Interac’s New Campaign ‘Geeks Out’ About Simplifying the Complicated

While many Canadians are familiar with Interac products, using them an average of 18 million times a day, they don’t necessarily understand what Interac does. The latest brand campaign wants to change that by reintroducing Interac as the digital authentication and payments technology company behind products like Interac Debit and Interac e-Transfer, and a suite of identity verification products.

The ‘We Geek Out’ campaign builds on the Interac InLife brand platform and shows how Interac helps simplify the complicated so Canadians can get more out of life. It is anchored by a lighthearted spot featuring the hero, a fictional Interac employee, who ‘geeks out’ over how the company’s products really work when she encounters payment moments at a restaurant. These moments include paying the bill with Interac Debit, splitting the bill with Interac e-Transfer, and extending parking in an app with Interac Debit.

“At Interac, our teams are proud of how our products can play a role in helping to simplify the lives of Canadians,” said Matt Houghton, director of digital and integrated marketing at Interac. “By bringing that enthusiasm into the campaign, we’re able to reintroduce the brand in a way that underscores the importance of Interac products and explores how we are expanding beyond payments.”

The idea from the fictional spot is also brought to the real world with a hidden camera stunt. An actor was captured explaining how he would be paying using highly-technical jargon in retail locations across the city. The extension, captured in English and French, was created for TikTok and Instagram Reels, and will run later in May following the launch.

The campaign is led by creative agency partner Zulu Alpha Kilo with media buying partner Media Experts and The French Shop. Executions include TV, online video, social, display and a creator program. This campaign also marks the introduction of a new sonic logo for the brand, part of a unique and distinctive sonic ecosystem. These were developed by Sixieme Son.

Wain Choi, executive creative director, Zulu Alpha Kilo, said: “Simple ideas are always the best ideas, and we were inspired by how Interac products help simplify transactional moments, contrasted against the technology required to make that happen. This allowed us to take a new approach to how we speak about the brand proposition: Interac geeks out so you don’t have to.”

The campaign runs until June 19th, 2022.