Fiverr Just Made a Whole Ad Campaign About Nothing

Would you pay your heard-earned money on … Nothing? That’s the faux brand at the center of a campaign dropping today from freelance marketplace Fiverr and Ostrich Studios.

Fast-paced spots trace Nothing’s rise from a fleeting notion into a global phenomenon that generates countless headlines and millions of sales.

We never learn what Nothing is or costs or does. Instead, it serves as a symbol for every business dream that could take off in a big way—with an assist from the Fiverr community, naturally.

The creative stems from research showing 60 percent of respondents never pursue their ideas due to lack of resources. Fiver maintains its members can provide such expertise, a point made in the :60 anthem through narration from actors portraying video editors, UX experts and content creators ostensibly engaged through the service.

Although it’s not spelled out in the spot, these actual Fiverr freelancers contributed to the campaign:

• DesignsbySaba supplied Nothing’s visual brand look and logo.
• Erman11 designed the T-shirts.
• SarahRoseAndrews created the minimalist illustrations and package designs.
• Joannaan created custom lettering and calligraphy.
• Petru_huja developed the Nothing video-game.
• yambostudio provided 3-D product animations.

The push represents a tonal change for Fiverr, which focused on real small businesses in ads last year. Here, however, the marketer adopts sitcom-style storytelling, evoking Seinfeld’s “nothing” ethos from a generation ago.

“The concept of ‘Brand Nothing’ stands in for any idea, product, service or business idea,” says Fiverr VP of brand management Duncan Bird. “You can take any idea and with the right freelance support and make it possible.”

“We know the concept is a bit abstract,” he concedes. “We want people to take a step back after seeing it and take a moment to think about it and watch it again. This is intended to spark a conversation and intrigue with the audience.”

“Something From Nothing” resembles AmEx’s amusing commercials that focus on fake SMBs and continues a recent category shift away from the intense small-business themes we’ve seen through Covid times. (Though more work in that well-mined vein will surely surface soon enough.)

“We want anyone with an idea to feel inspired to take the leap and do something to bring that idea to life,” says Bird. “Whether you need someone to help you with graphic design, merchandise designs, SEO optimization, video editing or other services, you can find the right Fiverr freelancer to take your idea to the next level.”

CREDITS

Fiverr
Gali Arnon, chief marketing officer
Duncan Bird, VP of brand marketing digital
Liron Smadja, senior director of global brand marketing
Matthew Clunan, senior director of global brand & digital marketing
Rebecca Fox, senior brand marketing manager
Nadav Barkan, head of design
Tal Moravkin, creative manager
Colin Miller, senior brand designer

OstrichCo | by The Network! – Agency
Patrick Scissons, creative
Christina Yu, creative
Devin McGregor, creative
Oli Handlos, creative
Julie Marsh, business lead
Natalia Winardi, producer

OstrichCo | by The Network! – Film Production 
Ostrich, director
Adam Marsden, director of photography
Ian Webb, executive producer
Sara Alfaro, head of production
Shannon Barnes, line producer
Paul Moyer, post & VFX producer
Mark Driver, colorist & VFX artist
David Fiorentio, online dditor
Joseph Murnaghan, technical director
Arvind Sond, VFX artist
Helen Thach, VFX artist
Sam Javanrouh, motion graphics artist
Shadi Didi, motion graphics artist
Erin McLaughlin, assistant post & VFX producer

Saints Editorial 
Tory Osler, executive producer
Ross Birchall, editor
Paula Hicks, assistant editor
Corinne Grans-Wood, assistant editor
Jake Heise, assistant editor

Eggplant Collective – Music & Audio 
Nicola Treadgold, executive producer
Adam Damelin, partner/producer
Nathan Handy, audio engineer
Nick Grimshaw, composer