30+ years after pioneering the online brokerage category, E*TRADE was struggling to break from a third-place position in consideration and in financial jeopardy.
Pinched between full-service advisory-based firms (targeting affluent investors) and emerging low-cost platforms, the brand set its sights on inspiring new-to-the-market to start trading with E*TRADE.
E*TRADE needed a big idea that toppled investment inertia, dramatically increased new accounts and reestablished the brand as a culturally aware challenger that had investors' backs.
While the financial category is surrounded with insincere messages of happiness and peace of mind, E*TRADE decided to acknowledge real-life financial frustrations head-on, and motivate consumers to turn their dissatisfaction into action.
"Don't Get Mad, Get E*TRADE" put their dissatisfaction with money front and center.
Just 10 weeks after the campaign launched, E*TRADE was already seeing historic growth in new accounts.
-Gross new accounts from July/August led to the highest growth rate since 2007.
-August was E*TRADE's highest-grossing new account month on record—ever.
E*TRADE'S CEO even took notice, crediting us with having played a critical role in their newfound success:
…Following the launch of the campaign, we have experienced a pronounced boost in key metrics relative to advertising awareness among our target market, prospect website visits and, most importantly, new account growth…we are getting our swagger back.
