When the UK left the European Union last week, the Paris-based hardware supplier Ledger, and the Vienna-based exchange Bitpanda expressed their ideas on the "Brexit" theme.
Let's take back control
Last Friday, in Canary Wharf, a financial district of London, Ledger exhibited a 7 × 4 meters digital poster, which took up and reinterpreted the controversial pro-Brexit slogan "Let's take back control" - let's take back control.
Pascal Gauthier, Ledger's CEO, said there are shared values between the Brexit movement and the crypto community. But only encryption allows people to "really get back in control," says the advertisement. The billboard was installed for 24 hours. "We find it funny that the same phrase can mean two different things," said Gauthier.
The billboard is intended to challenge the nativism behind Brexit's success. “Brexit means regaining control over borders and currency. It is very focused on the United Kingdom. Bitcoin is the opposite. It's a boundless global technology, ”said Gauthier.
The executive is looking forward to seeing how Brexit's commercial agreements will affect his company in the future. Ledger opened an operation in the UK last quarter and employs several people in London, although he currently has "no physical office".
Millions of people cannot be wrong. Unless they're British!
The Bitpanda cryptocurrency exchange has taken a tougher line with regards to Brexit. "Personally, I think Brexit is a mistake," said Eric Demuth, co-CEO and founder of Bitpanda.
“I think many people don't see the big impact of Brexit and have been misled by the personal short-term goals of some politicians. No self-promotion of any politician should be a reason to deprive citizens of their freedoms. "
Shedding light on this alleged political grip, Bitpanda has invested in a multi-day advertising campaign, reminding viewers that “Millions of people can't be wrong. Unless they're British. "
This warning was shown on "The Screen" in Canary Wharf and in three other London offices, with 38 installations in Glasgow, Scotland and throughout the Belgian capital of Brussels. Peter McCormack, an eminent British commentator on the crypto world, called the slogan "hypocrite" and said that "real bitcoiners would likely support Brexit."
For his part, McCormack claimed to support divorce in theory, although he acknowledges that the alliance forged in 1973 has helped maintain peace in Europe. Ivis Buric, a representative of Bitpanda, said that the company received a number of refusals from London media owners, who rejected advertising because of its political nature.
"Fortunately, there is still freedom of speech and advertising rules, so we will stay here," said Buric. Bitpanda's media campaign began on Thursday evening and Buric said the company is happy with the community's response. He also claimed that there has been a 12,68% increase in users from Europe.
