The collectible market has entered a new era, powered by digital innovation and fueled by increasingly connected fan communities. In this landscape, PR and marketing strategies must evolve beyond traditional channels, embracing social media, digital events, and cutting-edge technology to engage collectors where they live — online. Brands like NBA Top Shot and Funko have demonstrated how to harness digital tools not only to promote products but to create vibrant, passionate communities that drive long-term brand loyalty and sales. These franchises prove that collectible PR in the digital age is about storytelling, transparency, and creating experiences that feel authentic and participatory.
NBA Top Shot: Revolutionizing Digital Collectibles with Transparency and Community
NBA Top Shot, the blockchain-based platform for buying, selling, and trading officially licensed NBA collectible highlights, exploded onto the scene in 2020, pioneering the fusion of sports fandom with digital collectibles.
Transparency as a Core PR Strategy
One of NBA Top Shot’s most significant PR challenges was educating a skeptical audience about blockchain technology and NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Rather than hiding behind jargon, the platform embraced transparency as a PR strategy—educating users about how ownership works, how moments are minted, and what makes digital scarcity real.
This openness built trust in an industry often criticized for opacity. NBA Top Shot’s team used social media channels, AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions, and tutorials to demystify the product and foster a welcoming environment for collectors new and old.
Community Engagement and Event-Driven Marketing
The platform created excitement through timed “drops,” where limited quantities of rare highlights became available for purchase, generating urgency and buzz. These events were heavily promoted via social media and partnerships with influencers and athletes.
More importantly, NBA Top Shot focused on community-building through online forums, Discord channels, and social media groups, where collectors share trades, discuss market trends, and organize meet-ups. This digital social fabric is essential in turning transactions into lasting relationships.
Funko’s Digital Strategy: Blending Social Media and Virtual Events
Funko, already a giant in the physical collectible space, has embraced digital PR and marketing with vigor, especially post-pandemic, when physical events were limited.
Leveraging Social Media Platforms for Storytelling
Funko’s success on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook lies in its storytelling prowess. Through vibrant visuals, behind-the-scenes content, and fan spotlights, Funko builds a narrative that goes beyond “collect this figure.”
Social media campaigns often invite user participation—fan art contests, hashtag challenges, and early-access giveaways—that amplify brand excitement organically. The brand also smartly taps into trending topics and memes, keeping content fresh and shareable.
Virtual Conventions and Digital Collectible Drops
In lieu of traditional in-person conventions like Comic-Con, Funko has hosted virtual events, including live streams of new product reveals, interactive Q&A sessions with designers, and virtual meetups for collectors. Digital-first exclusive releases complement these events, creating a digital scarcity effect. Limited-edition Funko Pops available only through virtual events or online drops generate buzz and media coverage while nurturing the collector community.
Digital Collectibles and Social Proof: Building Trust in a New Market
Digital collectibles face unique challenges. Unlike physical goods, buyers cannot hold or touch them, making trust paramount. NBA Top Shot and Funko have used PR to overcome skepticism through social proof: showcasing user testimonials, influencer endorsements, and transparent sales data.
This approach lowers barriers to entry and signals legitimacy in an often-fractured marketplace.
Collectible PR and collectible marketing in the digital era demand a nuanced approach—one that embraces transparency, nurtures community, and leverages the unique power of digital platforms to tell stories and create shared experiences. NBA Top Shot and Funko exemplify how brands can move beyond transactional marketing to build passionate, engaged ecosystems of collectors who aren’t just customers—they’re collaborators in the brand’s ongoing story.
As digital and physical worlds continue to merge, collectible brands that master this delicate balance will define the future of fandom and commerce.