Campaign Concept

When we decided to launch a new brand campaign, we focused on the growing mainstream embrace of crypto. We knew that despite more investors considering the asset class, many are intimidated by getting started and selecting the right partner.

Our campaign concept is all about addressing that feeling, by bringing to life three idioms that commonly describe the experience of investing in crypto for the first time.

Investing in crypto can feel like… it’s rocket science.

As an investor, it doesn’t feel great to just jump on the bandwagon and get taken along for a ride. So don’t. Grayscale has been guiding investors on their crypto journeys for over a decade. We’ve navigated the ups and downs of crypto since almost the start of this asset class, so we deeply understand the complexities and nuances of its market.

Investing in crypto can feel like…you’re a fish out of water.

It’s easy to question whether crypto is right for you. And even if you get past the why invest in crypto, you might get stuck on the how. That’s okay! Grayscale has been helping investors get exposure to crypto for over a decade, and we’ll help you figure out the why and the how in a way that is tailored to your investment needs.

A recent Grayscale study found that 70% of investors surveyed expect to invest in crypto in the next year*. Many of those will be first-time investors. The goal, and hope, of this campaign is to speak directly to them.

There are a lot of ways to get into crypto. At Grayscale, we work hard to be your partner of choice whenever you take that first step, and the ones after.

Behind the Scenes

What were some concepts you discarded, before landing on ‘idioms’?

The best thing about creative ideation is where you start is never where you end up. The inspiration — the experience of investing in crypto — was always the same, but we had a lot of differing ideas on execution. We considered an “overheard” series, all about funny, relatable things you’ve heard about crypto. That turned into ‘confessions’, a more personal take on how different people get into crypto. This then evolved into metaphors that describe the experience of investing in crypto, which led us to idioms, which are just well-known metaphors.

The campaign is anchored by the commercial spots...is there a Grayscale ‘style’ to the spots?

We like to think so! If you’ve been a follower of Grayscale, you’ll know that we have a distinct approach to our spots. We tend to bring a lot of drama, it is cinematically shot, almost like a feature film, and we strive for a clear, witty tone.

You can catch our past commercial spots on our YouTube Channel.

How many days did it take to shoot?

It took four days to shoot all three spots. There were actually two night-shoots, one in the aquarium (because it is a working aquarium!), and the other in the ‘rocket laboratory’, which is actually a water treatment center turned museum that we created an entire set on.

What’s something unexpected about these spots?

There’s always more than meets the eye in our spots, and we hid a lot of Easter eggs in these. We felt it was important that we gave a nod to the crypto community and our crypto-native roots, so you’ll find a lot of references to crypto culture and phrases across all three spots. We hope someone takes the time to find them all!

Hint: moon, whale, and pothole.

Did you use AI as part of the production?

AI is a hot topic these days, and the answer is yes! We used AI extensively throughout the creative and production process to enhance speed, clarity, and decision-making. Early on, AI helped pressure-test our concepts and gather feedback from simulated audience profiles to refine the direction. We used tools like Midjourney, DALL·E, and Firefly to generate early storyboards, which later became animatics for internal testing and creative alignment. AI also supported shot list development by helping us evaluate whether we had sufficient coverage to allow for flexibility in the edit. There are other instances as well, but in all, AI made the process more efficient, more informed, and more thoughtful.

Where does the campaign live?

The goal from the outset was to produce a 360-degree marketing campaign across all channels. You can catch it on a billboard in Times Square, as you’re traveling through U.S. airports, listening to popular podcasts, while watching TV or streaming platforms, and across many websites. We hope you see it, like it, and remember it!

*Proprietary research, Grayscale Investments, survey of 1,202 investors ages 25-60 who are primary or shared investment decision-makers in the household, own a brokerage or investment account where Grayscale products can be purchased and have minimum $5K+ in investable assets (excluding real estate). Survey fielded March 29-April 11, 2025.