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
Head of copy and interim creative director, overseeing casting, scripting, and editing.
Client
Brother USA, a century-old leader in high-quality printers, printing supplies, and label makers.
Duration
11 months from concept to launch.
Watch the case study video | 2:41
Overview
Challenge
Show benefits. Inspire loyalty.
Many third-party ink and toner refills beat Brother Genuine supplies on price, but they often compromise print quality or even damage machines. Brother USA needed an inventive way to build brand loyalty and showcase the importance of using Brother Genuine supplies. To meet this challenge, we went where our audience already was: TikTok.
Solution
Meet the Cartridge Family
We created a quirky, relatable sketch comedy mini-series featuring a cast of TikTok creators playing office archetypes. The campaign highlighted the reliability and benefits of Brother Genuine supplies while leaning into the humor of modern workplace culture.
Outcome
Humanizing the brand,
one laugh at a time
The campaign humanized the brand, tapped into trending conversations, and engaged Millennials where they spend their time online.
95.2% watch rate
257% increase in impressions to target
Overwhelmingly positive sentiment
Featured in AdAge, Muse by Clio, and MediaPost
Let’s get into it
Audience
Modern office workers, Millennials on TikTok
We focused on an audience of Millennials who are decision-makers in the workplace and active consumers of short-form, entertaining content.
Ideation
Authentic humor through relatable characters
To connect authentically with this audience, we cast TikTok creators instead of traditional actors. This approach allowed us to tap into creators’ existing audiences and bring a sense of familiarity and humor to the campaign. Workplace humor, a consistent trend on TikTok, informed our scripting and character development.
Celia: The silent assassin with sharp, simple insights.
Marcus: The team cheerleader whose charm compensates for his lack of judgment.
Yelena: The attention seeker who will do anything for a win.
Barb: The fearless leader who loves order, rules, and productivity.
Final recommendation
The Cartridge Family campaign included several components to reach and engage the audience:
1. Sketch comedy mini-series
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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
Reflections
The Cartridge Family campaign successfully bridged the gap between a legacy brand and a younger, digital-native audience. By leaning into humor, authenticity, and platform-specific strategies, Brother USA connected with Millennials in a way that felt genuine and memorable.