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Ally Financial is reviving its “Banksgiving” campaign, in which its call center associates hand out no-strings-attached funds to customers to help them overcome personal financial challenges.
The Thankgiving initiative was originally launched in 2018. It quickly went viral with a moving video that showed the bank’s employees granting customers’ wishes. The push ran again in 2019.
Now, after a four-year hiatus, chief marketing officer (CMO) Andrea Brimmer is reviving it with help from creative agency Anomaly.
“The success of the [original] campaign, both in terms of how well it resonated externally, but also in terms of the pride it created internally, has been something we have wanted to recapture for a while,” she told ADWEEK, saying now was the “perfect” time to reclaim the platform.
This time around, “Banksgiving” will launch with a social-first video strategy on TikTok and Instagram, followed by a CTV rollout leading into the Thanksgiving and Giving Tuesday holidays.
The hero film shows real phone calls between Ally employees and customers. At the end, people on the other end of the line are surprised during a mock end-of-call survey where they are offered money to pay for something meaningful. Surprises include funds for everything from a family vacation to kids’ swim lessons, the first and last month’s rent for a new apartment, and Thanksgiving dinner.
“We know that these everyday human interactions are the core of our business. This campaign is a beautiful way to celebrate that special connection, and also to thank our customers in a very unique and unexpected way at a time when we should be giving thanks,” explained Brimmer.
A TikTok Thanksgiving play
The social heavy media strategy is rooted in being present and helpful in places where consumers spend their time, said Brimmer.
Per TikTok data, there’s been a 373% rise in financial content on the app over the last 12 months. 70% of users have indicated that financial topics are important, and more than 80% are taking action based on advice from the #FinTok community.
“We know the audience on TikTok is actively looking for financial advice and education, so we continue to build our audience there,” she noted. “We see Ally as an authentic and credible voice on this platform where there is a lot of financial information with varying degrees of accuracy. “
Under Brimmer, Ally’s marketing has focused on cementing trust and driving an emotional connection between the online-only bank and its customers.
Equity has also been a huge focus. In 2022, the bank pledged to spend an equal amount of advertising dollars with men’s and women’s sports leagues in the next five years. It’s expected to reach that milestone early by the end of 2024 thanks to partnerships with the likes of the National Women’s Soccer League.