Martha Stewart and Marquee Brands Announce the Launch of NFT Boutique FRESH Mint

 Martha Stewart collaborates with her favorite creators for new digital collectibles

Marquee Brands partners with Tokns to power this first-of-its-kind NFT shop on Martha.com

BOSTON and LONDON, Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Entrepreneur and cultural icon Martha Stewart has made her first foray into the new world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) with the launch of her digital boutique, FRESH Mint. Collections will be launched in partnership with leading NFT provider Tokns Commerce, Inc.

Martha Stewart will curate an eclectic collection of NFTs, collaborating with world-class designers, photographers, and artists as well as up-and-coming creators in the NFT community. The FRESH Mint boutique launches on October 19^th and will be integrated with www.martha.com.

An NFT assigns an immutable unit of data to digital items like photos, videos or audio and mints that to the blockchain to authenticate ownership. FRESH Mint NFTs will adapt physical artifacts from Martha's most iconic creations and create new digital art that celebrates the changing seasons, holidays and other special occasions. 

The first assortment, called "Carved Collection" and timed for Halloween, features breathtaking pumpkin carving art by Marc Evan and Chris Soria, founders of NYC-based Maniac Pumpkin Carvers, incorporating Martha's iconic Halloween costumes into pumpkins, handpicked from various farms in New York. Owners of popular NFT profile art like Bored Apes and Crypto Punks will also bid on the opportunity to turn their prized NFTs into Carved Collection pumpkins just in time for Halloween. 

"I've been so fortunate to collaborate with talented artists, creators and entrepreneurs throughout my life. I see NFTs as a new canvas for creativity and Blockchain as a vehicle to protect artists' IP and support their incredible work," said Martha Stewart. "By collaborating with Tokns, we reached an approach that feels authentic and aligned with my vision."

Tokns Commerce provides end-to-end NFT solutions for leading organizations and iconic individuals from the worlds of music, sports, and entertainment. Tokns burst onto the NFT scene earlier this year by partnering with the Team GB to launch the first-ever official NFT collection for an Olympic team ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Games. The NFTs were created by Tokns Commerce, leveraging the bespoke art of Team GB artist-in-residence Ben Mosley. 

Tokns co-founder Jamie Tedford said, "We are beyond excited to help bring Martha's NFT vision to life. Over decades, her innovation has created a trove of historical artifacts and intellectual property. It is our job to unlock this value, giving fans a new way to celebrate her legacy.

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"While the NFT economy has grown rapidly, it is still driven by a relatively small group of early crypto adopters," said Neil Fiske, CEO of Marquee Brands. "By enabling both crypto and fiat currency transactions, FRESH Mint will welcome crypto natives while introducing the world of NFT ownership to a new audience of first-time collectors."

Tokns recognizes the need for sustainable business practices and is committed to offsetting its carbon emissions. Tokns works with partners including sustainability platform Aerial to ensure its carbon emissions are compensated for.

The NFT market is surging in popularity, with values reaching new highs. An NFT was sold at Christie's auction house in London earlier this year for $69 million.

About Marquee Brands:

Marquee Brands is a leading global brand owner and marketer. Owned by investor funds managed by Neuberger Berman, one of the world's leading employee-owned investment managers, Marquee Brands targets high-quality brands with strong consumer awareness and long-term growth potential. Marquee Brands seeks to identify brands in various consumer product segments with the goal of expanding their reach across retail channels, geography, and product categories while preserving the brand heritage and enhancing the ultimate consumer experience. Through its global team of professionals and partners, Marquee Brands monitors trends and markets in order to grow and manage brands in partnership with retailers, licensees, and manufacturers through engaging, impactful, strategic planning, marketing, and e-commerce. www.marqueebrands.com. In 2019, Marquee Brands acquired the Martha Stewart brand, which reaches approximately 100 million consumers across all media and merchandising platforms each month. Martha Stewart is the Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and America's most trusted lifestyle expert and teacher. Her branded products can be found in more than 70 million households and have a growing retail presence in thousands of locations.

About Tokns:

Tokns Commerce partners with creators, IP-holders, and iconic entertainment brands to generate meaningful revenue and royalty annuities in the $10+ billion NFT market. Employing a direct-to-consumer approach, Tokns enables partners to leverage their social reach and our proprietary NFT buying audience to maximize sales of NFTs on their O&O channels. Our partners maintain control of the customer experience and data, while avoiding dependencies on third-party marketplaces. Our tech stack is built on best-in-class e-commerce, blockchain, and payment processing providers. Tokns world-class studio brings together multidisciplinary artists, photographers, animators, and developers to collaborate on NFT experiences that stir the imagination and drive sales.

The company was founded by Matthew Baxter, previously Chief Media Officer at Liverpool FC; Jeff Walker, music industry veteran and entrepreneur; and Jamie Tedford, Private Equity-backed founder of social software leader Brand Networks. Tokns Commerce is privately funded and growing rapidly to support partners like Team GB, cultural icon Martha Stewart and other global brands.

Tokns is part of Shopify Plus' NFT Beta Program

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Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1664204/Tokns_Logo.jpg