Hysteric Glamour: Digitally Visualizing Fan Engagement to Strengthen Bonds

Since its inception, HYSTERIC GLAMOUR has been a fashion brand rooted in art and culture, recently discovering the potential of NFTs as a new medium.

The background includes challenges such as revitalizing existing fan clubs and expanding touchpoints with younger demographics.

To venture into the uncharted territory of Web3.0, they partnered with Z game studio (hereafter, ZGS) and introduced Cryptorie's 'MintMonster', known for its strength in NFT marketing.

The collaboration among these three entities aims to create new experiences that connect fans and the brand, going beyond mere issuance of digital art.

In this discussion, they shared their journey from the initial meeting to current initiatives and future prospects.

──What prompted your initial contact with blockchain and NFTs?

Noriaki Seki (hereafter, Seki): Originally, we were involved in game development, and through that, we started working on NFT-utilized game development.

Feeling a strong affinity between creativity and NFTs, we thought combining them with HYSTERIC GLAMOUR's creativity could create synergy.

The initial discussions with the team members about starting small were the catalyst.

'Creative × NFT' is not something that can be easily materialized.

However, in the digital realm, it can be realized with a reasonable budget, and it could create something that fans would appreciate. This thought led to the start of our current initiative.

Yasuo Tezuka (hereafter, Tezuka): Around 2021, when NFTs began to gain attention in the digital art field, I became interested in the business application of NFTs, and have been involved in NFT business since then.

The idea of attributing economic value to digital data was unprecedented, and the potential to use NFTs in various use cases such as selling digital data, offering perks, licensing rights, and proving actions was highly innovative.

Therefore, I believed that NFTs and blockchain could significantly change society in the future.

After the establishment of Cryptorie, we proposed to various companies to consider using NFTs and blockchain.

However, at that time, there were many voices saying 'NFTs are a high hurdle'. For example, owning a wallet, holding cryptocurrencies, complex operations for users, and high implementation costs were among the challenges.

NFTs are a wonderful technology, and I wanted more customers to use them.

Therefore, we decided to create a SaaS-type system that makes it easy and inexpensive to start with NFTs, and launched a service called 'MintMonster' in February 2024.

Aki Haraguchi (hereafter, Haraguchi): To be honest, I started to be aware of NFTs after being approached about them.

Before that, I had no personal experience with them, and I perceived them as something akin to an extension of games.

When I met ZGS, I was just thinking about introducing a new initiative to our brand's fan community, and I thought 'this might be it'—that was my first contact with NFTs.

━━What prompted HYSTERIC GLAMOUR to consider adopting NFTs?

Haraguchi: Our company has many original materials such as characters known as 'Girls Icons', animal characters, and logos.

We were exploring ways to utilize these materials when we learned about NFTs and Web3.0 through a mutual acquaintance with ZGS.

Since our company has been actively involved in the arts, such as publishing photo books and running art galleries since its inception, we initially had a strong interest in NFTs as digital assets (property).

However, as discussions progressed, we began to see more interest and potential in their aspects as marketing and communication tools.

This is because we already had a fandom called 'HYSTERIC GLAMOUR FANCLUB', and strengthening and revitalizing this fandom was also a challenge.

In addition, we were exploring new forms for younger generations and those with less contact with the brand, and thought that NFTs might be one possibility. We also thought that digital form would make it easier to engage.

──The idea was to realize a new form of brand marketing through NFTs, wasn't it? How did you see the necessity of using NFTs?

Haraguchi: The greatest advantage of using NFTs for marketing is that they allow us to create touchpoints with customers and the brand regardless of time and place.

Looking back at previous promotional activities, they were mostly limited to major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, or within Japan. Despite having many customers in rural areas and overseas.

Overcoming these temporal and spatial issues to easily implement various promotional plans is a unique charm of NFTs.

Tezuka: Using NFTs makes various things possible. For example, issuing NFTs to customers who visit the store to prove offline actions such as visits and purchases, issuing NFTs to users who follow the official SNS account or share posts on SNS to prove online actions, and providing perks to users who own a certain number of NFTs, among other diverse marketing strategies can be realized at a relatively low cost through one system. Moreover, it is easy to incorporate various additional functions into this system, which is also a major attraction.

Of course, it's not that these things can only be done with NFTs. However, when considered as one of the options, NFTs are close to the optimal solution.

From a fan marketing perspective, what challenges have existed until now, and what results have been achieved with NFT marketing strategies?

Haraguchi: Previously, fandom was based on purchase history, assigning ranks and thus allowing brands to offer substantial rewards to loyal, heavy users. However, this system posed a high barrier to new and younger fans, offering them less perceived value.

With the initiation of our NFT strategy, we aimed to create opportunities for even new members to receive benefits similar to those of top-tier fan club members, simply by collecting NFTs.

By diversifying the opportunities to acquire NFTs, we were able to continuously engage light users and integrate them into the brand, which I consider a significant achievement.

Another challenge was that marketing strategies were often concentrated in Japan or Tokyo, neglecting overseas or regional customers. However, as NFTs are a digital strategy, they have overcome barriers of distance and time, allowing us to communicate with many fans. This is also a success, and an area we wish to further enhance.

Seki: While traditional offline fan engagement was very high, there were challenges with social media actions.

During our NFT campaign, we introduced mechanisms such as requiring reposts on X (formerly Twitter) and using keywords shared on various proprietary channels like Instagram and LINE as missions for acquiring NFTs, which helped visualize the results.

Traditional marketing struggled to cross-evaluate user actions from online to offline, such as purchases, store visits, likes, or reposts. However, using NFTs has enabled continuous tracking and visualization of customer evaluations, which is a significant and symbolic achievement.

Why did you choose ZGS as a partner at the time of implementation, and what was the deciding factor for adopting Cryptorie's 'MintMonster'?

Haraguchi: It was about trust. With ZGS, despite our initial anxiety about stepping into a new world, they patiently explained the industry jargon and the realities and possibilities of the Web3.0 world, along with other companies' case studies and proposals tailored to the apparel industry.

We always appreciate their daily efforts to maintain the trust relationship with our customers, which is of utmost importance to us, by considering both the advantages and disadvantages together.

Seki: There are three main reasons why we introduced MintMonster to Hysteric Glamour. First is the comprehensiveness as a SaaS. MintMonster is a one-package service that fully utilizes the unique mechanisms of NFTs, supporting digital content scalability, including token gating, in addition to incorporating SNS actions as performance metrics.

Another platform we used the previous year had limitations in issuance numbers and performance measurement, but MintMonster resolved these issues.

The second reason is its superior UI/UX. No app downloads or complex registrations are required; users can simply log in to open a wallet.

After opening, the UX, which allows immediate acquisition of NFTs by completing listed missions, is outstanding. The business-oriented admin panel is intuitive, allowing anyone with advertising or marketing experience to operate it easily, smoothly managing everything from issuance to performance measurement.

The final reason is the development speed and flexibility. The ability to quickly incorporate feedback from users, the brand, and our operational perspective was also a decisive factor.

When we requested a direct NFT issuance feature for the admin panel, they adjusted their schedule to implement it ahead of time. Such flexible and speedy responses are very reassuring as a partner.

Please tell us about the campaign planning and operation process using 'MintMonster'.

Haraguchi: We have an annual plan, setting themes for each month. Based on these, we implement special projects and combine them with regular strategies.

By planning throughout the year, we can show the overall picture of what benefits await beyond collecting NFTs, helping customers maintain continuous interest and expectations for the brand.

Our future goal is for customers to regularly interact with Hysteric Glamour, sharing information the brand broadcasts with their peers.

Many of our customers are from generations that are somewhat digital-averse, but by using NFTs, we aim to make social media sharing enjoyable, spreading the brand together.

Seki: By clearly defining metrics such as 'how many NFTs to distribute annually' and 'what incentives are available at what milestones', customers can act independently.

Then, the achievement points for individual NFT acquisition missions can be flexibly adjusted according to the monthly brand marketing schedule.

Also, it's important to balance online and offline elements. While issuing NFTs to visitors, we also designed missions for acquiring NFTs through ongoing tasks like following our channels or registering as a member.

This design remains open to new customers while still valuing our loyal ones.

As a result, we've seen an increase in SNS actions and media views, from core fans to new fans, leading to a natural increase in actions not specifically set as NFT missions, proving highly effective in advertising value. These results underscore the effectiveness of our NFT strategy.

──From the perspective of ZGS and CryptoLier, are there any notable initiatives or memorable aspects in the collaboration with Hysteric Glamour?

Tezuka: We support various clients with NFT distribution and issuance projects, but Hysteric Glamour's efforts are particularly notable for the high level of user engagement. It's evident that people enjoy collecting NFTs from this brand.

This is likely due to meticulous year-round planning. Exciting plans are designed for both offline and online axes, not only focusing on online initiatives for all users but also creating engaging experiences for customers who visit the stores, incorporating gamification elements.

As a result, instead of just distributing NFTs on a one-off basis, the design continuously achieves marketing goals.

While we provide the NFT issuance platform, the annual plans designed with ZGS fully utilize the gamification of our MintMonster, where completing missions earns NFTs, creating significant synergistic effects.

Seki: As Mr. Tezuka mentioned, centering marketing around NFTs is very distinctive. There are few cases where the system is based on 'receiving NFTs' for any activity, and this was my first encounter with such a model.

Customers gradually understand this system and become engaged with its intensity. Moreover, it's not just a short-term campaign but is designed to be long-term and multi-dimensional.

Especially, the fact that it involves not just online strategies but also the store staff and the entire company is a rare case not often seen elsewhere.

While many projects are confined to online, Hysteric Glamour's approach moves fans by involving offline elements as well, making it a very unique and advanced initiative.

──Could you share any challenges or smooth aspects experienced internally or externally during the implementation?

Haraguchi: The biggest challenge, including for myself, was understanding 'What is an NFT'.

Using this unknown entity to create unprecedented values and figuring out how to connect it to actual revenue was particularly challenging.

The first year was a learning year for both employees and customers, studying NFTs while planning together (laughs).

This second year, we've seen changes with added game elements and diversified strategies.

Seki: A smooth aspect was that Hysteric Glamour had a rich array of design assets.

MintMonster has a system of distributing a set number of NFTs based on the contract plan, but preparing different creatives each time is a significant hurdle.

For a typical apparel brand, the burden and cost of design production can be a major barrier.

However, Hysteric Glamour already had a vast stock of graphics, allowing them to provide different designs each time.

As a result, customers experienced excitement wondering 'what will I receive this time?', blending digital scavenger hunt-like gamification with art collection.

The brand's history and worldview were naturally expressed, making it easily acceptable to fans.

━━ How do you evaluate the specific results (number of users, NFT issuance, ROI improvement, etc.) from the introduction to the present?

Kan: MintMonster was officially launched in February 2025, and within about six months, 10,000 wallets were opened. The number of NFTs issued has reached a cumulative total of 30,000 since the fiscal year 2024, which is considered a large-scale case even within Japan, excluding mass distributions from single events.

Compared to the previous year, the number of wallet openings has increased by about five times, significantly contributed by the user-friendly UI/UX of MintMonster and the system that allows smooth usage without needing an app.

Our in-store initiatives have also directly contributed to these results. For example, in the 'In-Store Shopping Mission', NFTs are awarded at the time of store purchase, where staff meticulously supported the setup of wallets.

Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, by presenting additional missions such as 'Email Address Registration' and 'SNS Following', not only NFT issuance but also the expansion of user actions were achieved, resulting in about a 5% increase in SNS followers and interactions, which can be directly attributed to this project, contributing to natural inflows and increased interactions.

Tezuka: I believe Hysteric Glamour has achieved remarkable results among the companies that have adopted this system. Particularly impressive is the continued increase in user numbers as the initiatives progress. While many campaigns tend to lose momentum after an initial surge, in this case, the number of active users has been gradually expanding. This is proof that users are genuinely enjoying participating, and the planning, design, and support from store staff have significantly contributed.

━━ Can you share some feedback from the fans?

Haraguchi: Initially, there was a lot of confusion about 'What is an NFT?', but now it seems that they are enjoying it. Our company's fandom members have always enjoyed collecting things, and there was a system where collecting physical stamps would earn them rewards. This has been transformed into NFTs, reviving the joy of collecting.

NFTs have introduced benefits that were not available before, such as exchanging for non-sale items or tickets to real events.

As a result, the number of customers who want to 'get the goods' or 'definitely go to the event' has increased, and the enthusiasm of the fan base has been visualized anew.

Explaining it as a 'digital stamp rally' has made it enjoyable for them to participate. Even light users actively and sustainably engage with the brand through store visit missions and article reading missions.

Kan: Adding to the current discussion, the presence of store staff plays a very significant role.

In the case of Hysteric Glamour, there is a sense of security that 'if you don't understand, you can just ask the staff in the store.'

Indeed, there are cases where inquiries are made to the store saying, 'The deadline for the mission is approaching, but I can't get it,' and 'This needs improvement,' which is then fed back internally.

This leads to improvements in CryptoLier's MintMonster, reflecting the real voices that cannot be captured online alone.

Thus, the feedback from fans serves as a significant bridge connecting online and offline, making it a very unique and strong case.

━━ What do you think are the strengths of 'MintMonster' and its differentiation points from other companies?

Kan: The superiority of its UI/UX is obvious to anyone. One of the major challenges for businesses is 'how much effort must be put into issuing and using NFTs,' but MintMonster provides a system that can be tackled without a strong focus on Web3.0.

The management tools are intuitive, and they can be operated without specialized knowledge, which is a unique strength.

Additionally, the speed of improvement is also noteworthy. The attitude of responding quickly to our feedback and reflecting it in development is not commonly seen in other services.

Therefore, it offers value not just as a tool provider but as a partner that can grow the service together.

Tezuka: NFT is an excellent technology, but to get many people to use it, a design that does not make users conscious of Web3.0 is crucial. MintMonster is mindful of this aspect, providing a system that anyone can use easily without specialized knowledge.

Moreover, the experience of receiving an NFT must be exciting. MintMonster adds gamification to NFT initiatives through its 'mission feature', which awards NFTs as rewards for certain actions, designing an experience similar to a digital stamp rally that is 'fun to collect' while providing excellent UI/UX and integrating it with the brand's creative and fan strategies to offer a richer experience.

It is also important to achieve business results. Therefore, MintMonster is offered as a SaaS, lowering the barriers to entry while allowing for flexible customization as needed.

The common parts are efficiently provided through SaaS, while also accommodating expansion development according to individual corporate needs. This flexibility is what differentiates it from other companies.

How do you plan to expand marketing using NFTs going forward?

Haraguchi: We intend to run this project alongside our existing FANCLUB, capturing both heavy and light users while also leveraging it for communication with overseas fans. Of course, this includes using NFTs for event tickets, special content access, and merchandise production, but as understanding of NFTs deepens in the future, we hope to see increased interaction among our NFT holders, eventually enabling customer-to-customer NFT transfers and recognizing the digital art assets we envisioned before the project started. It would be interesting if fans could exchange the graphics they collect.

Seki: Specifically, there are scenarios where someone with only 20 out of 30 required items might say, 'I want the rest.' With NFTs, it's possible to transfer just 10 items, or even facilitate sales under certain conditions.

This kind of secondary market could generate ancillary income while leveraging the enthusiasm of loyal users, creating a more enjoyable collecting experience and a positive cycle.

Haraguchi: We are also considering collaborations with other apparel brands. If you show an NFT during the collaboration period, you could receive a limited-edition item.

Seki: This is exactly the strength of interoperability. If you could receive benefits at different brands' stores by presenting an NFT, it would further enhance the value of a digital identity.

Tezuka: The real value of using NFTs lies in this 'collaboration' and 'interoperability.' As technical barriers lower, we definitely aim to pursue this direction.

Haraguchi: We've already seen customers who couldn't get the NFTs they wanted, and the need for exchange and sharing is beginning to emerge. These movements seem to indicate the direction of the future.

What areas would you like to expand further or try new initiatives in?

Tezuka: As for future enhancements, first, we want to increase missions that provide users with more 'exciting experiences.'

Currently, missions revolve around 'email address registration,' 'actions on X (formerly Twitter),' 'surveys,' 'keyword entry,' and 'holding specific NFTs,' but adding functions like 'giving an NFT as a gift' could further expand interactions among fans.

We're also considering GPS verification linked to store experiences. Although there are operational challenges, having NFTs that can only be obtained by visiting the store in person would create a stronger incentive to visit.

On the other hand, business improvements focused on results are essential. In particular, we want to enhance analytics to more deeply visualize user engagement.

In a longer-term vision, it would be ideal if MintMonster itself could evolve into a system where completing missions grants unique tokens.

If these tokens could be used in various ways, it would further enhance the experiential value for fans. However, issuing tokens faces regulatory hurdles, so we need to consider this step-by-step, keeping future regulations in mind.

What advice would you give to other companies considering NFT and Web3.0 initiatives, based on your actual implementation experience?

Haraguchi: From my perspective, finding a 'reliable partner' is crucial.

NFTs are an unknown territory with many uncertainties and risks, but having a partner who can honestly discuss both the advantages and disadvantages, and propose solutions to challenges, is incredibly reassuring.

For the apparel industry, Web3.0 is an unfamiliar field, and it's hard to know where to start.

It's necessary to discuss repeatedly within the company until mutual understanding is achieved with that partner company. Also, it's important to 'not overthink and remember to enjoy it!'

Seki: The case of Hysteric Glamour shows how much can be achieved when NFTs are centered in marketing.

While many brands end with one-off measures, continuous engagement increases user enthusiasm and natural actions on social media. These changes are characteristically visible in the data.

Moreover, the presence of a 'companion' is indispensable for implementing companies. Currently, Web3.0 businesses like ours provide support, but as advertising agencies start handling NFTs as a marketing tool, it will become more mainstream.

Just as e-commerce and web advertising faced high barriers at the beginning but are now standard practices, NFTs will also reach a breakthrough moment. The case of Hysteric Glamour could be the breakthrough.

Finally, is there a message you would like to convey to the readers through this interview?

Haraguchi: While our readers are generally well-informed, I initially had the impression that NFTs seemed complicated.

Once I got involved, I found them to be an intriguing marketing tool with great potential. So, it's not about avoiding them because they seem difficult, but about 'giving them a try.' I hope you will touch NFTs as a familiar experience.

Seki: NFTs can be started with ease. Tools like MintMonster, which do not make users conscious of Web3.0 through their UI/UX, exist for this purpose.

Just trying it out might surprise you with how easily they can be issued. NFTs also accumulate data and can be effectively used in marketing, so I encourage many businesses to take the challenge.

Tezuka: The atmosphere around Web3.0 and cryptocurrencies is gradually changing in the world, with a growing sense of 'it might be okay to use them.'

However, many NFT initiatives end with just distribution, and there are still few success stories. Through this article, I want to convey that using NFTs and Web3.0 can produce business results while making fans feel appreciated. If you implement measures strategically and over the long term, you will definitely see results, and soon many people will naturally interact with NFTs. I hope this article will be the first step towards that.

Profile

Sumihito Seki | Sumihito Seki
CEO of Z Game Studio
Joined CyberAgent in 2012, managed several social game titles with notable achievements. Founded ZATSUDAN Co., Ltd. with Takafumi Horie in 2020, currently serving as CEO, providing audio and video media service 'ZATSUDAN'. Founded Z Game Studio in 2022, currently CEO, deploying multiple services utilizing Web3/NFT.

Aki Haraguchi | Aki Haraguchi
Press at Ozone Community HYSTERIC GLAMOUR Division
Joined Ozone Community Co., Ltd. in 2000. Assigned to the press team of the fashion brand HYSTERIC GLAMOUR, has been responsible for media planning and advertising communication, creative and content production for the brand for over 25 years.

Yasuo Tezuka | Yasuo Tezuka
CEO of Cryptorie
Founded Jena Co., Ltd. in 2006, left the company after its M&A by Money Forward in 2021. Currently serves as CEO of Cryptorie, established in 2023, offering products like 'MintMonster' to facilitate business use of NFTs and promoting the adoption of Web3/NFT in businesses.

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