Challenge: People thought of QuickBooks as antiquated.

Since QuickBooks first emerged on the scene, the software business had undergone a revolution. Boxed software was out, the cloud was in. Business KPIs had shifted from acquisition to selling online subscriptions. And new app-based entrants meant fiercer competition than ever. We needed to create a different kind of relationship with our customers — one that could transcend the transactional nature of boxed software purchases.

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Insight: Small business owners trust each other more than anyone.

To survive in a changing segment, QuickBooks had to become synonymous with small business, not just “accounting.”

To do that, we tapped into a powerful human insight: small business owners are motivated not by mere profit but by a profound love for what they do. They’re already inundated with marketing from prospective vendors of all kinds. And they don’t need more of the same. What they’re really hungry for is to connect with, listen to and learn from those who “get it”: other small business owners.

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Solution: A platform of and for small business owners.

Rather than creating an ad campaign about QuickBooks, we created a movement giving voice to small business owners. A platform to share their insights with one another. We called it “Own It Everyday” as an homage to the dynamism of our audience.

To kick off the initiative, we set out across the country profiling those who “Own It” in their community. To keep interest at a fever pitch, we filmed and produced new content every day for a year.

The final result: A content series featuring hundreds of real, useful ideas for small businesses, from their fellow owners. All for the price of one lofty brand anthem video.