‘Every time you step in gum, a bubble gets its wings.’ This and other lighthearted messages are on offer from Telus, thanks to a four-week campaign that began with eight billboards each that went up in high-pedestrian-traffic spots in Vancouver and Toronto this week.

In the phoneco’s first foray into IVR marketing, one of its ubiquitous monkey mascots invites passersby to call 1-866-93 HAPPY to hear ‘a friendly thought.’ To up the CGC content, the messages (refreshed daily) also drive users to Telus.com. There, they can submit their own friendly thoughts, which Telus will forward to designated friends via text message. As well, cards encouraging consumers to call 1-866-93 HAPPY are being distributed at Telus retail locations across Canada.

Creative for the initiative was done by Taxi Toronto, while Media Experts, also Toronto-based, handled the media buys.