FREE CREDIT SCORE
Everybody was familiar with the FreeCreditScore.com band. Everyone knew all the words to the catchy tunes, and anyone could tell you what service they were singing about. Experian had reveled in nine quarters of consecutive growth since the campaign began, and when Stephen Colbert quips the FCR guy is alongside the Obama girl as a culture icon, you know you're onto something. But then the ordinance was declared; to transition from FreeCreditReport.com to FreeCreditScore.com. Keep revenue pipeline open and freshen the foundation of the creative.
The old FCR band, though adored, weren't really musicians. In truth, the French-Canadian motley crew didn't even really speak English. To not only freshen up the creative but also to add some legitimacy to Experian and their enterprise we decided to take to the roads to find a real band and let America decide who that was going to be.
Bringing the consumer with us, we would find a new Freecreditscore.com band. Integrating them all along the way, they would help us sift through the hundreds of potential, talented music-makers out there to find the ONE band the could carry on the FreeCreditScore.com name.
> Role: Art Director ACD Copy: David Muhlenfeld
PHASE 1
The challenge: Inform people that FreeCreditReport.Com was changing its name to FreeCreditScore.Com.
The Idea: Have a national contest to find a new band. This time a real one that would give the brand credibility during the name change.
Site #1: After we auditioned over a hundred unsigned bands in NY, Chicago, and LA and opened up auditions to the web, the site aggregated the top four acts from each location based on youtube views. The setlist: cover one of five new freecreditscore.com songs making each video essentially a :30 second advertisement.
A FEW OF THE ONLINE SUBMISSIONS
PHASE 2
Site #2: Out of the thousand-plus musicians who participated, four bands made the finals. They shot national commercials urging people to visit freecreditscore.com to vote for their favorite. Bands reached out to fans on facebook, youtube and to blogs using a unique band search widget to garner votes. The played in the streets while local news outlets championed each bands cause. Millions of page views later we had a winner.
BUCKETS OF EARNED MEDIA
GOAT TEASES WINNER
THE WINNERS
VICTORIOUS SECRETS, A rock quintette from Detroit Michigan who auditioned online and worked their fan base harder than anyone. The new band became the new face of FreeCreditScore.Com and shot a national campaign. They were seen on late-night shows and joined the Fearless Friends Tour.
THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
OUT IN THE WORLD
LATE NIGHT
ON TOUR
Over 10,000 miles traveled, nine national spots, two unique websites, endless print, digital and radio, and the best 6 months of my life.