The Toronto Tool Library was originally opened in 2013 as a membership-based lending library for a variety of tools. Now that it has been in operation for several years now, the non-profit organization is raising awareness about its offerings with its first-ever advertising campaign.
In the span of just 17 seconds, 'Torch' tells the story of a woman using a torch to put the finishing touches on dessert. Other ads in the series show a child being bathed with a power washer and a scene from a child's birthday party where a nail gun is being used to shoot at a balloon dart board. Fuse Marketing Group, which was responsible for executing the campaign, describes: "Each depicts a humorous, tongue-in-cheek situation involving a tool and plays on the preposterousness of the tool’s availability for the situation."
In the past, the success of the sharing economy largely relies of word of mouth marketing, but it has become such a phenomenon that P2P services are now increasing its reach through more traditional advertising channels.
Lending Library Campaigns
The Toronto Tool Library Advertises It Has Tools for (Almost) Anything
Trend Themes
1. Tool Sharing Economy - Opportunity to disrupt the tool industry through peer-to-peer tool sharing services like the Toronto Tool Library.
2. Humorous Advertising - Opportunity to leverage humor and tongue-in-cheek storytelling for advertising campaigns in industries not typically associated with humor (like tool libraries).
3. Increased Reach of Sharing Economy - Opportunity to expand the reach of sharing economy services through more traditional advertising channels.
Industry Implications
1. Tool Rental - The tool rental industry can look to peer-to-peer sharing models for inspiration on how to better connect with their customers and gain a competitive edge.
2. Advertising - Advertising agencies can explore the use of humor and tongue-in-cheek storytelling to connect with audiences in industries not typically associated with humor (like tool libraries).
3. Sharing Economy - Other sharing economy industries can take note of the success of tools sharing models like the Toronto Tool Library and consider expanding their reach through more traditional advertising channels.