Just ahead of Amazon’s Prime Day promotion, Etsy is aiming to gain exposure with a new campaign called “Shop Other Jeffs,” which encourages the public to shop from non-billionaire Jeffs rather than the one who founded Amazon.
In addition to highlighting the thousands of sellers on the platform named Jeff, Etsy has also released a line of merchandise and is shining the spotlight on the people selling on Etsy in general.
The campaign is a not-so-subtle shot at Amazon, and is a great example for other ecommerce brands to keep in mind when it comes to campaigns that are simple and funny, yet strategically effective.
Shop Other Jeffs
The promotion, which is creatively named “Shop Other Jeffs”, urges shoppers to support and shop from non-billionaire Jeffs, a subtle nudge to consider Etsy instead of the Jeff Bezos-founded Amazon.
Instead of just using the “Shop Other Jeffs” name for attention and exposure, it’s specifically highlighting people named Jeff on their platform. In fact, Etsy has said that over 5,000 Jeffs are selling on Etsy, and the company also adds that none of them are moguls, but makers instead.
In particular, the promotion page features Jeff Zabriskie, a woodworker who makes tables, shelves, and other items, Jeff Risinger, a creative who makes lamps, light fixtures, and chandeliers; and Jeff Brown, an artist who makes a wide range of pottery and ceramic products.
Of course, the company is also shining light on various other people who create items to sell on Etsy as part of the promotion, even if they’re not named Jeff.
In addition to the sellers themselves, this promotion also highlights a new merchandise line that features the “Shop Other Jeffs” slogan. It includes shirts, patches, keychains, hats, beanies, and more, and the pieces are all original and made in partnership with sellers to support non-billionaire makers.
The timing of this campaign that’s clearly referencing the world’s largest ecommerce platform wasn’t by accident, either, as it conveniently comes just a few days before Amazon is set to launch its massive Prime Day promotion.
The promotion by Etsy is rolling out now across broadcast TV, on paid social ads on YouTube and TikTok, and out-of-home activations in Washington DC, NYC, and Seattle.
A Funny Promotion, With Plenty of Strategy Behind It
While the promotion is certainly funny and is a clever idea to gain some exposure around Prime Day, plenty of thought and strategy likely went into it, as well. Many companies try to compete with their peers on things like better prices, more products, or reach, but Etsy took a different approach.
It tried to put those things on the back burner, and instead made its offering one that prioritizes human connection, backing small creators and sellers, and the good feeling that comes when you support an artist that’s living their dream.
If Etsy would’ve simply run a bland promotion that highlighted pricing and tried to beat Amazon on things like product variety, it might’ve fallen flat, because those are two areas that Amazon is hard to beat at.
While the link to Amazon and Prime Day was a solid hook that gets people interested and gave them a catchy slogan, this promotion is mainly about bringing people to the platform to support the “little guy” rather than throwing more money at the largest player in the space.
Our Take
A Great Example of a Brand Campaign That Other Sellers Should Take Note Of
While it remains to be seen how effective this campaign is for Etsy’s business or the creators on the platform, there’s no doubting that it’s a creative promotion that other sellers should take note of.
First, it highlights the importance of capturing a moment and joining a timely conversation. While this time of the year (at least in the ecommerce space) is often about Prime Day, Etsy found a way to involve itself in the conversation in a way that made sense.
Other brands should always be looking out for news, moments, or even memes that relate to their industry or products, which can then be used to join the conversation and expand their reach.
Also, the promotion did a great job at quickly and easily showing the value of Etsy vs. its competitors. It wasn’t trying to beat Amazon on pricing or anything like that, but instead highlight the value of the platform, which is the individual artists, creators, and sellers.
Lastly, it was simply a memorable promotion, slogan, and idea that people likely aren’t going to forget anytime soon.
