Connecting a legacy brand with a new generation
When it comes to getting the best print results, the right ink and toner matters. Brother USA wanted an inventive campaign to make Brother Genuine supplies shine and show that discount third-party refills aren’t worth the risk.
Role
I served as head of copy and interim creative director, playing a lead role on casting, scripting and editing.
Client
Established in Japan over a hundred years ago, Brother USA is best known for high quality printers, printing supples and label makers.
Duration
11 months from concept to launch.
Overview
Challenge
Show benefits. Inspire loyalty.
Many third-party ink and toner refills beat Brother brand name products on price, but some consumers don’t realize that these products can compromise print quality or even harm their machines.
Brother was looking to find new ways to build brand loyalty for their supplies. But in order to be more genuine, we went to where our audience was already scrolling—TikTok.
Meet the Cartridge Family
Watch the case study video | 2:41
By casting TikTokers, rather than traditional actors, we were able to connect audiences with creators they already loved. With workplace humor remaining a steady trend on social media, we set about writing stories to relate to the modern exasperated corporate worker.
Celia
The silent assassin with sharp, simple insights. They're not blue, they're a mystery.
Marcus
The team cheerleader. What he lacks in judgment he makes up for in charm.
Yelena
The attention seeker who will do anything to bring home a win for the team.
Barbara
The fearless leader who earnestly likes order, rules, and productivity.'re a mystery.
Components
The sketch comedy miniseries
First, we created a five-episode mini-series filled with relatable interpersonal office drama to bring the story to life. The videos were hosted on a Brother YouTube playlist and ran across several social channels and paid ads.
Series teaser
Click to watch the full series.
TikTok creator expansions
Then, we gave the reins to the creators. With personalities and wardrobes established, each one was tasked with creating scenes in character to build on the story. We even used the TikTok Duet feature to show how two characters would “work from home” together.
Social assets
A social kit including over 70 GIFs and memes from the series tapped into corporate humor and gave a way for our characters to enter workplace chat conversations in an authentic way.
Results
The campaign humanized the brand, tapped into a trending conversation, and invited Millennials to engage on the channels where they‘re seeking entertainment—in an authentic and genuine way.
A whopping 95.2% watch rate
Impressions were up 257% to target
Overwhelmingly positive sentiment
Featured in AdAge, Muse by Clio, MediaPost