Mekanism Advertising

Fiverr shifts focus from ‘doers’ to ‘connections’ in campaign from Mekanism

By Kyle O'Brien, Creative Works Editor

January 7, 2019 | 5 min read

Global freelance marketplace Fiverr has switched its focus in a new campaign designed to show the relationships and connections formed by its services.

Fiverr's 'Connections' campaign

Created with newly named agency of record, Mekanism, Fiverr’s multi-million-dollar ‘Connections’ campaign dives into the types of links made between community members on the Fiverr platform. Fiverr’s diverse community brings together people from over 190 countries, which means that every day, hundreds of thousands of new relationships are forged. The creative positions Fiverr at the intersection between business needs and freelancers who provide work solutions.

In a 45-second anthem spot, a split screen shows two people, a man and a woman, getting ready for their respective days. The voice over states: “Every few seconds, two people living separate lives discover they’re looking for the same thing – each other.” While that may sound like the start of a dating app ad, the two are then shown at their various businesses, with both trying to solve business problems, the action shared on each half screen. While the ad says that the two may never meet, they share a connection “by finding exactly what they were looking for.”

“Fiverr’s mission is to change how the world works together,” said Gali Arnon, chief marketing officer at Fiverr. "That is why our new campaign focuses on the authentic connections established on our platform; showcasing real interactions on our marketplace as well as imagery of real Fiverr community members. These people are at the forefront of this change, connecting and working with others from all over the world while advocating for us every day. Just as they’re advocating for us and helping us further our mission, it is our goal to always support and celebrate them.”

The ‘Connections’ theme is a change from the company’s ‘Doers’ focus by DCX, which came under fire for portraying freelancers as working long hours and struggling to stay above water.

Said Arnon to The Drum, regarding the shift to ‘Connections’: "We will always support and celebrate our community members; whether they are a freelancer providing services or a business owner and/or decision maker at a company completing a project. However, with this campaign, we wanted to take those two profiles and highlight the magical moments that take place between two strangers connecting to get a job done. 'In Doers We Trust' captured one person with a singular goal. 'Connections' captures the collaboration that takes place to achieve that goal."

The campaign includes long-form and short-form video for TV, social and online, as well as out-of-home and digital static executions. All campaign elements showcase the plethora of services available on the Fiverr platform, as well as the emotional sense of satisfaction felt when we accomplish something. Digital elements of ‘Connections’ will go live on a variety of social mediums including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube and experiential activations including interactive events and global partnerships will also support the campaign throughout the year.

"Fiverr was looking for a way to communicate the heart of their brand while highlighting the wide range of freelance services and benefits,” said David Horowitz, executive creative director at Mekanism. “We focused on the way in which Fiverr is changing the way the world works, bringing two people together from anywhere in the world to solve real business problems. By using a split screen technique, we could tell the story of the buyer and seller simultaneously, leading up to their inevitable connection through Fiverr. The seamless nature of their connection is what inspired the creative look, tone and language of all the campaign assets.”

Horowitz acknowledged that ‘Connections’ is not a complete departure from ‘Doers’, as it still contains Fiverr’s forward tone.

"Fiverr’s bold, disruptive attitude is reflective of its own community of buyers and sellers. Similar to the previous campaign, we focused on the human side of each transaction, not just the transaction itself. This time, however, we were able to go deeper into the ways in which the connection benefits the buyer, and how the particular skills of the seller delivers so much more than simply a 'gig'," he said.

For the OOH pieces of the campaign, which initially will launch in NYC and Chicago, the team sourced real Fiverr community members. People like Devonta White, a digital marketing manager from Brooklyn who has purchased a range of services from graphic design to video editing, or freelancer Darrent DeFreitas, a designer and 2D animator, are featured.

See the work by clicking on the Creative Works box below.