Leisure Project Is The First Web3 Functional Beverage Designed For Creatives

According to venture capital firm Signal Fire, there are over 2 million professional content creators, aka folks whose full-time job is producing content shared across social media and streaming platforms. According to that same study, the number of amateur creators is much larger, with over 46 million part-time producers.

Despite the size of this blossoming industry, there was a surprising gap in the functional beverage space specifically designed for content creators, who often stream or film for hours on end. There are plenty of beverages aimed at boosting and maintaining athletic performance and physical recovery. And yet, there are no beverages formulated for content streamers’ needs for maintaining mental sharpness, creativity, and mood.

Alex and Steve Michaelsen were familiar with sports-focused drinks as former Division I college athletes but saw the gap in the market for a similar functional beverage designed for the YouTubers and Twitch streamers of the world. Finding themselves living under the same roof once again, thanks to the pandemic, the brothers started Leisure, a beverage brand creating drinks enhanced with minerals, adaptogens, and nootropics to help creators be at their mental best.

Leisure’s initial lineup includes Citrus, Berry Lavender, and Mango Ginger. All three beverages include adaptogens, minerals, and nootropics to promote creativity and wellness.

“The core of any solid brand starts with having a simple, ownable, and unique point of view. For Leisure, everything ladders up to the core idea of Holistic Refreshment,” explains Sean Morse, creative director for Leisure. “Holistic Refreshment focuses on revitalizing the mind and body to make the most out of every day with functional and natural ingredients that hopefully inspire a more optimistic outlook on life.”

Leisure’s labels exude that sense of calm without resorting to blanding. Depictions of ingredients such as mango, ginger, lavender, lemon, and blueberries dominate the front of the label. There is a gentle flow of water in the background and one of three smiling Leisure Creatures, each vibing differently upfront. Principle typography also exudes that calm vibe with flowing curves. Flowy banners announcing flavors have a relaxed bend to them as well. Finally, a soothing off-white color serves as a backdrop, and secondary elements come in a serene blue.

In addition to Morse, designer Tyler Poyant led the execution of the hero Leisure Creature and the technical aspects of the NFT art. The streetwear-inspired accessories are courtesy of 3D illustrator Colin Ozawa, and his collaboration gives the Leisure room to expand into the 3D space. Additionally, Jacqueline Lavitt guided the art direction to ensure the project had a cohesive look, as well as provide a woman’s perspective since the web3 space is so male-dominated.

There are 4,567 unique tokens, called Leisure Creatures, in the project. Minting, expected to happen soon, will fund the “Creators and Doers Grant,” which will provide funding, mentorship, and support so creators can realize their dream projects and passions, as well as finance IRL events. Owning a Leisure NFT also comes with perks such as an affiliate program and early access to product launches.

“The real beauty of these Leisure Creatures is that it allowed for the brand to easily expand into the evolving digital space of NFTs,” Morse said. “A space where the creative spirits we aim to serve are interacting and building a quickly growing community. Being able to straddle the creative realms of both physical and digital allowed us to take our idea of Holistic Refreshment and apply it universally.”

For the most part, conventional beverage startups are developed unnoticed. Founders are out there pitching, raising funds, working with design, marketing, and other agencies and consultants to create a complete product before most of the world first hears about it. Leisure is an example of a food and beverage startup letting the world in from the earliest stages. Thanks to NFTs, Leisure is raising funds for the brand and community’s future endeavors from a vast pool of investors before shipping a single can.

“In three months, we will be delivering on our DTC business while starting to also show up strategically in stores, workspaces, and studios,” said Steve Michaelsen. “We’ll continue to grow brand awareness for both the beverage and NFT sides of our business by focusing on our vision of building the most relevant hydration beverage of and for the creative community."

To see Leisure happen in real-time, check out its Discord and Twitter.