• by Larissa Faw , October 15, 2014

Whether it's betting this month's rent money at casinos or buying yet another lawnmower, men have a remarkable ability to whittle away money. Now, J.P. Wiser's Whiskey, the alcohol brand owned by Corby Spirit and Wine, is introducing "The Wiserfund," a campaign that celebrates unwise financial decisions by giving away real money.

Developed by Toronto shop, John St, in partnership with digital shop Jam3 and production company, OPC FamilyStyle, the tongue-in-cheek campaign runs in Canada across social media through both paid and nonpaid efforts. While this effort is Canada specific -- in that only Canadians can enter the contest and win the money and TV is running only in Canadian markets -- anyone can access the videos online and view the participation on Facebook.

Over the next six months, the campaign will roll out several online videos and TV spots that tell the story of men that faced compromise and how the Wiserfund helped them evade inevitable discomfort and embarrassment. The tagline is "Say no to compromise. Say yes to money."

All awareness is designed to drive fans to the Facebook app or wiserfund.ca.

Men apply for funding via Facebook and a jury of judges will evaluate submissions, identify those men most in need, and then send them a check in the mail along with a suggestion on how to spend the money wisely to get out of their sticky situation. 

“I love that we’re walking the walk with this idea, and actually helping guys avoid compromise in their lives. It’s real. It’s more than just an ad,” says Angus Tucker, ECD at John St.

While the brand is known for its lighthearted and quirky "Wiserhood" campaigns, this concept is designed to expand the brand to more diverse -- though primarily male -- demographics. “We’ve always received a positive response on the Wiserhood campaign and now are really excited to give back to our consumers in a way that makes sense coming from the brand. We see the Wiserfund as an approach to really connect with them, and make J.P. Wiser’s more accessible to a wider audience of whisky drinkers,” said Laura Bruce, senior brand manager, Corby Spirit and Wine.

John St has been working with Corby for six years. The agency brought on Jam3 to help with the campaign's concept and build the campaign and experience, and OPC FamilyStyle to produce the videos and TV.