In late 2021 and early 2022, every brand wanted to talk about Web3. NFTs were the future. The metaverse was inevitable. Every CMO was asking, "What's our crypto strategy?" Then came the crash. Crypto winter arrived. NFT floor prices collapsed. The metaverse became a punchline. And suddenly, Web3 marketing was considered radioactive. But here's what most brands missed: the hype died, but the infrastructure kept building. While everyone was busy writing obituaries for Web3, something important happened. The technology matured. The community professionalized. The use cases evolved from speculation to utility. And the brands that stayed engaged—or entered thoughtfully during the quiet period, are now positioned to win as mainstream adoption accelerates. I've been working in Web3 marketing since before it was trendy, through the peak of the hype cycle, and now through the maturation phase. Let me share what I've learned about how mainstream brands can engage with Web3 in 2024 and beyond, not through speculative gimmicks, but through strategic, value-driven initiatives.