In a departure from its previous consumer marketing, Fido has leashed the hounds and turned to live actors for a digital campaign promoting its new home internet service.
The Rogers Communications-owned telco has partnered with YouTube personality (and onetime DDB copywriter) Ethan Cole, who is part of the YouTube comedy team Slow Clap, to promote its newest service.
The centrepiece of the online campaign is a three-minute video featuring Cole’s 89-year-old grandfather, who is a regular in the ongoing Slow Clap feature “Explaining things to my grandfather.” That series features Cole explaining aspects of modern culture, such as online dating and the “wingman” concept to his elderly relative.
In the three-minute YouTube video, developed by North Strategic, Cole explains Fido has given his grandfather a new modem since he has become an internet star thanks to the web series.
While outlining some of Fido home internet’s benefits, such as its easy set-up, Cole begins talking with his grandfather about the various things he can do on the internet including how to look up former love interests. This leads to a humorous exchange when his wife of 60 years enters the room.
Vice-president Fido brand Hyun-Hee Pyun called Cole a “key influencer” among Fido’s target demographic, and said his inclusion in its marketing can help engage both his audience (the Slow Clap channel has an estimated 24,000 subscribers) and existing Fido customers.
The new home internet service features all-in pricing of $50 per month for current Fido subscribers ($70 for non-subscribers) as well as courier delivery of the modem and easy set-up using a mobile device or computer.
“It just seemed relevant [to the Fido home internet brand] because he’s showing his grandfather how our technology is easy,” said Pyun. Fido has also sent out personalized modems to 25 other key influencers in the hope they will share it on their social channels.
As with the Fido brand, the home internet product is aimed primarily at Canadians 18-34 and what Pyun described as “young at heart” consumers. It is available throughout southern Ontario and the Ottawa region.
The YouTube video is part of a broader campaign from Toronto FCB aimed primarily at existing Fido customers showing the service’s ease of use. A series of accompanying videos featuring real people, instruct users how to optimize their connection speed, understand their bill details and how to easily install their modem.
Fido underwent a brand refresh in April that included a new colour scheme as well as partnerships with streaming music service Spotify and Vice Media that sees a newsletter called Daily Vice delivered to their mobile device six days a week.
The company this week also unveiled a unique holiday-themed online ad that enables users to click on the video as it plays to take a 360-degree view. “We wanted to find an innovative and interactive way to engage with the audience,” said Pyun of the 2:30 spot from DentsuBos and Isobar.
The online ad builds on a standard TV spot, opening on an outdoor festive scene overlaid with the super “Unleash all the music you want” before inviting viewers to “spin our 360-degree video now.”
As the super fades away, two women walking a dog enter the picture and a Christmas carol playing in the background gives way to a contemporary soundtrack provided by artists including Ghostface Killah, Nova Rockafeller and The StandStills.
As the video progresses, viewers can spin the camera around to take in a scene that includes a Santa and his elves, construction workers and other pedestrians all dancing on the street. The spot also reveals a hydraulic-equipped car bouncing up and down and even a bouncing baby carriage.
The YouTube spot has garnered 179,000 views since its Nov. 18 debut, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from viewers (“This made me glad to be with Fido. Awesome video,” “Coolest ad I’ve ever seen,” etc.)
Marketing and MarketingMag.ca are also owned by Rogers.
