I can back your sentiment about this method.
Focused niche marketing is a powerful way to target and attract an audience. I was always surprised by how active the GU community was on the Hive-Gaming Discord server. Also, the incubation program is playing a huge part in this as well. Pulling the attention of users is worthless without retention, so you can say that the incubation program should always be part of (onboarding) marketing proposals (IMO). However, the incubation program is only capable of whatever the limit is, so it would be the smartest way to hook up to 'small' targeted niches (like GU).
There is this saying that I probably have mentioned somewhere in one of my blog posts.
If you try talking to everyone, you end up talking to no one.
This is by far the biggest mistake many companies make (this is basically the traditional marketing strategy (stickers/posters/flyers etc) that you're mentioning). Marketing is part of a strategy, without strategy only flukes will be successful. A machine like Hive is making it almost impossible to read the metrics of such a strategy as numbers are also diluted by organic growth. Targeting one specific audience and making content tailored to that audience is the way to go for Hive. Especially if that community has the chance to eventually 'live on its own' strength, after the incubation (or we have come up with a better long-term solution). We need to think about this a lot more as Hive is so complex and can offer literally anything you can think of in terms of content (and even beyond), patience and determination are our friends. That being said; the strategy determines the success of a marketing project, and also; if you create ONE successful tailored niche marketing strategy, it is a lot easier to manufacture and adjust to another niche. Hive's wardrobe is huge, but most wardrobes risk becoming deserted if there's not enough fuel available (incentives, people, contact, communication, education, pick a topic).
What I most enjoy about the Gods Unchained community on Hive, is that it is a game that runs on the Ethereum blockchain. Hive is probably one of the few, if not the only one, that embraces and welcomes other blockchain projects with open arms. This is a huge PRO about Hive, as it is a USP (unique selling point) that many Blockchains do not have. As you mentioned in your post, it is 1) easier to attract users that are already familiar with crypto and blockchain, and 2) is it way more efficient and cost-effective to target exactly those niches (as you disclosed with what you've done with GU).
As far as funding, I'm not the guy to speak about that. I know that marketing can be cheap and also expensive. Mostly the cheap one is being both at the same time (cheap in cost, expensive in return), along with many pretending businesses that charge a shitload of money but provide garbage quality. I also feel that the general sentiment on Hive isn't ready to see the value in great marketing strategies that cost a lot more than the ones we've deployed so far (excluding @Lordbutterfly's movie).
A few weeks ago, I had to assist in a brainstorming session with a marketing company that had to design a strategy for another company. The strategy that needed to be developed needed to explain why branding, strategy, and marketing are important for its employees, to its employees (small mindfuck there when I arrived). I think that @lordbutterfly can agree with me on this that Hive kind of needs a similar strategy deployed as well (not many are aware of what great marketing is, how costly it can be, and why it is so important to do this right of the bat). This is pretty challenging and can get quite complicated on Hive due to the amount of different cultures, beliefs, or even the tech development of a country and so on.
That being said, I honestly believe that crypto gaming will become even bigger this year. Why? PFP NFTs have paved the way for exactly that to happen. People are probably getting used to these Bored Apes, and probably are wondering where the utility is and why people find it so valuable if you can't even do something with it. I'd suggest getting a bunch of bright-heads/experts together who think differently, pay them through the DHF for a few hours of brainstorming alone, and together as a group, and have the goal set to create one or multiple strategies that works as an overarching marketing strategy to onboarding/support -insert whatever- niche blockchain community, with an easy follow-up of the incubation program.
My two cents (without inflation, so may be a bit more than 2 cents).
Haha I feel this! Trying to champion real marketing among a sea of skeptics is always an uphill battle. Doesn't help that there's a lot of scuzzy/scamminess in so many "agencies" out there like you alluded to.
For the Hive masses, my gut says that best educational content in this regard would be detailed breakdowns of things that did work (in keeping with the theme of this post). Or at minimum, detailed breakdowns of things that were tried and failed, and an analysis of why it failed, etc.
You rarely get that kind of introspection even in professional marketing firms though... so a challenge indeed. 😬