Who: CIBC, with Juniper Park\TBWA for strategy and creative, OPC for production, and MediaCom for media.
What: “Let’s Find Your Way,” a new campaign about CIBC’s mortgage offerings. It uses the “Ambitions Made Real” tagline launched last September, but with a small twist.
When & Where: The campaign is live now, running across TV, out-of-home, and as online video on digital and social channels. Creative assets are all based on the anchor :60 video spot.
Why: CIBC launched the “Ambitions Made Real” brand platform to emphasize how it can help dreams come true, and hoping to connect with consumers in a “more modern human and emotionally relatable way,” said senior vice-president of brand and marketing, Tammy Sadinsky, when the campaign launched.
“Let’s Find Your Way,” is about the emotional experience of buying a first home—something that feels like only a dream for many these days. “We know being able to afford your first home is a challenge, and with this spot we want to show Canadians that with the right CIBC help, this goal can be within reach,” said Esther Benzie, vice-president, marketing and client communications, in a release.
The campaign goal is to demonstrate that CIBC offers plans and solutions that can make buying a home a reality. “The messaging of ‘CIBC Mortgages. Let’s Find Your Way’ demonstrates how we will deliver on our tagline ‘Ambitions made real,'” said Benzie.
How: The 60-second spot shares the story of a young couple who love the home they’re renting, but have to leave because the homeowner wants to sell. But there’s a happy ending, thanks to a CIBC mortgage advisor who tells them they can buy the house themselves.
Earlier versions of “Ambitions Made Real” have featured characters literally passing through the new-ish CIBC logo, which has served as a portal to a new reality where their dreams come true. The diamond logo is there in the new ad, but only in the background—lighting up the happy couple when they get the good news from the advisor.
“It’s such a challenging time to buy a first home; we wanted to capture what people are feeling, while also reminding viewers that there’s a real person trying to help on the CIBC side,” said Paul Little, group creative director, Juniper Park\TBWA, in the release.
The goal was to create a “more human” and “un-glossed” ad, which led the agency to enlist Canadian director Miles Jay to create it. “We wanted to create a spot inspired by real client stories, and no director is better at bringing these stories to life than Miles,” said Little. ”We knew he would bring honest emotions, beautiful storytelling and do it in a way that doesn’t feel like a typical bank ad.”
And we quote: “As I watch my peers struggle to live up to the expectations of buying a home in early adulthood, I’m reminded of how isolating the journey can feel… Bank commercials have their own genre, and we all felt we wanted to avoid those tropes to make something that felt real; as real as the pressure to get a mortgage approval itself.” —director Miles Jay
