This Investment Service is Telling Canadians to Get Theirs
From a financial point of view, it’s a tough time to be a Canadian. At the moment of writing this, the Canadian dollar is worth 0.7 USD. Cost of living has never been higher, especially in major metropolitan areas such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. And, according to research done by the Royal Bank of Canada and the Angus Reid Institute respectively, 64% of respondents fear falling behind financially, while 50% of Canadians under the age of 55 are struggling to save money.
In short, the need for solutions is obvious. And to this end, investment service Questrade saw an opportunity to remind Canadians that unlike the traditional financial system, it can actually make a difference. Working alongside partner creative agency No Fixed Address (NFA), it launched a new brand platform designed to not only acknowledge the struggle, but provide a light at the end of the tunnel. Titled ‘Get Yours’, the campaign is headlined by a Kevin Bray-directed spot (of ‘Suits', ‘Succession’, ‘The Penguin’ fame) which showcases concepts often associated with traditional ads about making money that quickly go awry. While these juxtapositions are a tad unnerving, it’s the insight at the core which makes it land – a firm reminder that if viewers don’t like what they see, they’re entirely welcome to demand something better.
To learn more about what it took to bring this to life, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with NFA executive creative director Jamie Marcovitch for a chat.
LBB> From the top, what was the brief for this campaign, what immediate ideas came to mind?
Jamie> The brief was all about finding a way to open Canadians’ eyes to the parasitic financial system that feeds off their hard work. We needed to find a way to inspire people to say ‘enough is enough’.
We started out with a great rallying line, ‘Get Yours’, which quickly became our platform. We knew that would play a big role, but we wanted to make sure we came at it from a place that wasn’t obvious. So, we threw out all the obvious stuff and challenged ourselves to dig a little deeper!
LBB> Specifically, the decision to explore the fact that many Canadians are being forced to ‘dream smaller’ is super interesting! What kind of research drove this insight? Were there any surprising takeaways?
Jamie> We started by looking at what most financial institutions were saying in the marketplace: selling the concept of achieving more in life, making dreams a reality, moving towards the things that matter, etc. All were tropes which didn’t line up with the fact nearly 70% of the Canadians in our target feared they would fall behind financially in the next year.
The truth is, we wind up being forced to give so much of our money away in fees that in the end, we consistently settle for less. So, we thought, what if we just told it like it is? The fact that Canadians have never felt more financially insecure really made it the perfect time and way to shine a light on the pain.
LBB> The decision to showcase juxtapositions between concepts positively associated with saving money and reality is clever! What did it take to think up these scenes? Are there any you’re especially fond of?
Jamie> We work, we make money, we invest – we do all these things because we have dreams and hopes. We want to retire early and do it somewhere fantastic. We want to take our families away on vacation. We want to be homeowners. So, we focused on those key goals. We, alongside our director, Kevin Bray, challenged ourselves to think of scenarios that showed the universal dream, but at the same time, were simple enough that they could reveal the harsh reality in-camera without any trickery. It was a true collaboration.
LBB> Equally so, the spot strikes the perfect balance – emphasising unsettling to the point of inspiring action. How did you approach writing with this goal in mind, and how did it influence your narrative script?
Jamie> When you put a mirror up to people’s lives, you always run the risk of leaving them feeling like there’s no hope. But, we didn’t want to depress people. Rather, we wanted viewers to look at the spot and say, ‘you know what? I’m tired of accepting less. I want mine, and now I know how to get it!’, and so we made sure to show the light at the end of the tunnel. Something along the lines of ‘yes, you’ve been forced to dream smaller, but with Questrade you can wake up from that dream and get what you deserve in this life’.
LBB> You previously brought up working with Kevin Bray – tell us more about this. What was the collaboration like, and why was he perfect for the job?
Jamie> We knew we wanted the end of the spot in the advisor’s office to feel like a moment out of ‘Succession’, so we thought, ‘who better to bring that to life than the guy who has directed the show?’.
Kevin is an unbelievable creative force, and it was a dream opportunity to work with someone who has shot some of the best shows ever, from ‘The Penguin’ to ‘Suits’. He’s beyond an ‘A-lister’, but what made it such an incredible experience was how collaborative he was. We’d workshop scenarios, discuss motivation, and he was never precious.
LBB> The actors – in particular the narrator – also bring a lot to the table. What was casting and working with them like?
Jamie> Casting can be tough. It’s a lot of ‘nope, nope, nope’ until suddenly you see it. Our antagonist, the voice of this anti-manifesto, Brad Radier, was perfect. Slick, conniving, deceiving, but also very real. And he was incredible in front of the camera. He literally nailed almost every take.
LBB> How did the shoot go? Do you have any anecdotes from the experience?
Jamie> It was fast and furious, but we had a great team in place to make sure we got it done. The whole experience was four days of shooting spread over 10 days. It was such a whirlwind, there was barely any time for anecdotes!
LBB> Musically, the two different soundtracks really reinforce the tone. How did you bring this element to life?
Jamie> Our music partner, Grayson Music, killed it. We needed something that had a sense of brooding off the top to really underscore the visuals, but it also had to culminate in something big, bold, and empowering. It was a tall order, but they nailed it!
LBB> The campaign is also supported by product-focused ads, which included a takeover of Yonge & Bloor subway station. Can you tell us more about how this came to life?
Jamie> We knew it was time to evolve. But, we wanted to modernise the brand without moving away from what’s previously worked, and the equity it's built.
So, we aimed to give Questrade a fresh, bold look with a tone that was clever, but also blunt. Almost like we were giving Canadians the ‘tough love’ they needed to shake off the old system and start getting theirs. We used high flash photography to give the brand a more raw, brash youthful feel with sharp copy that tells it like it is. It was honestly an inspiring one to work on.
LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? And what lessons did you learn in the process?
Jamie> Really, time was the big challenge. We started production on the film and OOH in early November, and had an in-market date of January 1st. But when you do the math and factor in the holidays, that’s really not a lot of time.
In terms of lessons, I was reminded of the value of putting a good team together. With the right minds collaborating and moving together towards the finish line, anything is possible.
LBB> Since launch, how have people responded to this campaign?
Jamie> The response has been incredible! People have really loved the fresh approach for a financial institution, as well as the honesty of the message.
LBB> Finally, has making this campaign made you rethink the way you save money?
Jamie> Totally! Now it’s all about getting mine!
