pudgy across various blockchain platforms such as Ethereum, Polygon, Binance Smart Chain and Arbitrum.
February: A touch of romance
As the calendar turned to February, Pudgy Penguins continued its momentum, with a focus on expanding its community reach. The brand made waves with ‘Midnight in Paris’, an exclusive private event in collaboration with DeGods, perfectly timed with NFT Paris. Set on February 24 in the romantic city of Paris, France, this event aimed to bridge the gap between the communities of Pudgy Penguins and DeGods, highlighting the cultural impact of NFTs in an environment far beyond borders of the digital world.
At the same time, Pudgy Penguins unveiled a strategic alliance with Retail Monster, a key move that brought the Pudgy Toyline to store shelves and opened doors to licensing opportunities with well-known brands, marking the company’s growing influence in the tangible world.
March: Community Growth
Although it was a quiet month compared to others, the Pudgy Penguins community saw steady growth as more collectors joined the ranks. The brand’s active engagement with community members through social media and virtual events created a sense of belonging.
April: Empowering products and IP holders
In April 2023, Pudgy Penguins achieved important milestones that further strengthened its position in the market.
A highlight of this month was the Pudgy NYC event, which introduced innovative products such as Pudgy Toys and Pudgy Cookies, attracting widespread attention and sparking conversations long after the event ended.
The launch of a comprehensive brand book and pitch deck also marked a strategic move by Pudgy Penguin, aimed at empowering IP holders and unlocking new opportunities for them to effectively leverage their assets.
May: Success financing for market dominance
In May 2023, Pudgy Penguins recorded a series of remarkable achievements. It announced a successful $9 million seed round led by 1kx and launched Pudgy Toys in partnership with PMI Toys, which quickly topped Amazon’s sales charts.
Additionally, it also introduced Pudgy World, a digital experience aimed at making NFTs more accessible.
The presence at Veecon 2023 and the rapid sell-out of the limited edition collectible “Shark Suit”, of which only 150 were available, further underlined the growing popularity and market impact of the NFT brand.
June: Notable toy and community achievements
As of June 2023, Pudgy Penguins continued to make significant strides in the digital collectibles space. A major highlight was its participation in the Licensing Expo 2023 in Las Vegas from June 13 to 15, where it shared the floor with some of the world’s most renowned intellectual properties.
Pudgy Penguins then encouraged users to create unboxing videos of their Pudgy toys and reward them for their contributions to fun and engaging content.
This same month, the NFT brand achieved a notable distinction by winning the ‘Toy Insiders Top Summer Toy of 2023’ award, demonstrating its appeal to a wider audience.
July: Strategic milestones and leadership evolution
In July, Pudgy Penguins celebrated a number of significant achievements, marking another successful month in their busy journey. A major development was the passage of Proposition 325, a partnership between Pudgy Penguins and Nouns, which passed by majority vote.
Another notable launch was Pudgy Swap, a platform designed to facilitate over-the-counter trading, eliminate concerns about dealing with potential scammers, and improve the security and reliability of transactions within the community.
July also marked a milestone for Pudgy Penguins as it celebrated its second anniversary, underlining its continued ambition towards NFTs.
Additionally, a significant change in leadership took place in the same month with the announcement of Lorenzo as the brand’s new president – a positive step for the organization, promising continued growth and innovation under new leadership.
August: Collaborative Ventures and Global Expansion
In August, Pudgy Penguins continued to expand its influence and diversify its offerings. The month kicked off with a collaboration between Pudgy Penguins and GM.co, which hinted at exciting developments with a playful nod to Antarctic themes.
Another highlight was the official release of ‘Opepeng’, a collection by Jack Butcher inspired by Pudgy Penguins. Butcher’s unique artistic touch brought a new perspective to the Pudgy Penguins universe and demonstrated the brand’s influence in the broader creative community.
Pudgy Penguins also ventured into fashion with the launch of the Igloo clothing line. Aimed at a broader audience, Igloo represented an effort to grow the top of the funnel for Pudgy Penguins and provide high-quality apparel to its fans.
The month ended with the announcement of Pudgy Penguins Asia Week, marking the brand’s expansion into Asian markets. With planned visits and events in Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, this initiative signified Pudgy Penguins’ commitment to building a global presence and connecting with fans across regions.
September: Asian tours and retail jump
In September, Pudgy Penguins embarked on their Pudgy Asia Tour, starting with a week of features in Singapore, co-hosted by GM.co. The tour aimed to strengthen community ties across Asia with events such as an exclusive gathering at the Mandala Club in Singapore
In a significant leap forward in retail, Pudgy Toys hit shelves in 2,000 Walmart stores nationwide, significantly expanding the brand’s reach.
Additionally, the pre-alpha launch of PudgyWorld introduced an immersive, interactive 3D environment, combining digital engagement with physical products, further enhancing the Pudgy Penguins experience.
October: Worldwide recognitions
October was a month full of exciting developments for Pudgy Penguins. In the UK, fans celebrated when Pudgy Toys became available in all Smyths toy stores, bringing the much-loved collectibles closer to local audiences.
In a creative collaboration, Pudgy Penguins teamed up with luxury cookie brand Last Crumb to launch a limited-edition cookie collection. This collaboration blended the whimsical world of Pudgy Penguins with the gourmet flavors of Last Crumb, offering a unique treat for fans.
Capping off the month’s successes, Pudgy Penguins was honored with the Toy Insider Top Holiday Toy of 2023 award, highlighting the brand’s growing influence in the toy industry and its appeal to a wide range of consumers.
November: More retail and online engagements
In November, Pudgy Penguins experienced remarkable growth and recognition. The brand launched Pudgy Toys in Canada’s Toys R Us, expanding its international reach.
Pudgy Penguins further strengthened its cultural footprint by entering select Hot Topic stores, tapping into the pop culture market.
On the digital front, the brand celebrated a milestone with 1 million Instagram followers and more than 10 billion views on Giphy, demonstrating its increasing popularity and digital engagement.
December: groundbreaking collaborations and innovations
December was a standout month for Pudgy Penguins, with several key events. The Pudgy Penguins x Nouns collaboration saw a successful product drop on NTWRK, which quickly sold out.
The brand also participated in Art Basel 2023, where it demonstrated its cultural commitment, and a major announcement was the upcoming release of Pudgy World Alpha, scheduled for the first quarter of 2024, which promised a new era of blockchain experiences.
New characters, Pudgy and Peaches, were introduced, strengthening the brand’s story and connection with the audience.
The transformation of The Pudgy Penguin’s story and expansion of the community has been nothing short of remarkable and sets an optimistic tone for 2024.
As the new year begins, the future is promising and exciting for Pudgy Penguins and its thriving community.