TriNet Group
Agency: DWA San Francisco Campaign: “Faux Startups” Launch date: April 2012 Creative credits: Media account managers: Joella Adair, Jasleen Kaur; creative agency: TDA_Boulder; creative directors: Jonathan Schoenberg, Thomas Dooley; art director: Haley Garyet; copywriter: Ryan Dean Waite; Flash designer: 14Four; account director: Christi Tucay; account manager: Erin Tracey; director-marketing campaigns: Ken Narita Why we liked it: Human resources outsourcing company TriNet targeted its audience of entrepreneurs by focusing on start-up communities in key locations with campaign creative about fictitious companies, such as linkedout (“Connect with people who fired you”). The marketer went so far as to dress up empty storefronts with signage for the faux companies, along with a message on the door of the “closed” business explaining that while “some startups are just destined for failure,” others can get help from a partner like TriNet. The marketer also targeted entrepreneurs in cafés and incubators, providing coffee-cup sleeves and free coffee days, and used signage such as elevator wraps. The risk with using fake companies in a campaign is that people will just keep walking, but in this case the creative was humorous enough to reel passersby in.
