2019 ICO: Frequent Marketing/Communication Deficiencies

Preface: this is NOT a Scam Accusation (at least not at the time of writing this thread).
So, not sure it's the right place for this thread, advices welcome!

While doing my usual checks, I discovered the AMANPURI project

Website: https://amanpuri.io/tokensale/ (129 days old)
Ann thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5116010.msg50082299#msg50082299 (created march 2)
Ann Telegram: https://t.me/AmanpuriAnnGroup (created on January 29th)
Telegram group: https://t.me/amanpurichat (created on february 20th)
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/amanpuriexchange/ (created on february 27th)
White paper: https://amanpuri.io/AMANPURI_WP20.pdf (17 pages)

Pitch: "Ultimate exchange that is equipped with high-leverage, customer asset protection and complete customer support"

ICO START in 7 days - according to some Telegram messages, 10 million has already been raised from private investors (not clear)

Why am I interested in the project?

Because of that:

33 articles! (33 press-release in fact, all similar)

Here is a project that came out of nowhere a few weeks ago, which is not very efficient on some essential points of communication(see below), but which takes the time to spam the Internet with dozens of bad quality press-release (yes, because in addition the original article is not extraordinary...)

Exept the notable exception of Yahoo Finance, the vast majority of these articles are posted on low quality, news-bins sites, without editorial guidelines or substantive analysis.

Probably the most expansive PR: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitmex-x-binance-x-asset-181500426.html

Much of this content was generated under a contract with Press Release Agency franklyinc.com

This thread is not there to denounce the fact that companies use and pay for press-release. This has been around for a long time and as long as you respect some basic rules of journalistic ethics, it is not a problem (it is moreover a service that my French Media www.journalducoin.com offers!).

Press release is not a problem.
Spamming of low quality Press Release on fake News Site is the problem (for example: http://markets.financialcontent.com/bostonherald/ IS NOT the real https://www.bostonherald.com/)

The Team

Isa Fujiwara - CEO
The project appears on its Linkedin profile, but the rest is very empty (no past experience, no recommendation... but a picture of a professional agency!)

Kyon Yoshikara - Marketing Adviser
Emphasizes above all the fact that he is an ICOBench expert
The AMAMPARI project appears below in its profile

David Oke - Community Manager
Project don't appear on his Linkedin profile
An Reddit account...completely empty

Giovanni Casagrande - Blockchain/ICO advisor
A well-known ICO advisor from ICOBench - The project does not appear on his Linkedin profile

Maxwell Nguyen (not a Linkedin Profile) - Technical leader
FoundICO advisor
(Moreover, this may explain why the project is referenced on this ranking site (with a mistake in the ticker of the token "AMAL" instead of "AML"): https://foundico.com/ico/amanpuri.html)

Nguyễn Sơn Tùng - Development Manager
probably this guy

Others older websites linked to the same project

Fun fact, as I write this thread, I realize that there are other websites that seem to be linked to the project (and more particularly to the AMAL token)...

https://www.amalcoin.net/ (292 days old website)
Twitter account, inactive since November 5, 2018 : https://twitter.com/AMANPURIPARTNER
Facebook account, inactive since November 5, 2018 : https://www.facebook.com/amanpuripartner

and https://www.amalcoin.biz/ 185 days old website - Mirror website probably

Anyway, same WP than the actual project

The White Paper

A 17-page WP, full of banalities
No sign of the team in it....but some surprising information!

Once again, confusion between AML and AMAL tokens

Update: AML and AMAL are probaby the same thing, but the conmmunication is not clear Ethereum contract of AML tokens (AMAL))

There would be other aspects to study (the exchange is supposed to be registered in Malta but I can't find a license number, no contact information, the "8 years of existence" mentionned in the White Paper, that kind of thing...)

But however, I do not affirm that the project is a scam
However, AMANPURI makes every imaginable communication and marketing error!

10 BASIC ADVICE TO TEAMS THAT ORGANIZE ICO

Please start from a simple principle: people are increasingly better informed and more and more exigent about the seriousness of crypto projects
(and the upcoming arrival of giants like Telegram and Facebook will not help your business!)

1 - YOUR TEAM MUST BE VISIBLE, VERIFIABLE AND PROMOTE YOUR PROJECT ON ITS PERSONAL NETWORKS

For our ultra-connected generation, in the field of cryptography, it is INADMISSIBLE not to use modern means of communication and not to expose its skills. We can' t find the project where you are CEO, blockchain engineer, consultant on your Linkedin? Are you ashamed of it?
I remind you that you are asking for money (and no, Nakamoto's anonymity is NOT a valid argument...) in 2019, the concept is simple, no team = no money.

2 - WRITE YOURSELF YOUR WHITE PAPER

Even if it is easy to get someone else to write the WP. This essential document must be the work of the team behind the project.
For the 17-page AMANPURI project, 15 would apply to any other exchanges.

3 - DO NOT ALLOW ANY POSSIBILITY OF AMBIGUITY

In the case of the AMANPURI project, what are its old projects, associated with other social channels, that seem to have been abandoned in November 2018?
Leaving this question unanswered is a loss of credibility

4 - PROVE WHAT YOU WRITE, ILLUSTRATE YOUR ASSERTIONS

Concerning the project in illustration:
- Registration in Malta is not verifiable
- What is this story about the company's 8-year background ? Why no trace on the Internet?

Today, no one will believe you on principle anymore. Too much scam, exaggeration, manipulation in the cryptographic sector.
What you say, you have to prove it

5 - ANTICIPATE, FOR GOD'S SAKE!

There is nothing more complicated than crisis management in damage control mode.
If you are caught in trouble, and for example, as CEO you discover things along the way (a classic: one or more team members use fake profiles or stolen photos.... well, no one has ever met him IRL), it's over.
People move on to the next project, there are hundreds of them

Recruit a REAL communication manager! and give him access to everything. It is an essential function

6 - AVOID SPAM, FALSE VIEWS, BUMPING SERVICES...

The community is tired of all its lies...the AMANPARI Telegram discussion group has almost 10,000 members...in 30 days! seriously? (and the Ann group...18 guys! it wasn't supposed to be included in the deal Grin

)

7 - TOO MUCH INFORMATION IS BETTER THAN NOT ENOUGH

Whether it is to invest 1 LTC or 1 BTC, an investor will do extensive research (and surprisingly, those who do not, are not interesting investors)
Give them as much material as possible!
In addition to a "classic" WP, it is smart to propose a Technical WP and another one that will concern the financial and regulatory aspects.

There is NO legal or regulatory or compliance information in the AMANPURI WP

8 - LESS ADVISER, MORE ENGINEERS!

No more than one advisor for every 5/7 team members.
It is fashionable to pay prestigious consultants but it is useless... Some "advise" dozens of projects at the same time!

Of the 6 people in the team (for a crypto exchange that aims to compete with Binance for memory...) 2 are advisors

9 - LOOK FOR QUALITY - FEWER BUT BETTER

AMANPURI is present on 33 news sites.... on which nobody will look for information.
Choose 1 or 2 leading media and make sure your project is relevant, beyond commercial ambitions.
A well-structured interview, a professional report can make a difference (especially if it is not a purely crypto channel).

10 - BE SURE OF THE COHERENCE OF YOUR COMMUNICATION

An example ?

AMANPURI Website:

Quote

We have introduced telephone customer support systems that are available in English, Chinese, Korean, Hindi, Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian and Portuguese.

AMANPURI WP:

Quote

The AMANPURI Exchange will introduce a customer support phone service by May of 2020 and will correspond in English, Chinese, Korean,
Hindi, Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian and Portuguese

AMANPURI Telegram Group:

Quote

Also, Amanpuri will provide a customer support phone services by 2021 with correspondents in several languages including but not limited to, English, Chinese, Korean, French, Spanish, Hindi, Russian & Arabic.

Maybe you think it's a little error ? But what will an investor say to himself: "if they were wrong about that, what are the other mistakes?"

11 - GET YOUR PROJECT CONTROLED INDEPENDENTLY

Before publishing your project: ask to be reviewed, controlled and audited by an independent and external authority (ask on the forum to experienced members)

Reminder:
- this is NOT a scam accusation against the project
- The AMANPURI team will be informed of this article (it is up to them to react, or not)