Rakuten Kobo, the popular e-reader brand, is bringing back its successful “Be a reader, not a follower” campaign for 2023, building upon last year’s triumph. With a touch of humour, Kobo has evolved the campaign into a brand platform, urging readers to embrace their “main character energy.” The campaign, as Ibbonline reported has been developed by Toronto agency ‘The Garden’. It celebrates the growing trend of individuals living their lives as if they are the heroes or protagonists of their grand plots.
At the heart of the campaign is a hero spot featuring a woman engrossed in an audiobook, a new feature offered through Kobo’s unlimited subscription packages. As she listens to a steamy romance novel during her morning commute, the spot playfully contrasts the audiobook’s storyline with real-life events. The “passenger car” in the book turns out to be a city bus, and the hunky man named Sebastian Steele, described as having a “body like a god,” is actually a bespectacled, slightly nerdy guy. When the two unexpectedly come together, the man finds himself holding the woman’s Kobo device, revealing that she’s been listening to a book titled “Bus Lust.”
The campaign encourages readers to embrace their book-induced fantasies, regardless of what others may think. Kobo takes a stand against those who judge people based on their book covers, urging readers to fully immerse themselves in the worlds they love, whether they’re spooky, fantastical, or even slightly smutty. Out-of-home ads playfully reference popular genres among Kobo subscribers, such as Sci-fi and Murder Mystery. Accompanied by headlines like “Consider your plot thickened” and “Give reality a fantasy check,” these ads feature pictures of readers who proudly embody their favourite genres.
To reach a broad audience, the campaign extends across various platforms. Contextually relevant audio ads will run on Spotify’s free tier and podcasts, while social media and display advertising will support the message. Additionally, a cinema takeover will feature the hero spot for six weeks, accompanied by digital boards, captivating audiences in theatres.
At the core of the campaign is Kobo’s belief that reading should be a pleasure. With its Kobo Plus subscription service, Kobo offers unlimited titles and genres, allowing readers to explore and enjoy a diverse range of books. The campaign aims to bring the joy of reading back to the center of the experience, eliminating the pressure to finish books that don’t resonate with readers and providing them with a wide array of options to indulge their reading passions.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
