This week saw the unlikely connection of Dennis Rodman, a cryptocurrency called PotCoin and the republic of North Korea.
This was a marketing campaign by PotCoin that led to a rise in the coin’s value by as much as 86% during a 24-hour period.
Dennis Rodman is a man of many shades and has been in the news for a multitude of things over his career but his latest newsworthy act is my favourite; promoting a cryptocurrency! This is not the NBA Hall of Famer’s first trip to North Korea but this time it was sponsored by a cryptocurrency called PotCoin. PotCoin is a digital currency that was created in 2014 for the purpose of payments in the legal marijuana industry. Rodman previously visited North Korea in 2013 sponsored by another unlikely company, the gambling giant Paddy Power.
I’m back! Thanks to my sponsor https://t.co/zBtIFz1QBr. #NorthKorea #PeaceAndLove https://t.co/G7t6PX3WV9
— Dennis Rodman (@dennisrodman) June 13, 2017
Basketball Days
Most people remember Rodman as the enigmatic dress-wearing basketball star of the Chicago Bulls from the 1990’s but North Korea is an issue that clearly speaks to him. Over the years and his trips there he became one of the first Americans to actually meet Kim Jong-un, The North Korean leader is an avid basketball fan and has staged exhibition matches as well as soliciting help from Rodman in training the national team.
What may on the surface seem like an eclectic and unlikely collaboration actually makes a lot more sense when you read the views of PotCoin and Rodman on the trip. As much as this is ultimately a publicity stunt both have a drive to help people achieve freedom, albeit in different areas.
Pot, a Recipe for Peace?
It’s not clear what the agenda of the visit to North Korea is, but Rodman has received support before from Donald Trump for his efforts in North Korea. And as they say in the interview before the trip (see clip below) Rodman is possibly the only person on the planet to have a relationship with Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump. Rodman also promises an update when he gets back so it sounds like there is a plan.
The second thing that’s clear is that Potcoin has enjoyed its collaboration with the basketball star thus far. The coin saw an increase of as much as 86% over 24 hours after the announcement and a search in Google for “Dennis Rodman” or “Potcoin” brings up a front page of major news outlets running the story. I guess we’ll just to have to wait to hear from Rodman on his return but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see another move up from Potcoin when he does.
Do you have an opinion about PotCoin? Or Dennis Rodman? Or Kim Jong-un? Let us know in the comments below. Please just leave Rodman’s fashion sense out of it. But seriously we want to hear what you think. Will this spawn more cryptocurrency sponsored celebrities and product placement or is Rodman just as different today as he was rebounding for the Bulls.
