Caroline York on Marketing Across Cultures, Long-Term Web3, and Why McDonald's Is the Ultimate Influencer

What does McDonald’s have to do with Web3 adoption?

In this episode of The Art of Influence, Caroline York (APAC Director at Serotonin) unpacks the real playbook behind cultural influence — from launching tokens with purpose to navigating radically different marketing mindsets in Hong Kong vs Australia.

We explore:

• Why most Web3 launches miss the mark

• The secret to localising your brand like McDonald’s

• How to market complex technology to different audiences

• The real reason mass adoption still feels out of reach

Whether you're a founder, marketer, or just curious about how influence plays out on a global stage — this one’s packed with insight.

00:00 – Intro: Crypto handshakes and first impressions
02:15 – Falling into fintech and discovering blockchain
04:30 – From pizza to pink trams: Early bitcoin marketing in HK
06:00 – The moment Caroline took Web3 seriously
08:35 – The problem with hype-first token launches (midroll break)
10:40 – Treating token launches like Kickstarter campaigns
13:10 – Black Mirror marketing: Wallet data meets storytelling
16:00 – Why adoption is more about UI than ideology
19:00 – Making crypto less overwhelming for the mainstream
22:00 – How to speak the right language to the right audience
24:30 – McDonald's and the power of cultural nuance
28:15 – Building Serotonin’s APAC presence in Asia
31:00 – Why every founder is a storyteller (like it or not)
33:00 – Creating characters and narrative arcs for Web3 projects
34:30 – Wrap up and Caroline’s vision for regional expansion

🎧 Subscribe to The Art of Influence for more conversations at the crossroads of creativity, tech, and leadership.

📍 Hosted by Kade Greenland | Produced by Khorus
#Web3Marketing #CrossCulturalBranding #CarolineYork #TheArtOfInfluence #CryptoMarketing

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