IAB UK, the industry body for digital advertising, is using an 8ft brown bear to front a new campaign encouraging advertisers to rediscover the joy of digital advertising.
Aptly named Joy the Bear, the IAB’s latest recruit has come on board as chief digital cheerleader and will, in her own words, be a “larger-than-life cheerleader for what digital advertising can do when you let your imagination run wild”.
The integrated campaign launches today, across display ads and the IAB’s own channels, including a 60-second video which sees Joy introduce herself to the industry and explain how she will get marketers thinking differently about digital.
A series of video display ads will be running across social media and press, directing people to a dedicated hub on the IAB’s site with resources and advice to get the most out of digital advertising.
Produced by creative agency NOW with media planning and buying by december19, the campaign is the first brand-building campaign that the IAB has run for the digital ad industry. It marks the start of a long-term focus from the trade body to get advertisers excited about digital advertising.
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The campaign was informed by research from Walnut Unlimited, which spoke to top marketers at over 400 agencies and brands to understand how marketers feel about digital channels. Joy was then created to address the barriers identified, including a feeling that human creativity has limited value in the digital space and that the industry moves too fast to keep up with.
Commenting on the work, James Chandler, IAB UK’s CMO, said: “A 200 kg bear doing yoga probably isn’t what springs to mind when you think about a B2B campaign for the digital ad industry – but Joy actually has a lot more in common with digital than you might think.
“Both are a bit overwhelming on the face of it, perhaps a little misunderstood, but both have an incredible amount to offer once you get to know them.
He continued: “We know that advertisers are spending on digital channels, but do they feel positive about it? The honest truth is that they’re daunted by the pace of change in the industry and are constantly battling a feeling that they need to be investing in the next newest tech to make an impact.
“This campaign is about addressing that unease, encouraging advertisers to use digital channels confidently and creatively and – ultimately – to spark some joy.”
NOW’s Louise Hayward added: “This was a dream brief for us; not only because we got to advertise our own industry, but because we were given the brilliant challenge of dramatising the sheer joy of digital advertising.
“This is something that can be forgotten, given the misconception that digital advertising only works hard from a commercial perspective for brands, therefore is less powerful at building brand affinity and meaningful connections.
“A big challenge needs a big (at least 8ft) solution, so we introduced Joy to IAB UK. She is infectiously joyful and a great champion for the endless creative and emotional potential within the dynamic world of digital communications.”
