Blackjet used memorable and colourful design to communicate how insurance provider Onlia is super simple to use through an integrated brand campaign.
Rob Galletta keeps his eye on the destination. And it’s that focus that helped him realize that marketers have lost the plot.
“CMO tenure is getting shorter and shorter, and when compared to finance or R&D departments marketing as a practice is becoming a lower priority in corporate cultures,” says Galletta, the CEO of Blackjet Inc.
Canadian coffee roaster Reunion got a sleek modern rebrand designed to connect with discerning caffeine lovers.
What’s causing this decline? “The world has become infatuated with purpose,” Galletta says. “We’ve become so obsessed with purpose-led marketing, we’ve lost sight of the fact that there’s an overarching business goal – or what we call a destination, a place we want to get to – whether that’s market-share driven, revenue-driven or some other basic goal of a business that allows it to function, generate revenue, and do other things that are purpose-led.“
Enter Blackjet. Headquartered in Toronto, with satellite offices in Chicago and London, UK, the 15-year-old agency describes itself as a “strategically led brand and business consultancy backed by a creative studio.”
Working with the most senior leaders possible is the key to a successful strategy, Galletta says. “The best types of engagements we have bring all the decision-makers to the table, so that we can make sure we’re on the same page before we go somewhere.”
There’s plenty to see in Japan, and a new campaign for Tourism Japan highlights how easy it is to get there.
Keeping the C-suite out of the loop on marketing and brand efforts, “is what leads to a disdain or negative attitude towards marketing. That’s when they start to treat it as an expense, rather than an investment,” he says.
The approach seems to work, and the agency counts Tourism Japan, dairy cooperative Gay Lea and real estate trust RioCan among its clientele. And its “destination” focused strategy has made it a particularly appealing agency for organizations looking at expansion.
He points to work with Onlia – a startup tech-based insurance company that was trying to make inroads in Canada.
Gay Lea is a household name, but a new campaign was designed to showcase the emotional moments its dairy products enables.
Launched towards the end of the last decade, Onlia an insurance disruptor, initially set its sights on captivating the younger millennial market in Ontario with a safety-centric brand platform. However, the onset of the pandemic reshaped the meaning of ‘safety,’ leaving Onlia’s message struggling to break through the noise.
When we won the business, the brand’s challenge was crystal clear: forge a new connection between the insurance category and Onlia. Winning the business, Blackjet set out to tackle the client’s dilemma with a simple yet powerful message – “Go Online with Onlia.” This wasn’t just a brand statement; it was a rallying cry, urging consumers to embrace a paradigm shift from traditional insurance models to the convenience of direct online purchases.
The target demographic shifted to older millennials and Gen Xers, while the safety-themed brand messaging was shifted in favour of showcasing the ease of use in buying insurance and making claims online.
“Fast-forward a year later, and the campaign has led to incredible growth,” Galletta says.
The consultancy went old school to launch the new artisanal Cicchetto liqueur line, taking inspiration from vintage liquor brands.
And, as it continues to help clients grow, Blackjet is also focused on its own expansion, with the goal of more than doubling in size by 2026 through both organic growth and acquisition. In January, Blackjet acquired Toronto-based shopper marketing firm Spider, and Galletta has a short list of other disciplines and potential lines of business that he’ll target to fuel Blackjet’s growth over the next few years.
In October, Adam Thur, former ECD at DDB Canada, joined the agency in the same role, responsible for managing the group’s creative teams. His appointment capped off rapid talent expansion over the past two years, which has included Sonja Davies as VP of content and digital; Ali Dalfen as VP and group account director; Jordan Minnaar as VP client services; and former FCB president and CEO Paul Mead, who is helping lead growth efforts.
To connect window-maker Jeld-Wen with broader consumers, Blackjet enlisted a ferocious wintery Viking to showcase how the windows keep the cold invaders out.
“What we’re hearing from our clients is that they really don’t want to deal with generalists; it’s really hard to put a team in front of a client and tell them that they’re good at everything,” he says. “The world doesn’t need another integrated agency, so we’ve decided to build specialist teams and allow our clients direct access to strategy, content creation, digital production, shopper and creative expertise. We [want to] help businesses get to their destination faster, with the least amount of turbulence.”
CONTACT:
Robert Galletta
Chief executive officer
rgalletta@blackjet.ca
The Indie List 2024:
Zulu Alpha Kilo: Fighting ‘sameness’ since 2008
M&H: Maximizing creative velocity
Show and Tell: Unleashing the power of fusion
LG2: Building long-term relationships
Brandish: Help brands pursue relevance
Central Station: Create things that move people
123W: Design that makes consumers care
