Joy of Digital Award: Current Account Switch Service's 'Fish Whisperer'

“The Current Account Switch Service’s campaign takes a somewhat dull subject (apologies to anyone who works in finance), puts a funny spin on it, and encourages people to consider whether they really do have the right bank account. Unsurprisingly, I’m a huge fan of an ad that allows animals to flex their acting muscles”, explained Joy, IAB UK’s Chief Digital Cheerleader.

Joy has created the monthly award to celebrate campaigns that embody the joy of digital - harnessing digital channels in innovative ways to maximise creativity and demonstrating a dash of something extra special when it comes to the execution.

The Current Account Switch Service’s latest campaign features a young man endeavouring to teach his pet, Spike, to roll, sit and play dead, only for the audience to discover that Spike is, in fact, a goldfish, and perhaps a dog would have suited him more. 

Commenting on why the campaign stood out, Joy continued: “Engaging young adults in financial decision-making is a tall order, but House 337 and the7stars make it look easy. The AV execution lends a touch of joy to a serious topic. Combined with OOH, social, press, and a clever move to live stream workshops via ‘Learn to switch on Twitch’, it’s a cross-channel triumph. Congratulations to the team!”

The campaign, created by House 337 with media planning from the7stars, targets the 18-24 audience and underscores the importance of finding a current account which suits your needs - and when you do, knowing you can switch easily. As Ross Newton, Creative Director at House 337, puts it: “Financial admin is really dull, and no one ever wants to think about it. So we created a defiant goldfish with jowls, put a spiked collar on him, and gave him a thumping soundtrack.” You can read more about it via Creativebrief. 

The Joy of Digital Award is presented monthly - find out more about how Joy is helping advertisers rediscover the joy of digital here.

Check out The Current Account Switch Service’s ‘Fish Whisperer’ campaign on YouTube.