• by Danielle Oster , Staff Writer, February 19, 2025

DEK: Cash App promoted its new customizable prepaid Visa debit card with an ad starring the star behind the number one hit single “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” directed by Jackson Tisi.

It’s not just candy brands -- as in Nerds’ Super Bowl ad -- turning to Shaboozey for their advertising efforts.

Last week, Cash App launched a campaign for its “Tortoise Card” starring the country musician, whose “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” spent some 19 weeks atop the Billboard Top 100 last year. The customizable prepaid Visa debit card is named after its “pearlescent black and brown tortoise shell pattern with gold detailing,” while the brand claims that each card is unique due to its customizability.

“There’s no question that Shaboozey is a ‘1 of 1’ artist, and he was a huge inspiration for this campaign,” Cash App CMO Catherine Ferdon said in a statement, “We wanted to celebrate self-expression and redefine what makes something feel timeless.”

In the spot, entitled “1 of 1,” Shaboozey travels back in time using the card, which appears to function as something of a trump card in an auction, allowing him to bring back a trophy signifying his musical success. The more fantastical elements of the cinematic spot make it a bit hard to follow, and it’s unclear if its customizable selling points will be clear to viewers (title aside). Shaboozey’s star power likely carries a certain cachet on its own, though, and the ad leans on luxury and style touchpoints which may also appeal to style-focused viewers.

In addition to the video, launched last week, Cash App has also supported the launch with a series of social media posts tapping into a similar vein stylistically.

The campaign comes on the heels of  an increased marketing push from Cash App parent company Block Inc. (formerly Square). Discussing Q3 earnings with investors last November, Block Inc. CFO Amrita Ahuja noted that the company planned to step up sales and marketing for both Square and Cash App "as we invest behind attractive unit economics in each business to drive growth into 2025.”

“For Cash App,” Ahuja added, “We're leaning into go-to-market spend to drive paycheck deposit activities in 2025 across performance marketing, brand awareness, and incentives,” while noting that the importance of the Cash App Card as the company’s  “largest gross profit revenue stream” and “primary driver of growth.”