Alanis Morissette's breakthrough 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill” was one of the decade's biggest hits -- racking up Grammy wins and ultimately selling over 33 million copies globally.
Among the album's most recognizable hit songs, “Ironic” was released as its fourth single in early 1996, along with an iconic music video that went on to win three MTV Video Music Awards.
To promote its message on the importance of real-life connections and need for digital pauses -- and tie that in with its “US Mode” feature -- UScellular teamed up with Morissette and the Martin Agency.
The campaign focuses on the irony of messaging while tapping into deep-seated cultural nostalgia -- and highlights the importance of a cellular company promoting healthier digital habits.
“Once the team started talking about the ironic ways we all use our phones it was a pretty instantaneous connection to the song and to Alanis Morisette,” The Martin Agency Creative Director Elliot Nordstrom said in a statement.
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It's not surprising that the track would prove a desirable licensing target for marketers, but listeners would be hard-pressed to find it in an ad.
“The campaign was a personal one for Alanis. She has been constantly approached throughout the years with ideas playing on ‘Ironic’." But this was the first time she said yes,” Nordstrom added. “And it's because she truly believes in the mission. The spot even features Alanis' real family -- her husband Souleye and two of her children, Onyx and Winter.”
“Nostalgia has played a role in a lot of great campaigns in the marketplace today and came to mind for us given this song, and fit with the brand campaign and what we're dong [to promote healthier digital habits," UScellular CMO Eric Jagher told Marketing Daily, adding that the company felt it would be an "effective and thought provoking way to call out that technology is great, but sometimes can get in the way.”
Jagher added that the campaign encourages consumers to check out its “US Mode” for help with disconnecting, saying “it all fit in together.”
A nostalgic ad running across broadcast, digital and social channels in 15-, 30-, and 60-second versions is at the heart of the campaign, starring Morissette. It is filled with references to “Irony” and the music video accompanying its release as a single in 1996, which became an MTV staple.
The full 60-second version of the ad contains some 22 references to the song or video, which depicted different versions of the star interacting with each other, for which the brand and agency partnered with Morissette and her team.
At the beginning of the spot, Morissette passes a bride and groom who are both staring at their phones, as the bride shakes out her bouquet. “Our phones were made to hep us connect. Yet somehow they've made us less connected,” she says. “Which is ironic, don't ya think?”
Jagher told Marketing Daily that the ad has already met with a positive response online, with over 500 comments on the brand’s Instagram, including multiple commenters mentioning returning to the video repeatedly to catch references they missed on initial viewing.
Supporting campaign elements include social media, radio, and other paid media channels, as well as a promotional sweepstakes giving fans the opportunity to win a trip to see Morissette perform live on September 29 in Dana Point, CA on September 29.
UScellular claims the campaign is the brand’s largest yet. It builds off previous efforts centering messaging around digitally disconnecting, which were informed by consumer insights from a survey of 1,000 consumers conducted in partnership with PureSpectrum last November and early December. That survey found that nearly a third of consumers reported wanting to take an intentional break from their cell phones.
Jagher says the company will also partner with nonprofit Screen Sanity to help parents navigate their children's early relationship with technology.
The campaign is part of a long-term investment. “We were focused on turning ourselves into a challenger brand,” he said. “We explored different areas….[and] decided to stand for genuine connection, and stand against constant connection and divides.”
Jagher told Marketing Daily the brand would continue its commitment to promoting healthier digital habits going forward, well beyond this campaign. “We feel like we've found a differentiating point in the marketplace,” he said.