• by Todd Wasserman , March 12, 2023

Cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase targets the seemingly unnecessary complexity of the financial system in a new spot entitled “It’s time to update the system.”

The ad, via Accenture Interactive, bolsters that claim by offering instances of craziness that we all encounter on a daily basis. “I’m just saying, you shouldn’t have to buy $10 worth of gum, if you just want 79 cents’ worth of gum,” says the announcer as a sign on a cash register reads, “$10 minimum on all credit card tabs.”

The ad then shows someone using an ATM and asks “Why do you get charged your money to take your money from your account?”

Another question is why it takes five days to make an overseas transfer -- “What are they using, a zeppelin?”

The ad uses those complaints to underscore its new tagline, “It’s time to update the system,” which is presumably what switching to cryptocurrencies will do.

The ad follows Coinbase’s 2022 Super Bowl ad, which featured a bouncing QR code against a black background.