Consumer credit reporting brand Experian is hoping to reach a wide audience of renters with a new ad campaign that promotes Experian Boost, a tool that among other things allows renters to improve their credit scores with on-time rent payments.
“Most consumers already think rental payments are part of their credit score, and we wanted to make a big point of letting people know this is new and different,” said Steve Hartmann, Head of Integrated Marketing at Experian Consumer Services.
The spot stars actor/wrestler John Cena, who wakes up bright-eyed on the first day of the month, jumping out of bed with enthusiasm to pay rent. What a great day to boost your FICO score with your rent, Cena sings while dancing in the streets with others, explaining his excitement to pay the rent.
This is the third year of Experian’s partnership with Cena and all of the campaigns were created by their in-house creative agency, The Cooler.
The brand aims to boost brand awareness for this new feature of the Experian Boost product through this effort. The spot debuted during the NFL Divisional Playoff weekend and will run throughout the NFL Playoffs. Additionally, the company is running a cross-channel media blitz across broadcast, streaming and digital platforms, including cut down versions of the spot on Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.
The brand decided to sit out a Super Bowl buy for this campaign, but targeted the NFL Playoffs as a great place to use the spot to reach millions of consumers. Hartmann noted that the Super Bowl is a stage for new products and Experian Boost has been around for several years. The impetus for the campaign is the new innovation, in which on-time rent payments can help consumers boost their credit scores. “We launched the rent feature in the fall but this spot was so unique and eye-catching and when you see John Cena singing and dancing, I wanted to make sure we reached the largest possible audience,” said Hartmann. “So it will run during the NFL Playoffs, the AFC Championship game on Sunday, the NBA All-Star game and during March Madness on linear TV and streaming channels.”
The campaign is aimed at a wide audience, particularly renters, specifically those looking to improve their credit scores. “The way that the economic conditions are going right now, a lot of people are looking for help,” explained Hartmann. “The overarching goal of our consumer business is to help consumers in every facet of their financial lives and Experian Boost is a great place to start.”
