Following nearly nine hours of escalating backlash, Solana retracted an advertisement that depicted a therapy session, which many interpreted as mocking discussions about pronouns, raising questions about its messaging.
Whether intentional or not, the Solana Foundation found itself enveloped in controversy after releasing — and then swiftly removing — an advertisement criticized for trivializing gender identity matters. Intended to promote the Solana Accelerate conference, the ad presented a skit where “America” attends a therapy session and is instructed to “focus on pronouns” and “invent new genders” rather than engage in technological advancement.
The advertisement quickly incited outrage in the crypto community. Some regarded it as an effort to resonate with conservative cultural narratives, while others deemed it unnecessary political posturing.
“This is so tone-deaf,” commented Sean O’Connor, chief operating officer at a Web3 company, on a social media platform. “At a time when transgender individuals are being denied passports and facing government erasure… this is what you choose to promote?”
Deleted within hours
The ad, which launched on March 17, was taken down roughly nine hours later after accumulating over a million views. Numerous prominent figures within the Solana ecosystem, who had initially engaged with the ad through likes and retweets, later distanced themselves from it.
Adam Cochran, a partner at a venture capital firm, remarked that support for the ad vanished almost as swiftly as it had been released. “They pulled it back because it impacted their bottom line, not because they felt it was wrong,” he stated.
Some of the early advocates of the advertisement later retracted their support. Tushar Jain, co-founder of a cryptocurrency investment firm, removed his earlier comment labeling it “bold and risky” and later suggested it should have delved into more complex cultural issues, rather than focusing on superficial topics like pronouns. Additionally, a popular NFT collection account initially endorsed the ad before quietly retracting their supportive gesture.
Change in priorities
The backlash extended beyond the ad itself; it reflected deeper concerns about the foundation’s evolving principles. Not long ago, the Solana Foundation had positioned itself as a proponent of diversity and inclusion. At a conference in Singapore, its code of conduct explicitly prohibited discrimination based on “gender identity and expression.” However, many felt that Solana was shifting its messaging in response to the current political climate following the return of a former president to office.
“The issue with the Solana advertisement is not merely about the ad in isolation,” wrote a research head at a digital asset firm, “but rather the fact that since the election, they’ve transitioned from a neutral tech entity to one that panders to the shifting political landscape. When your values fluctuate with leadership changes, your principles become meaningless.”
This sentiment was echoed by a product lead at a major exchange, who criticized Solana’s approach. “This new advertisement misses the mark entirely,” he expressed in a post. “It’s offensive, cringe-worthy, and pandering. We believe in inclusivity for all. Solana appropriated that sentiment recently as well, but this ad demonstrates a significant gap in genuinely embodying that ethos.”
‘Not a reflection of the community’
Amid the tumult, the vice president of technology at the foundation sought to clarify that the ad did not truly reflect the entire community, stating that “even though it was shared on a primary channel, it does not represent the community’s excitement about the message.”
He further indicated that only a “small number of individuals” were involved in creating the ad and that much of the production work had been outsourced. Nonetheless, this explanation did little to quell criticism from those who questioned how such an advertisement could have been approved in the first place.
Some community members remarked on the apparent identity crisis that Solana was facing. “Solana is trying hard to project a certain image,” one user humorously noted, “even while average transaction sizes suggest a completely different reality.”
While the ad drew significant ire from many, others defended it, claiming that the backlash was exaggerated and asserting that it was “actually brilliant marketing.”