Quantum Fiber Internet is demonstrating the virtues of high-speed internet via the medium of the musical in five new spots from New Orleans agency PETERMAYER.
Directed by Park Pictures’ Terri Timely and set to original tracks from Walker Music, each film within the campaign, titled ‘Yay to You’, turns a simple insight into a joyful, offbeat, mini musical tribute to the people who make the internet great.
The timing of this brand platform launch was “strategic”, according to a Quantum Fiber spokesperson, speaking with LBB. Following the brand’s market expansion in June 2023 and the initial awareness campaign, ‘Your World, Unleashed’, Quantum Fiber’s next marketing priority was to deepen its relationship with customers. “It’s essential that they truly understand who we are and what we stand for – especially our unwavering commitment and genuine obsession with serving them,” says the spokesperson.
Quantum Fiber drew heavily on insights from ‘brand tracker’ studies, media analytics, and in-depth customer research to inform its brief to PETERMAYER. The data suggested it was high time the brand evolved its messaging to boost brand awareness. “Our goal was to ensure this next campaign embodied our commitment to putting customers at the centre of everything we do,” the brand says. “And, given our marketing resources are more limited compared to industry giants, we knew our campaign needed to make a big impact and set us apart from the familiar patterns of telco advertising.”
PETERMAYER’s approach to that challenge was to “hold up a mirror”, according to SVP, chief creative officer Dave Damman. “Not to us, but to you,” he adds. “A celebration and acknowledgement of all the amazing things people do when their world is unleashed with Quantum Fiber Internet. We set out to unlock the joy that Quantum Fiber brings when the internet is at its best, and you are in your happy place.”
Each spot takes the form of a mini musical celebration of five of the internet’s most prominent personas, such as pro streamers, smart device junkies, remote work all-stars, and high-profile creators. “We chose to keep them personal, and on a first name basis, so that adoration and sincerity shines through,” says Dave, explaining that the aim was to make each of them a “love song” – of sorts. “We wanted them to be memorable and entertaining. We wanted to be an internet that acts like the internet. We also chose different musical genres that would match the personality types of the users.”
The decision to match musical genres with the personalities of the featured users informed the lyric style and story. For instance, the king of streaming “begged to have a renaissance, medieval ballad that honoured his grace,” laughs Dave.
This was also key in the approach of Ian Kibbey and Corey Creasey (the duo behind Terri Timely) and the team at Walker Music. “The main thing we pushed for was to try different music styles that felt right for the story,” says Corey. “It seemed right to us that a guy who really loves his cat would be into something that sounded like Kraftwerk/synthy, for the iguana mama, she would be into a sort of tropical lounge vibe, and the Bruce spot talks about being a king, so medieval music felt right.”
PETERMAYER originally wrote the songs as 30-second love poems, before Walker set them to music using specific composers for certain genres. Corey and Ian then collaborated with the creative team at PETERMAYER on the visuals. “As the visuals changed the music adjusted too,” adds Ian. “It was a really fun process. Walker’s songs kept getting better and better, even when we threw a wrench in with a new scene that we needed a change in the lyrics for.”
While the genre varied from spot to spot, the team at Walker’s overarching goal was to create “really hook-y songs” that viewers would want to hear again and again.
“The combination of two wonderful on-camera troubadours and a distinctive conversational quality to the lyrics allowed each spot to feel connected while leaning into unique instrumentation and genre,” says the Walker team. “It's all about developing that thread which creates consistency! However, the array of genres helped to develop personality, and we attribute the robust style of each to the talented composers we were able to partner up with – a different writer for each to bring authenticity to every genre.”
Much of the whole campaign hinged on the singer’s musical performance, so finding the right performers was crucial. Corey and Ian, working with casting directors in Vancouver, found two actors “whose musical bona fides far exceeded” their wildest expectations. “They were so fun to work with and constantly helped us re-record versions throughout the shoot,” says Ian. “They brought more than we even hoped for to the shoot.”
“Just like everything else in advertising,” adds Corey, “it can’t be annoying, dull, or just plain dumb. Walker was amazing in avoiding all of that and worked hard at keeping them true to the campaign idea: love songs from Quantum Fiber Internet to you.”
In many ways, ‘Yay to You’ marks a creative leap not often seen in the telco space – one that Quantum Fiber embraced with intention. “We recognised that, in an industry flooded with similar messages, true differentiation was essential,” the Quantum Fiber spokesperson says. “Rather than echoing the usual self-promotional narratives, we saw an opportunity to genuinely celebrate our customers.”
That customer-first mindset has been central to Quantum Fiber’s broader brand strategy, and this campaign acts as its most expressive form yet, the brand says. “At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to genuine customer obsession. What better way to demonstrate that than by creating a campaign that feels like a love letter – one that celebrates the individuality and uniqueness of every person we serve?”
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