Decentralized exchange (DEX) aggregator 1inch announced a long-term partnership with the Bruce Lee Family Company to promote decentralized finance and crypto adoption.
The collaboration released a spot with the tagline "Take crypto seriousLee," featuring a lookalike of the late martial artist and actor to shift the perception of crypto from being seen as a speculative investment to something that represents the future of the financial system.
The partnership draws on Lee’s positive impact on martial arts through his iconic films in the ‘70s.
“I’ve been inspired by Bruce Lee since childhood, ever since I first took up martial arts. Our project was named after Bruce Lee’s iconic punch. And 1inch has always stuck to Bruce Lee’s values, including integrity, resilience, and a serious approach to every endeavor he pursued.
Now, partnering with the Bruce Lee Family Company feels like the natural next step, and I hope it will help spread Bruce Lee’s values alongside the benefits of Web3 to a wider audience,” 1inch Co-Founder Sergej Kunz said.
As part of the campaign, Bruce Lee fans can win his iconic yellow tracksuit, T-shirt, or nunchucks by joining a merch raffle.
View this post on Instagram
According to the official announcement, 1inch has been closely connected to Lee’s heritage, with its name being derived from the martial artist’s iconic “one-inch punch,” a punching exercise from Chinese martial arts performed at a range of zero to six inches.
“We have always valued his versatility, agility, and innovation — qualities that have consistently guided us in the development of our products, such as Fusion+,” the company said.
The Bruce Lee Foundation is a mission-based organization focused on sharing the art and philosophy of Bruce Lee to inspire personal growth and individuality.
Through the brand partnership, 1inch makes its association with him official, enhancing its visibility and credibility, as well as gaining access to new audiences, resources, and opportunities to innovate.
Taking Crypto 'seriousLee'
In the nearly 90-second spot, Lee's lookalike gives several people who seem to struggle with small tasks an ultimatum: “If you want to succeed, take everything seriously!”
The spot kicks off with a group of teenagers lounging about on a rooftop. One of them is playing with a nunchaku, a traditional East-Asian martial arts weapon famous for its use by Lee in his 1973 film, “Enter the Dragon.”
The teen struggles while he practices with it, ultimately letting it fall on Lee’s feet as he emerges from behind some laundry hung on a line.
He looks at the teen very seriously, saying: “If you want to succeed, take everything seriously!”
Flipping the nunchaku in the air with his feet and then grabbing it, Lee starts twirling the weapon like the professional he was.
In 2019, after two sleepless nights coding at ETHGlobal New York, @deacix and @k06a unleashed the unstoppable force of 1inch onto the blockchain—like Bruce Lee's legendary 1-inch punch👊💥
— 1inch (@1inch) October 28, 2024
Today destiny comes full circle as we join forces with @brucelee ☯️#TakeCryptoSeriousLEEpic.twitter.com/OfXlD0CvGY
Lee makes another dramatic appearance during a barbecue gone wrong, where he jumps down from a roof Kung fu-style to save some burger patties from being burnt.
He kicks the barbecue in the air, sending the patties to the sun where it causes an eclipse and draws a crowd with protective glasses.
There, he sees a man confused by the “Maintenance in progress” notification on his centralized exchange app. He then performs his one-inch punch on the phone.
The spot ends with a short description of 1inch’s offering as Lee approvingly nods at the man, with the overall message, "Take absolutely everything seriously, especially crypto."
Meanwhile, crypto exchange Coinbase recently unveiled an on-chain micropayment platform, aimed at supporting digital artists and a fairer creator economy.
