It would first be helpful to explain Back Market and its mission. Back Market is the leading global marketplace (online and via app) that offers affordable/accessible pricing for quality devices – generally a more sustainable alternative to buying brand new tech. It aims to ignite global change for a more sustainable way of consuming technology – one that values the rebirth of technology and a longer device lifespan.
Big tech companies have tried to convince consumers that their high quality tech has an annual expiration date, in order to convince people to buy more -- leading to a tremendous volume of e-waste. As a Paris-based company and having become quite well-known in Europe, the American market is still discovering Back Market, along with the entire category of refurbished electronics. With its sights set to deepen its U.S. presence, Back Market launched the Tech Reborn campaign to share a message that refurbished devices from Back Market aren't 'good as new,' they are better--they are truly reborn.
The goals of the campaign were to grow general brand awareness, increase brand sentiment, and infiltrate the holiday shopping season to drive consumer purchases toward reborn technology versus brand new.
In order to tackle consumer shopping habits, especially in the US culture that is so deeply-rooted in consumption, and “NEW”, Back Market showcased the joy that refurbished tech can bring to humans and to the world around them, while keeping the delightfully irreverent Back Market tone of voice front and center. The Tech Reborn campaign was born – regionally in New York in November 2022 – to reach a new U.S. audience and particularly commuters mid-holiday season.
Back Market anchored the campaign around an original film to educate viewers about tech reborn called ‘The Monster’, to impress the severity of our tech consumption habits and urge change. The film gets back to the brand’s ultimate philosophy by trying to get us to do something we rarely have the chance to do – pause and think about the bigger picture. Using a combination of stop-motion animation and puppetry, the film follows a tireless, tech-creating monster and a young girl who sees his endless pursuit to feed our insatiable desire for new. He ends up creating a never-ending mountain of incrementally better tech at the peril of our pockets – and more importantly, our planet.
In the film, Back Market used a combination of stop-motion animation and puppetry to convey the severity of consumption and our consistent need for new. Director Johnny Kelly and the Nexus team used humor and charm throughout, while still bringing to life how the volume of consumption poses harm to our society and planet. This was particularly emblematic through the larger-than-life Monster, who is simultaneously emotive and comedic with his jelly-like legs and chaotic energy. Created with discarded charging cables, he is the embodiment of the disconnect we as a society currently face, and the opportunity for change.
The Tech Reborn campaign was also deployed OOH in New York City, featuring playful, animated insect, fruit, and floral characters coming to life as a nod to “rebirth.” These created a Digital Spectacular around Port Authority, a Station Domination in Union Square, and a Penn Digital Bulletin around Penn Station. Digitally, the team placed ‘The Monster’ ad in Premium Video Placements and Premium Social across the Youtube Masthead, Vevo, etc., as well as Digital TV on Hulu and Linear with broadcast moments including the Thanksgiving Day Parade and Christmas in Rockefeller Center among other holiday specials.
The team successfully increased its visibility in the NY metro area, as well as reached a lot of commuters through the OOH campaign and Union Square station domination. Some notable highlights include: Back Market’s YoY ‘Back Market’ searches overall in NY state reached +180% during the campaign, in comparison with its average US number at +42.8%; it greatly exceeded benchmarks on BLS for Awareness and Consideration on Youtube, TikTok, Spotify and Twitch; and despite a long format, Monster 60s and cTV led to a great VTR100%, here again exceeding benchmarks. Back Market is hopeful that viewers learned from all the film engagement. With the success of this campaign in NY, ‘The Monster’ will expand to the UK and Japan to educate international audiences as well.
