Remember 2021, when everything in crypto was all rainbows and sunshine, when Matt Damon asked us to get into crypto, and when Bitcoin reached an all-time high of US$65,000 (AU$97,200)?
Easily one of the most memorable moments of the crypto 2021 bull run, Matt Damon’s infamous Crypto.com ad featured the Oscar winning actor uttering a line that’s now become a meme in its own right: “Fortune favours the brave.”
Yesterday, Damon finally explained why he agreed to do the ad: the crypto exchange donated US$1.1 million (AU$1.65 million) to the charity organisation he co-founded, Water.org.
Matt Denon: “I definitely have a lot of gratitude”
During a red carpet event for his latest film, Air, directed by his longtime best friend Ben Affleck, Matt Damon was asked about his appearance in the Crypto.com ad which began airing two years ago.
Damon explained that, at the time, Water.org “had a down year,” and that he donated all of his pay from the commercial to the organisation.
“I did that commercial in an attempt to raise money for Water.org… and Crypto.com heard about that, and they gave a million dollars to Water.org.”
You can watch the clip of the Saving Private Ryan actor speaking below.
“I definitely have a lot of gratitude to them and for what they did for our foundation,” he said.
“Cringe”
The Crypto.com partnership with Matt Damon was announced in October 2021. The ad, as part of the partnership, was aired on prime time Super Bowl television in February 2022.
Shortly after its release, social media was set alight with criticism of the ad, describing it as “cringe”. Months later, people were still mocking it.
Even South Park did a short skit trolling Matt Damon in February 2022: “I can’t stay home, you have to go to work, because f*cking Matt Damon told you ‘fortune favours the brave’ and now you lost all your f*cking money!” said main character Stan Marsh to his mother when he’s asked to stay home because he was ill.
Matt Damon: Bitcoin
Bitcoin was worth around US$60,000 (AU$89,700) when the ad was released, but with FTX, the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, as well as the SEC’s non-stop crackdown on the crypto industry, it has now dropped to US$28,000 (AU$42,300).
