This communications idea is was inspired by the "first world problems" (FWPs) internet meme, and features images of businesspeople who appear to be under extreme duress and/or aggravation, juxtaposed with humorous, tongue-in-cheek copy that grabs the viewer and instantly piques their attention.  Though the individuals seem to be in great anguish, their problems turn out to be quite trivial once the headline is read.  So why do these people fret over superficial things?  Because they can.  There's no need to worry about the mission-critical transaction and integration services that make their businesses run -- GXS has it covered.  

The campaign capitalizes on on GXS's reputation for reliability and ubiquity, driving the message, "we've got you covered; you can trust us; let us worry about the details" -- and moves the GXS brand forward at the same time by contemporizing and distinguishing its position.  Fresh references to social media, mobile apps, and modern office culture, as well as an overall lighthearted, fun, and perhaps irreverent style tacitly shifts audience perception away from "old tech provider" to something more modern and memorable. It is also creates a persona for GXS that stands out among competitors in the B2B tech sector that have traditionally relied on somber, pragmatic messaging and standard imagery of globes / maps, cityscapes, buildings, satellites, cables, and so forth in their advertising.

In execution, this campaign could utilize stock business photos, as shown in the concept, or GXS could create a single goofball FWP personification that is used as the lead character in all of the advertisements and activations -- similar to the Geico Gecko, Flo from Progressive Insurance, or the shouting AFLAC duck.

I hope you enjoy this idea!  Photography is from Corbis Images for comping purposes only.


ADDENDUM - here's the body copy, in case you have trouble reading it from the comps:
Data integration between businesses is essential to both growth and bottom-line performance, but it is complex and costly to implement and maintain. That's why over 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies trust GXS Trading Grid® technology to deliver their mission-critical B2B transactions every day -- securely, accurately, and on-time.

So, get on the grid and leave the details to us... because you have more important problems to take care of.