GoDaddy Canada is finding that Toronto Raptor pitchmen continue to resonate with sports fans and non-fans alike.

It is continuing the baller-led efforts with “A Raptor Tale,” using Raptor alum Muggsy Bogues to re-emphasize the message that its services are easy to use for people specifically known for one type of endeavour and are looking to branch out.

In the newest spot, his grandkids cajole Bogues into selling his raptor-theme children’s book online, using GoDaddy to set up his website.

The book, “A Raptor Tale,” co-authored by Bogues and the GoDaddy team, is available to purchase online, with all net proceeds from the sale benefiting MLSE Foundation, which is focused on improving and empowering the lives of youth through sports and recreation.

Anne de Aragon, VP and country manager of GoDaddy Canada, says the storytelling theme was one it had in mind for the Raptors’ 25^th anniversary – when stories about the team’s history will be abundant – adding that it also made a former player like Bogues was a good fit for the campaign.

The web hosting company has been leveraging the team’s players in its ads over the past three years. De Aragon says the Raptors offer it access to a national, diverse fanbase with a heavy overlap with young entrepreneurs. But De Aragon says that while the brand’s intention for its 2017 hoops-themed “Itty Bitty Ballers” was to target sports fans, the players’ personalities in that and successive campaigns tested well, even with people unfamiliar with the team.

“We always want to bring a lighthearted flavour to our ads,” she says, but the brand also wants to emphasize that it is empathetic to the journey small business owners are on. Earlier this year, GoDaddy went beyond its Raptors partnership to put the focus not on starting a business, but on explaining how it can help small businesses evolve.

De Aragon says its consumer insights find that half of small businesses don’t have an online presence, and ease-of-use is a relatable theme. GoDaddy’s services are broad (including domain, hosting, security, website, marketing tools), and that its competitive advantage comes from 24/7 tech support, website builders, customization and offering a broad range of designs.

Campaign creative was led by Juniper Park\TBWA, with Wavemaker on media and North Strategic on PR.