Told Ya!, Gen-Z Opps: Oura taps first creative AOR, launches campaign amid significant ad spend increase (Score 63)

App-connected wellness ring brand Oura concluded a review by naming Mischief its first-ever creative agency partner. In fact, the company is already up to mischief, having debuted its first campaign from the agency earlier in December. The campaign rolled out across connected TV (CTV), paid social and digital assets across brand channels and is "just the beginning of a larger brand campaign," according to the press release. The creative shows Americans how much sleep (more than 138m hours per user data) due to fretting over the recent election. Oura's rings can significantly improve users' sleeping habits.

We predicted an AOR appointment could come as a result of the $28m funding round the company secured in August since these funds could easily have allowed Oura the flexibility to work with an agency.

In November, the company also hired customer experience director Brad Barrish.

So far this year, Pathmatics estimates Oura earned 265.4m digital impressions via Facebook (77%), Instagram (9%), desktop display (8%), desktop video (5%) and mobile display (1%) ads. An approximate YTD spend of $1.9m reflects an exponential increase from the approximately $172.6k spent within the same 2019 timeframe. Oura allocated around $176.2k toward this channel last year, similarly up exponentially from the roughly $16.3k allocated in 2018.

Additionally, Magellan reports the company aired 62 podcast ads within the past year; it did not invest in this company within the year prior.

This sharp increase in digital ad spend, focus on Facebook ads and usage of podcast and CTV ads lead us to believe Oura is primarily targeting Gen-Z; to reach this audience, it may also invest in OTT. Sellers can still secure ad dollars here since the campaign is ongoing and will roll out more components over the next couple of months, of course Oura-ginating from Mischief.

Agency & martech readers - Reviews often follow one another closely, and considering this is Oura's first-ever creative agency partnership, its leaders are now clearly willing to outsource work. Reach out soon to secure potential media and/or digital analytcs work. Mischief also seems to be managing the company's social media.