Crypto Exchange Okcoin Asks “OK or Not OK?” in Comic Campaign from OBERLAND

Billionaires in space? Plant-based dog food? Joining a video call without pants? These are the burning questions addressed in a new comedy ad campaign that broke online today for the crypto exchange platform Okcoin, created by OBERLAND.

Using the tried-and-true format of a TV game show, a series of spots starring internet comedian Ali Kolbert – who’s appeared on ‘The Tonight Show’ and other venues – asks a ‘studio audience’ whether a range of topical social questions are ‘OK or Not OK?’ The action quickly cuts to an animated bar graph where the ‘results’ appear, revealing whether the audience feels things like billionaires going into orbit or people feeding their pooches plant-based kibble is acceptable or not. Accompanied by upbeat musical cues and more applause, Ali caps off each survey with a zinger, delivered in her saucy, stand up patter. In 'Billionaires in Space,' for example, she retorts, “Sounds like the perfect post-breakup trip – sorry dude, I’m leaving the planet!”

Each spot ends with the voiceover tag, “It’s okay to disagree,” and a graphic that drives viewers to the landing page. There people can take polls to weigh in on a set of culture and crypto topics, check out poll results and learn how to dip their toes into the world of crypto using Okcoin. There's also a prize of $3,000 in bitcoin for four lucky winners who register their votes and tweet about the page. The spots are running on a range of online outlets and can be found on the Okcoin YouTube channel.

“Okcoin is a cryptocurrency brand looking to dramatically increase their awareness in a very competitive US market,” explains OBERLAND’s chief creative officer Bill Oberlander. “Their name naturally lent itself to having fun with the plethora of social discord in our world right now – it seems like we don’t agree on much. But in Okcoin’s world, that’s okay!”

Says Okcoin chief marketing officer Haider Rafique: “We partnered with OBERLAND to break through the noise in the crypto space and stand for something more than 'to the moon.' We’re reaching the next generation of investors in a fresh and unexpected way – and the tone and attitude of these videos capture that perfectly.”

To support the whole ‘Ok or not ok’ concept, Okcoin reached out to thousands of people in the general population with an online survey to see whether they were ‘ok or not ok’ with a range of topics, ranging from the mundane to the controversial. The responses are illuminating for social scientists and creatives alike. For example, when it came to daylight savings time, people were pretty evenly split, for and against. But lab-grown meat? Sixty-three percent dubbed it ‘not okay.’ Ninety percent said it was definitely ‘not okay’ to create a fake Instagram account to stalk your ex. Eighty percent said going back to the office was ‘not ok,’ while almost 70 percent gave a thumbs-down to face tattoos. The full rundown of survey questions, along with the results, are included on the ‘Ok or Not Ok’ landing page.

Known for its work in the purpose-driven space, OBERLAND takes a progressive view of the landscape in which Okcoin lives. “We see crypto as having a role in the modern financial system, particularly in democratising the ability to create and manage wealth,” says OBERLAND CEO Drew Train. “In this instance, it made total sense to approach this campaign from a humorous and irreverent perspective.”

“Okcoin is geared to create access to a new way to invest for everyone in the world, and making it fun and approachable in the process,” adds OBERLAND chief strategic officer Kate Charles. “The exchange is known for simplifying a complex system, and it does so with a wink. It’s the perfect opportunity to create a brand persona that seizes the current fascination with crypto and takes a little wind out of its sails at the same time.”

OBERLAND tapped Raúl B. Fernández to direct the spots, which were produced by PDK Films. With a background in comedy and improv, he was well-suited to bringing out the most in Ali’s performance.