Solana's controversial ad sparks heated debate on identity politics and innovation within the crypto community - IcoHolder.

A recently deleted Solana ad has ignited a fierce divide within the cryptocurrency community, highlighting the ongoing "woke vs. unwoke" debate. On March 17, Solana’s official X account shared a 2.5-minute advertisement featuring a man named "America" discussing his innovative ideas, such as interplanetary travel, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency. However, the tone of the ad quickly turned controversial when the therapist in the video diagnosed America with “rational thinking syndrome” and suggested he focus on creating a new gender identity instead of pursuing these ideas. The ad concluded with the therapist advising America to shift his focus from action-oriented concepts like “doing” and “innovating” to pronouns.

Despite generating over 1.2 million views, the ad was removed just nine hours later, sparking intense debate. Some viewers called it “cringe,” “toxic,” and offensive, while others found it to be a commentary on the current state of cultural shifts, particularly in relation to identity politics. One viewer suggested that the ad was meant to highlight America’s escape from what some refer to as the “woke mind virus,” focusing instead on more traditional forms of innovation.

On the other hand, some in the community downplayed the ad’s message. One user pointed out that the focus on pronouns has been more pronounced over the past few years than any real innovation, suggesting that the ad was simply addressing an ongoing cultural trend.

Joshua Jake from Discover Crypto defended the ad as "brilliant marketing," arguing that it was intentionally designed to provoke a reaction. "Everyone crying that ‘crypto is supposed to be decentralized and apolitical’ is missing the point entirely," Jake wrote. "The ad is designed to be cringy rage bait, and you’re all taking the bait—pushing its reach even further."

Disinformation researcher Mike Solana echoed this view, noting that as the culture war evolves, people are increasingly turning on each other as they run out of “demons” to fight. The ad’s backlash seemed to fit into this broader cultural pattern, he suggested.

A key point of contention was Solana's decision to delete the ad following the backlash. Many criticized the move as a sign of weakness, arguing that the company was too reactive to social media noise rather than focusing on its core issues. Adam Cochran, a partner at Cinneamhain Ventures, argued that the ad’s removal was a business decision to prevent further harm to Solana’s reputation, rather than an acknowledgment of its controversial nature.

Ultimately, the episode underscores the increasingly polarized nature of discourse in the crypto space, where cultural commentary often intersects with the technology's promise of decentralization and innovation. As the debate continues, Solana's ad has become a flashpoint in the broader conversation about the role of politics and identity in the digital assets industry.