Etsy, a global online marketplace for handmade and vintage products, is going big in the offline world.
The company has hired Toronto-based Rock-it Promotions as its PR agency of the record in Canada and is set to launch its first ad campaign this week.
“Etsy has done a great job [of raising brand awareness] to date organically, but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” said Erin Green, country lead at Etsy in Canada. Green joined Etsy’s small Canadian office seven months ago from eLuxe, a fashion e-commerce site.
Etsy didn’t issue an RFP. Green has known agency founder Debra Goldblatt-Sadowski for a number of years and said she has always admired “her work, her work ethic and her portfolio.”
“[Rock-it was] always the front-runner for me,” said Green. “I did look into other agencies, but Rock-it has always felt like home to me.”
Rock-it Promotions will collaborate with Etsy on raising awareness of both the brand and Etsy’s seller community. “Behind every product is a really wonderful seller’s story, so we’ll be leveraging those stories [in the media],” said Green. “There’s so much talent in Canada, so being able to showcase those sellers in front of potential buyers just makes a ton of sense.”
Rock-it Promotions will promote Etsy’s presence at events such as the upcoming One-of-a-Kind Show in Toronto, create pop-up retail locations, distribute Look Books and pitch the media on Etsy stories. For example, Toronto Life published a piece on 10 local Etsy sellers that sell everything from handmade jewellery to art made from vintage licenses.
Part of the goal is to change perceptions that Etsy only sells homemade crafts. “Etsy has really grown and changed from where it started,” said Goldblatt-Sadowski. “If you can dream it, you can find it available.”
Etsy’s first Canadian ad campaign is set to launch in Toronto on Jan. 30, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The out-of-home campaign includes subway and streetcar ads under the theme “Say I love you with Etsy.”
Pattison handled the media buy and creative was developed in-house.
