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Problem to Solve

Rakuten Kobo is the reigning champ of eReaders but their eBook subscription service, Kobo Plus, was stuck in second place next to their competitor, Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited. Backed by Bezos and bigger bucks, Kindle’s catalogue was packed full of buzzy bestsellers and celeb book club picks. However, a Kobo Plus subscription, unlocked an unlimited supply of erotic fiction, paranormal series, and true crime titles – not exactly the big hits that drive subscriptions.

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Solution

Instead of harping on what Kobo Plus didn’t have, we seized the opportunity to speak directly to readers who were dedicated to bingeable eBooks.

The “Be a reader, not a follower” campaign celebrates those who indulge in guilty pleasure genres, like paranormal, murder mystery and erotic fiction. Our hero spot, “Love, Luck & Clusterf*ck” (based on a real Kobo Plus eBook title), OOH, digital and social ads spoke to Kobo’s top genres and gave every reader  permission to be proud of what they love to binge. And with a 37% lift in brand awareness, 46% lift in purchase consideration, and the first ever year-over-year increase in both trials and paid subscriptions during the campaign period, our readers’ enthusiasm came through loud and clear.