Cardano's Surprising 'Problem' Highlighted by Top Exec: What It Is

Cardano, the ninth largest cryptocurrency by market valuation, is currently at a pivotal moment, according to Tim Harrison, Input Output EVP Community & Ecosystem.

As Cardano governance gains traction, Harrison reveals a hidden hurdle. According to the top executive, who has been deeply involved with Cardano since 2019, Cardano faces a “marketing problem.”

In a recent post, Harrison explained this “marketing problem” as an inability of Cardano to communicate its value effectively to the broader world: “We’ve built something real here, something principled. But if no one knows what we’ve built or why it matters, we’ve got a problem.”

The Input-Output executive explained what he meant by marketing, offering a different perspective from the usual hype or the promises of massive price gains, which Cardano would not require.

Cardano’s “marketing problem” explained

In a long thread of tweets, Harrison gave his thoughts on Cardano’s “marketing problem” and potential solutions. He cited Cardano Founder Charles Hoskinson’s recent remarks that Cardano’s “marketing problem” was mostly due to a lack of clear ownership and alignment around a plan.

Harrison believes in a “Growth First, Marketing Second” approach, noting a recent statement from a DRep Forum that marketing is not the goal, but rather growth.

The IO executive also stated that Cardano needs a smarter strategy and that complexity is the enemy of connection. Any strategy, according to Harrison, needs to keep building out the answer to the question, “Why Cardano?” not just from a technical perspective but from a human one that puts users at the center. Harrison also mentioned that Cardano is known for its rigor, but as interesting as it is, this might confuse newcomers.

While events have fueled much of Cardano’s community growth, the community has lagged in major industry exposure, which Harrison believes must be addressed through a tiered approach.

Harrison discussed partnerships as a missing link, as well as community empowerment. He noted that Cardano does not require a rebranding. It needs to refocus on its “why” and articulate its mission, values and differentiators more clearly.