Barbed Wire Cuts through for Debt Solutions in Latest Farber Campaign

Grocery, housing, and cost of living prices have been skyrocketing across the country. Last year, almost half of Canadians experienced a rise in their debt. The pressure is overwhelming people, but much of the category marketing remains stuck in ignorable tropes that seem to lack understanding. Total consumer debt in Canada climbed to $2.32 trillion in mid-2022, an increase of 8.2% vs. 2021 and 24% vs. 2020.

There are solutions beyond bankruptcy available but 40% of people who are in debt never expect to escape it in their lifetime.

Farber Debt Solutions, in partnership with The Local Collective, developed a new campaign to bring attention to solutions available for those living with intense debt. Instead of the typical happy faces with unrealistic claim headlines, the industry typically leans to, Farber took a new strategic approach aligning with people living with the intense feelings that overwhelming debt can cause. The idea is based on a true understanding of the customer in the moment: when you’re in debt, everything looks different.

The new campaign is an attention-grabbing reflection of the fear of debt that confronts people all the time as they’re going about their lives. The campaign emphasises a customer first approach, understanding that even reaching for the handle of the fridge can be terrifying. “We wanted to create a way to stand out in the clutter of this category by showing we understand what it really feels like to be in debt. Every time the phone rings, every time you wait to see if your payment will be accepted at a store, when you are living on the edge financially, these mundane everyday moments feel extremely stressful and anxiety ridden.” said Matt Litzinger, founder, chief creative officer, TLC. “It’s a physical terror that grips people in all aspects of their lives. The fear is very real.”

For Farber, this empathy and understanding translates to personalised debt solutions. “This campaign is a bold step for debt solutions marketing, but it’s very true for us. We support real people, with real solutions. These aren’t just debt statistics. That compassion helps us deliver solutions that help people return to seeing things the way they did before they were in debt,” said Katherine Dimopoulos, director, brand marketing and communications, Farber.