Until a few years ago, banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions presented themselves though black jackets, serious faces, and boring information that – let’s be honest – most of us wanted nothing to do with. Lately, however, we have seen that many financial brands have become aware of the latest trends, are listening to people, and have set out on a modern path: video marketing.
This assertion is by statistics, which show that last year the increase in the use of animated videos in this sector was up to 129% compared to 2019.
We selected several ads from around the world which we found fascinating because of the high-quality animated processing and the sophisticated messaging.
The joy of giving
Emirates NBD Bank is one of the largest banking groups in the Middle East. In 2018, it created this animated spot called "Give in to Giving" for World Love Day.
The spot uses beautiful storytelling that incorporates humorous situations, and it has been a success in several countries. The story presents the idea that devoting your time to someone else is very important and triggers a "positive chain reaction."
Through this film, the company's goal was to encourage people to be more open to becoming involved, thus contributing to the flourishing of social initiatives in their country. The campaign also presents the volunteer program Exchanger, which was created under the auspices of the bank.
The video communicates that giving and being involved makes the world a more beautiful place
Every second counts
Several thousand people die on the roads every day. The families of the survivors are left wondering what might have been if these senseless tragedies had not occurred. In honour of the victims of car accidents, Travelers has set up a powerful educational campaign to encourage drivers to be safer on the road.
The company began to work closely with victims' families and, using the magic of animation, presented the future that might have been. One such story is the following video entitled, "Tree House". The video presents the story of Howard Stein, who tragically died just a few months before his retirement due to the inattention of another driver. Howard loved working with wood and creating things. His daughter believes that he would have enjoyed teaching his granddaughter these skills, but sadly he was killed before she was born.
The characters are based on Howard and his family, and the story pays homage to him and his skill and passion as a woodworker. All these elements were used to create this moving video.
The imagined finished story of Howard Stein
The lizard brain that lives to spend
Have you ever spent money on something you don't need at all? Even worse, you might never have used the item after you bought it. Each time it happens you can’t believe that you did it again!
Well, the lizard brain is to blame!
This aspect of our brain and its effect on our behaviour is playfully and clearly described in a video campaign from the financial app Yolt. The spot uses funky, neon animations of the lizard brain present in each of us to demonstrate the destructive and compulsive habits with regards to spending money it is responsible for. Using neuroscience findings, the brand’s message is that its financial application allows us to regain complete control over our money and makes saving as easy as spending.
Using 3D animation, the psychedelic world controlled by the lizard brain is shown
Have a tissue to hand for the next video.
Let's banish the darkness of last year
Brazil's bank, Bradesco, created a highly emotive 3D animation last December that presents all the difficult moments and emotions we went through because of the 2020 pandemic. The spot presents a painful reality with honesty and subtlety.
The company has been trying to communicate positively for several years, so even in this sad spot it does not forget about responsible optimism. The glow generated by the fireflies represents the bank, and the spot invites all viewers to focus on the good in their lives and to shine again next year.
This emotional story calls for us to shine this year
Let's move from fireflies to bigger insects.
A bumblebee learning to fly
The best ads are usually released during the magical December season, so the next campaign in our selection is one from Christmas. This is a global campaign from the Erste Group, which the company launched in several European countries.
The video tells the story of the bumblebee Hanna, whose dream is to fly. The spot is based on the bumblebee paradox, which says that the flight of a bumblebee is not in accordance with the laws of physics. Despite her large body and small wings, which should make flight impossible, Hanna and her faithful partner finally manage to take off, thanks to the power of faith.
The goal of the global campaign was to sell the audience the message that, despite our failures and limitations, we should not give up or lose faith in ourselves. The campaign delighted us with its detailed 3D animation, from the character’s elaborate facial expressions to the textures of the fur. Judge for yourself:
A beautiful spot about self-belief and a little Christmas miracle
Supporting real families in real ways
The last example is a spot by the Argentinian brand Tarjeta Cencosud, which offers credit cards to lower- and middle-class families. Their touching animated spot follows the true story of Mariana and Matias, who decided to adopt a child. However, the situation took an unexpected turn: they took home not only one child, but her four siblings too.
The company presents itself in the spot as the supporter of the family in question and communicates the idea that family should come first. The video below is in Spanish but the English version can be found on this link.
A moving animated spot aimed at families
We hope you enjoyed our selection of ads from the financial industry. Let us know which spot you are most interested in. If you have any questions on the topic of video marketing, do not hesitate to contact us.
