The "Jumping Through Hoops" campaign by Tangerine, created by Rethink and launched in Canada in 2023, addresses the frustrations customers commonly face when dealing with traditional banking processes. The brand proposition centers on simplifying finance by questioning unnecessary complexities—metaphorically represented as “hoops” that consumers feel forced to jump through. By highlighting how these hoops are taxing, cumbersome, and annoying, the campaign positions Tangerine as a challenger brand that offers a more streamlined, customer-friendly alternative. The underlying promise is that many conventional banking hurdles are avoidable, and Tangerine provides a better, easier way to manage finances without redundant obstacles.
Strategically, the campaign taps into a prevalent consumer insight: banking often feels overly complicated and bureaucratic, causing frustration and inefficiency. By dramatizing these “hoops” and encouraging the audience to question their necessity, the campaign speaks directly to customers weary of needless procedures. The creative approach leverages a performance-driven narrative, using the vivid metaphor of hoop-jumping to dramatize friction points in finance, making the problem both tangible and relatable. This invites viewers to reconsider their current banking experience and recognize Tangerine as a viable alternative positioned on simplification and user-centric innovation. The campaign’s lean structure—a single film asset—focuses on delivering this clear, thought-provoking message succinctly to a Canadian audience familiar with traditional banking frustrations. With modest engagement data, the campaign suggests early-stage awareness-building rooted in critical reflection rather than overt promotion.
FORMAT#3 SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM — Uses symbols or analogies to represent the problem instead of showing it literally.
This campaign clearly uses the creative device of symbolizing the problem: the “hoops” stand in as exaggerated, metaphorical obstacles representative of the needless frustrations and hurdles that consumers face in traditional banking experiences. The campaign introduction and metadata (e.g., “Hoop Dramatization. Do not attempt. It’s taxing, cumbersome, and frankly really annoying.”) directly indicate a dramatized, symbolic enactment instead of a literal problem or explicit product demonstration. There is no mention of a narrative arc, testimonial, celebrity, comparison, or user imagery. Instead, the core device is a vivid analogy—jumping through unnecessary hoops—symbolizing the hassle, positioning Tangerine as the brand who questions and removes such barriers. This firmly aligns with the SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM format, as the dramatized hoops serve to visually and conceptually communicate the everyday aggravations customers endure elsewhere, strongly supporting Tangerine’s positioning as a hassle-free alternative. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) – Positioned as Canada’s largest and most comprehensive bank, RBC emphasizes a full-service approach with a focus on innovation, digital banking solutions, and personalized wealth management services, appealing to both retail and affluent clients seeking stability and extensive product offerings.
2. TD Canada Trust – TD markets itself as a customer-centric bank with a strong emphasis on convenience, accessible branch networks, and robust digital platforms, targeting everyday consumers and businesses with a warm, approachable brand personality and easy banking solutions.
3. Scotiabank – Scotiabank differentiates through its global presence, catering to multicultural and international clients, offering a broad range of financial products alongside a commitment to innovation and community involvement, appealing to customers seeking both domestic and cross-border financial services.
4. BMO Bank of Montreal – BMO focuses on a blend of tradition and innovation, promoting a balanced portfolio of personal, commercial, and investment banking, with strong customer service and digital enhancements aimed at Canadian families and entrepreneurs.
5. CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) – CIBC positions itself as a forward-thinking and technology-driven bank, emphasizing simplification of banking through digital innovation, personalized advice, and wealth management, targeting tech-savvy consumers and businesses seeking integrated financial solutions.
Q: What is Jumping Through Hoops about?
A: Jumping Through Hoops is a 2023 campaign created for Tangerine by the agency Rethink and released in the Canadian market. The campaign centers on a film that dramatizes the frustrations of traditional banking by using the metaphor of physically jumping through hoops to represent unnecessary obstacles in financial services. By highlighting how these hurdles are taxing and cumbersome, the campaign positions Tangerine as a challenger brand committed to simplifying the banking experience. The creative execution is focused, with a single film asset designed to provoke reflection among Canadian consumers about the needless complexity of conventional banking.
Q: What creative device does Jumping Through Hoops use?
A: Jumping Through Hoops employs the Symbolize the Problem format, as classified by Clapboard's 12-format taxonomy. Instead of depicting literal banking frustrations, the campaign uses exaggerated, dramatized hoops as a metaphor for the needless barriers customers encounter in traditional financial services. This creative device makes the problem tangible and relatable, visually communicating the hassle and inefficiency that Tangerine seeks to eliminate. By relying on a vivid analogy rather than direct demonstration or testimonial, the campaign firmly aligns with Clapboard’s Symbolize the Problem format, reinforcing Tangerine’s positioning as a hassle-free alternative.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Jumping Through Hoops?
A: The campaign proposition for Jumping Through Hoops is that Tangerine challenges the status quo in Canadian banking by questioning and removing unnecessary complexities. The brand speaks directly to consumers frustrated by bureaucratic and outdated processes, promising a more streamlined, customer-friendly experience. By dramatizing the metaphorical hoops customers are forced to jump through, Tangerine positions itself as the alternative for those seeking simplicity and efficiency in managing their finances. This message is particularly resonant in a market where traditional banks are often associated with friction and inefficiency.
Q: How does Jumping Through Hoops rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Jumping Through Hoops holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 58/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as evaluated by Clapboard’s global ad archive. The campaign stands out for its metaphor-driven approach and its focus on challenging category conventions in Canadian banking.
Q: Who are the competitors in Tangerine's category?
A: In the Canadian banking and finance sector, Tangerine competes with major institutions including RBC, which is known for its comprehensive full-service offering and innovation focus; TD Canada Trust, which emphasizes customer-centric convenience and accessible digital platforms; Scotiabank, recognized for its global reach and multicultural client base; BMO Bank of Montreal, which blends tradition with digital enhancements for families and entrepreneurs; and CIBC, which positions itself as a technology-driven bank prioritizing digital simplification and integrated financial solutions. Each of these brands targets distinct segments while vying for leadership in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.
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