This year has been tough on finances. People have become more conscious of the value they get from the things and the experiences that they spend their hard-earned money on. Financial prudence and literacy have become more than just a “nice-to-have”. They’ve become an imperative in people’s lives.
This was the foundation of a campaign for Emirates NBD, one of the leading banks in the UAE, by FP7 McCann MENAT Dubai.
It’s not a usual bank campaign. It doesn’t sell Emirates’ products and services like other banks do, every day in the UAE. It doesn’t talk to its customers from a lofty place. It doesn’t deliver heavy-handed educational content. The Wise Ones is a light-hearted tongue-in-cheek film series, telling stories that illustrate the benefits of its products and services in everyday lives through the lens of those who admire, envy or look up to the bank’s customers.
It’s a brave campaign. It is built on personal data. One can only imagine what it took to get this campaign up and running. It is though, backed, by a UAE study conducted in Q4 2019 about evolving consumer behaviour in which over 48% people stated that they are more willing to share their data and have their data used by a company, ethically, if it makes their life more rewarding and easier.
Here are some examples:
The neighbouring grandma who is a TikTok influencer thanks to The Wise Shopper – the one who shops and gets great deals with the U by EMAAR shopping credit card.
The young husband and wife who aspire to learn how to wield magic through their mobile like The Wise Sender – the one who sends money home, to his family, from his mobile, within 60 seconds, for free, at the best rates.
The little girl who cannot, for the life of her, figure out the secret behind The Wise Vacationer – her best friend whose family travels all the time and stays in hotel for free (not paying for a room) courtesy the Marriott Bonvoy Mastercard World Credit Card.
The neighbourhood housewife with a knife who envies her fit and healthy neighbour, The Wise Saver – the one who saves more by moving more with the unique Fitness Account.
The businessman who wonders how his colleague – The Wise Planner – is managing education as well as extracurricular activities for his kids in today’s time of pay cuts and tightening purse strings (Hint: He uses a 0% Installment Plan and pays school fees in monthly installments!).
And the young Arab fashionista who fangirls and positively desires the life of another woman she knows – The Wise Diner – who dines out at 5-star restaurants several times a week, with the Bon Appetit dining program that gives people 30% off across 2500 restaurants in the UAE.
The films have two distinct parts in terms of mood and look, distinguishing “The Others” from “The Wise Ones”. As the fans speak about the smart people they know, glimpses of those people are shown, and each film ends with a reveal: the bank’s real customers, the names of those real customers and the data around how they use an Emirates product to the fullest to make the most of life.
The soundtrack, The Wise Ones, is an original, composed for the series.
Within a week of the campaign going live, a correlation in the growth of its new customer base as well as development of its existing customer base became evident. The bank has even received compliments and appreciation from rival banks who have referred to the approach as “groundbreaking”, “brilliant marketing” and “setting the benchmark”.
Credits:
Client: Emirates NBD
Executive Vice President, Head of Group Marketing and Customer Experience: Vikram Krishna
Chief Marketing Officer: Moadh Bukhash
Vice President, Head of Business Marketing: Dominic Fernandes
Vice President, Group Media and Social: Mai Cheblak
Manager – Financial Literacy: Wajd Ghanem
Agency: FP7 McCann MENAT Dubai
Global Chief Digital Officer – McCann Worldgroup: Sean MacDonald
Regional Executive Creative Directors: Olly Robinson & Fouad Abdel Malak
Regional Head of Strategy: Tahaab Rais
Group Account Director: Vicky Kriplani
Art Director: Luan Dias de Almeida
Copywriter: Aliza Sdq
Strategist: Anna Sadykova
Global Digital Strategy Director – McCann Worldgroup: Serena May
Regional Digital Director: Anis Zantout
Account Managers: Riddhi Mayank & Aysar Joudeh
Senior Arabic Copywriter: Maher Dawah
Agency Producer: Joumana J. Haddad
Production Company: Dejavu
Director: Tahaab Rais
Executive Producer: Manasvi Gosalia
DOP: Bobby Dhillon
Head of Production: Pratixa Shah
Producer: Kavya Iyer
1st AD: Baris Cangokce
Production Co-ordinator: Karim Hamade
Music Composer: Joe Dickinson
Post-Production Producer: Mary Bou Akl
Editor: Rizwan Maple
Support Editor: Jayesh
Grading & Colourist: Dan Mitre @ Dan Mitre Media
