The Empire State Building (EBS), the world-renowned Art Deco skyscraper in New York City, has introduced a new loyalty program featuring non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
The loyalty initiative, detailed on a dedicated website, offers participants the opportunity to earn rewards each time they purchase a ticket for the EBS Observatory journey — renowned as New York’s premier open-air and heated observation deck.
Participants earn an extra point for every dollar spent at the observatory, and reaching specific point thresholds advances their membership to various status tiers — Ambassador, Bronze Ambassador, Silver Ambassador, Gold Ambassador, and Platinum Ambassador.
Upon achieving each status, participants receive a free animated NFT artwork depicting the Empire State Building. These NFTs are distinctively colored to correspond with the attained status, such as green for the basic tier, silver for silver status, and so forth.
Aside from digital collectibles, real-life rewards corresponding to each status tier may include opportunities like lottery entries for access to exclusive Empire State Building influencer or celebrity appearance events.
NFTs have increasingly become integral to numerous loyalty programs across diverse industries, fostering a sense of community and encouraging participant engagement. Major corporations like Visa, Starbucks, and Lufthansa have already incorporated NFTs into their loyalty initiatives.
The ESB’s adoption of NFTs follows a broader trend of landmark buildings exploring Web3 technologies. In 2022, Jamestown L.P., the owner of One Times Square, expressed interest in NFTs through a trademark application, while Melbourne Skydeck introduced a platform enabling visitors to experience observation decks in the metaverse during the same year.
