Cryptocurrency Ads and the Fear of Losing Control

Coinbase’s latest commercial suggests that many people feel stuck in a system that no longer moves them forward. The ad uses the idea of an “NPC” – a character in video games that follows preset rules – to show how some feel like they are simply going through the motions. The message is that if you stay with traditional money, you might never escape this “permanent underclass, ” a term that has grown in online circles to describe those who can’t climb the social ladder. The creators built a realistic game world without computer graphics, dressing actors in printed suits and training extras to walk like characters from a video game. This production style is similar to Coinbase’s previous high‑profile spots, including one that aired during the Super Bowl.

The ad taps into a widespread worry: artificial intelligence could replace many jobs, leaving people in the lowest rung of society. Coinbase positions cryptocurrency as a way to sidestep this fate, pointing out that many early investors have become millionaires. They highlight statistics showing a surge in crypto wealth and a growing community that feels excluded by conventional banks. Yet the story isn’t all rosy. Some people have lost money in crypto crashes, such as the FTX collapse that wiped out savings and led to massive fraud. Even a former competitor used a Super Bowl ad to ridicule the market, calling it a fad before its downfall. Thus, while the threat of an “underclass” is debated, advertising firms are already selling the idea. Their campaigns promise freedom from a system that seems to hold everyone in place, but history shows the risks of chasing quick gains.

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