When NFT Projects Shift From Hype to Utility: Who Owns the Growth Mandate?

Many NFT projects that launched during the bull run are now repositioning as “membership products” or “digital identity layers.” I’m consulting for one such India-based NFT brand that had 12K holders during the 2022 hype but only ~600 active users on their Discord now.

The founders are unsure who should lead this next phase—should the growth lead continue managing community + partnerships, or should a product marketer take over to push actual utility adoption (staking, ticketing, token-gating)?

What’s the right approach to split responsibilities when shifting from hype-driven NFT growth to sustainable utility marketing?