Wise seeks to be the preferred global money transfer app in Canada

Wise is launching its first campaign in Canada to position the brand as the go-to app for international money transfers.

The hero spot promotes Wise as “the app for doing things in other currencies,” and features a charismatic and active mother as she uses Wise to send money to her children and spend money around the world. The campaign highlights the advantages Wise offers Canadians by providing affordable and convenient ways to send, spend and manage their money in multiple currencies. It also focuses on the app’s promise of no hidden fees or exchange rate surcharges.

Iona Carter, VP of brand and marketing at Wise, tells strategy that the campaign reflects the humorous and confident tone the company has adopted to position the brand in other countries.

Wise came to Canada in 2016, five years after being founded in London, and its popularity has grown since then in the country, says Carter. However, the team wanted to further boost brand awareness and consideration. “This campaign represents a great opportunity for Wise to take root in Canada and meet the demand for affordable and transparent financial services,” Carter says.

For her, there is an increased demand for cost-effective and transparent financial offerings due to the current economic environment and the financial problems people are facing around the world. Particularly in Canada, where more affordable banking options have just begun to gain popularity, there is an even greater demand for alternative international financial options that put the customer first, she says.

“The availability of these services is also extremely limited, and traditional methods for making international payments are costly and complex for both people and businesses,” Carter notes. “We want Canadians to know that with Wise, it doesn’t have to be this way.”

Additionally, Canada’s diversified population, with people of many nationalities who are used to sending, spending and receiving money in various currencies on a regular basis, represents a huge opportunity to position the company, she adds.

Its target audience is Canadians between the ages of 26 and 60, with a balanced ratio of newcomers to Canadian-born. They also target people with strong ties to another country, including second or third generation immigrants. This demo is crucial to Wise’s business and marketing objectives, as they are likely to have international financial needs, whether for personal or business reasons. “By making inroads with this audience, Wise aims to position itself as the go-to solution for all cross-currency transactions, ultimately increasing its market share and brand loyalty in Canada,” says Carter.

The media plan includes a combination of radio, TV, YouTube and social media ads in Ontario and British Columbia to maximize its reach and engagement in the markets where the majority of its core audience resides.

London brand strategy and creative agency, BigSmall was behind the work, while Kingstar Media handled the media buying and National PR.