The B.C. Securities Commission (BCSC) is offering British Columbians a real once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could help them with their finances.
If that sales pitch sounds somewhat familiar, it’s by design. In a new campaign, developed with AOR 123w, the government organization adapts the style of crypto influencers to inform its audience about how such individuals can, in fact, be scamming them – and reveal to the audience some of the more common forms of scams and how they work.
At the root of the campaign is the desire to teach investors – especially young investors who are often the target of scammers on platforms like TikTok – how to recognize a scam and protect themselves and their assets.
“Scammers are using the popularity and complexity of crypto assets to target vulnerable investors on social media,” explains Pamela McDonald, director of communications and education with the BCSC. “This can result in total losses and other devastating real-world consequences for investors.”
The campaign consists of three videos, all of which ape the look and feel of crypto influencer content, but very quickly switch tones from the typical high-energy hype influencers use to sell investors on big gains for themselves, to one that makes it clear about how the strategies they’re promoting are all about making themselves rich at the investor’s expense.
“We just played back the world that already exists online, minus a lot of the BS,” says Allan Topol, CD at 123w. “We’re not saying everyone is scamming you. We just want people to take an extra second and do a little extra research if they choose to invest in crypto.”
All three videos redirect viewers to a microsite that informs them about the most common characteristics of a crypto scam, and how investors can avoid being taken in by one. Along with the microsite, the campaign is supported through connected TV, digital audio, social and OOH.
“We want to help British Columbians protect themselves from fraud by learning to recognize the red flags of online crypto investment scams,” says McDonald. And, unfortunately – as the videos remind viewers – the scam is never this obvious.
The campaign is running in its first wave through to the end of April. Basis Technologies handled media.
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