Faced with marketing challenges such as volatile fluctuations and environmental concerns, many cryptocurrency brands are seeking out celebrities to propel their services to the mainstream.
Their efforts have been mostly been tied to social media and digital channels, but Bitcoin ATM operator CoinFlip is bringing the trend to a new level with a national TV campaign featuring actor Neil Patrick Harris, known for his roles in "Doogie Howser, M.D.," "How I Met Your Mother" and "A Series of Unfortunate Events" as well as on Broadway.
A new spot called “So Flippin’ Easy” highlights the accessibility and ease of using CoinFlip’s network of 2,500 ATMs across 47 states which allow users to buy and sell nine different cryptocurrencies with cash. The campaign, the largest effort from the cryptocurrency brand so far, launches today on Harris’ 48th birthday. Spots ranging from six-seconds to 60-seconds will debut across TV, OTT, YouTube and social channels. TV spots will initially run in five markets: Chicago, Boston, Tampa, Denver and San Antonio.
In the 30-second version of the commercial, Harris holds up a $20 bill to an empty theater auditorium, no doubt a nod to how the pandemic has impacted Broadway shows. “The dollar bill just leveled up,” he says and points to the ATM. “I give you the future of commerce. An ATM that converts cash into crypto instantaneously.” He goes on to give a demonstration and ends with: “Crypto is cool.”
The campaign comes as more Americans begin investing in crypto and purchasing crypto-fueled NFTs, or non-fungible tokens. A May study from New York Digital Investment Group found that 46 million Americans, or 17% of the U.S. population, now own at least a share of Bitcoin.
CoinFlip did not reveal the exact ad spend placed behind the campaign, but says it reaches seven figures.