2023 Winner

Given that people rarely switch banks, attracting new Canadians is a significant opportunity for Scotiabank to boost its market share. The bank’s StartRight program provides new Canadians with a selection of cost-free products for one year to help them settle into their new home. But in a marketplace with similar offerings, it needed to find a way to distinguish itself. Rethink helped create a heartfelt campaign to appeal to new Canadians. The “First Day” hero video features scenes of a new Canadian’s first day – riding a taxi from the airport to a new home, finding places to eat, figuring out what to cook and choosing a bank advisor – while a voiceover from current day speaks to all the advice he would have given himself. The video aired on TV, cinema and online, and was supported by digital, social and OOH assets. The campaign successfully increased Scotiabank’s market share to 18% and website traffic increased by 276%. The call and online bookings for StartRight appointments were 82% higher than the previous year, with a 42% growth in account openings. Beyond the metrics, Scotiabank also earned recognition for its empathy and for tapping into the shared experiences and learnings of new Canadians.

Credits

Client: Scotiabank
CCO: Aaron Starkman
CSO: Sean McDonald
ECD: Mike Dubrick
Creative Directors: Dhaval Bhatt
Art Director: Kennedy Choi
Writer: Jenai Kershaw
French Writer: Julie-Day Lebel, Karine Doucet
Group Strategy Director: Crystal Sales
Strategist (Mandatory): Colin Kikcio
Associate Director of Broadcast Production: Nadya MacNeil
Broadcast Producer: Shannon Farrell
Integrated Producer: Teresa Bayley
Agency Studio Artist: Justin Chan, Todd Bennett, Brad Kumar, Stephanie Sherwood
Retouching: Nabil Elsaadi
Production Company: Steam Films
Director: James Michael Chiang
Director of Photography: Goh Iromoto
Line Producer: Dolores Salken
Executive Producer: Jill Brennan
Edit House: Nimiopere
Editor: Raj Ramnauth
Assistant Editor: Hannah Stone
Executive Producer: Julie Axell
Producer: Paula Hicks
Colour House: Alter Ego
Colourist: Eric Whipp
Online House: Darling
Online Artist: Alexa Salsberg
Online Assistant: Russell Hanson
Audio House: Grayson Music
Executive Producer: Kelly McCluskey
Music and Voice Director: Ali Willa-Milner
Engineer: Vladimir Nikolic

Account Services:
Group Account Director: Niki Sahni & Sarah Riedlinger
Account Director: Michelle Corsbie
Account Director: Catherine Blouin-Mainville
Account Manager: Kara Schulz
Account Manager: Geraldine Sebastian

PR:
Strategic Communications Lead: Meredith Montgomery

Client:
Global Chief Marketing Officer: Laura Curtis Ferrera
Vice President Marketing - Canadian Banking, Scotiabank & Tangerine: John Rocco
Director, Customer Marketing: Erin McGrath
Senior Manager, Marketing: Laurence Turner

Media Company - PHD Media