With the new year in mind, Wealthsimple launched its new national brand campaign, “The Futurists,” on Dec. 26. Shot in a documentary style inspired by How To With John Wilson – with Wilson himself voicing the hero spot – the series spotlights real Canadians and their visions for the future.

The campaign will run through mid-March across broadcast, digital, OOH and social. Longer-form placements, including 60- and 90-second spots, will be used in high-attention environments and around major cultural moments such as the recently completed world junior hockey championship, the Super Bowl, the Grammys and the Golden Globes.

The creative was developed in-house by Wealthsimple and media was handled by Mekanism. The commercials were directed by Wilson and produced by Peanut World Pictures, with OOH designed by The New Company.

Devin Friedman, chief content officer at Wealthsimple, tells strategy the spot is grounded in candid storytelling that reflects key themes from the fintech company’s research on modern investors – security, uncertainty, optimism, confidence and the future.

“Our long-term strategy has always been simple: Tell human stories about money,” Friedman says. “Rather than relying on industry norms, we focus on how people actually think about progress, control and the future. ‘The Futurists’ fits squarely within that strategy, helping us build trust and long-term relevance by showing up in a way that is honest and reflective of real financial life.”

Those industry norms include the tendency for financial advertising to rely on polished archetypes, simplified success stories and product-first messaging, Friedman adds. “People don’t think about money that way in real life. ‘The Futurists’ moves away from that by focusing on real people, unscripted moments and the uncertainty of the present moment. It reflects how people actually feel about the future and investing, not how the category has traditionally portrayed them.”

Wealthsimple has a history of creative advertising that intersects with cultural moments in ways that feel unexpected, Friedman adds. One example is the brand’s 2023 Grey Cup campaign featuring Martin Short. “That cultural integration has proven more effective for us than visibility alone, driving deeper connection and sustained brand impact over time,” Friedman explains.

The latest campaign was sparked by the insight that the future has never felt wilder, or closer, than it does right now, Friedman says. “Investing is ultimately about how we imagine what’s coming,” he says. “We’re seeing how people rethink their financial priorities more holistically, focusing on control, confidence and long-term progress amid uncertainty. ‘The Futurists’ reflects that reality, showing the human and deeply personal ways people imagine the future. By grounding the campaign in candid documentary-style storytelling, we connect with people where they are.”