Citi has built its entertainment program, Private Pass, from the ground up into one of the largest consumer-access platforms for any brand any where, at a time when many brands are trying to find ways to deepen and extend relationships with their customers.
In a week that it also rose on Interbrand’s Best Global Brands ranking, Citi is launching a campaign that relies on one of the biggest ways brands can connect with consumers—music—to create emotion and a visceral appeal to show how Citi products and services can help customers grow and progress.
“We really understood we needed to have a meaningful connection to customers,” Jennifer Breithaupt, Citi’s Global Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, told brandchannel. “That starts with a strong brand and requires a strong strategy—and really rewarding that experience.”
The US TV campaign debuted on Monday night with the first spot—“Twins” featuring Spencer Wiggins’ “Double Lovin”—popping up in the Monday Night Football NFL game on ESPN and in the season debut of The Voice on NBC.
In addition to running across TV networks with the line “Welcome what’s next,” the campaign will also run in cinemas before movies including Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It will also stretch across digital and social media and websites as well as be promoted in Citi bank branches.
Among the iconic songs Citi pairs with stunning visuals include Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain,” Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic” and the Pixies’ “Here Comes Your Man.”
The campaign is also global, debuting a new commercial with Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” in Hong Kong in August.
In tandem with Monday’s US launch, Citi is offering a four-month free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited when card members join using their Citi card.
We spoke with Breithaupt (right) about the new campaign and Citi’s research into and increasing involvement with music as a means to humanize the brand, create memorable moments and engage with consumers.
What do you think Citi did right in the past year that has elevated its brand and helped the company grow?
Aligning across the organization for what we wanted to stand for. And this campaign clearly defines what we stand for, the promise we make and the personality we want to convey. It’s definitely the right thing.
It’s one of the largest consumer music platforms in the world. We’ve had that program for several years. What we wanted to do here is take music and link it to this campaign. Not only is it one of the most powerful tools that brands can use, it’s the universal language. We can reach a broad swath of consumers.
How do you differentiate Citi’s music efforts, given that so many brands are attempting to use music to create emotional connections?
If you think about the Citi brand unlocking all these moments for consumers, we have a lot of background in it so we know the emotive power of music is really second to none.
We launched some research in September that found that more than 40% of people we surveyed said that a picture is mostly likely to have them have a physical reaction, but a song was second with 31%. And an impressive 80% said they’re more likely to remember and pay attention to a commercial that has great music in it. Music has stopping power.
You helped build Citi Private Pass, which is very music-focused. What insights did Private Pass give you into the importance of music to engaging customers and creating emotional moments of connection?
Citi built our entertainment platform because the entertainment category is the sixth-largest in the US. It also allows Citi to differentiate itself. To have an ownership postion said something that we thought would be important for us as a brand.
Now we’re taking it one step further and linking what we’re doing more around being an emotive brand and strategy around creating moments wherever someone is on their financial journey and use of music to make them feel that.
Each of the six spots (features) a broad range of music that can reach a broad range of consumers. The common thread is that these are simple moments of joy for people and we’re Citi, enabling you to create those moments of joy.
What does your research tell you about why songs still matter? And do sponsorships connected to music, such as sponsoring the VR feed of the Global Citizen Festival last weekend, also matter?
They do matter. A diverse slate of music was important to us. Each one of these spots and songs has a different emotion attached to it. When you see the body of work you’ll see we tried to capture this throughout. Some classics, some new music, a really broad range of songs.
[With regards to VR], we’re the first brand airing shows throughout the US in VR. The Global Citizen Festival just took that one step further. In addition to that we have a relationship with Live Nation.
How else does Citi create empathy and engagement? Your chief brand officer, Dermot Boden, mentions “Stories of Progress” in an interview.
The idea is to be perceived as a modern bank that makes people feel good and optimistic about what comes next. This is to show our customers what progress can feel like, in small steps or giant leaps.
The campaign identifies those moments, which can be small or simple, and not just when you’re doing your biggest financial transaction. We’re just trying to shine a light on optimism and joy that comes from having a better relationship with money and a brand like Citi.
Get more insights in our Q&A series and suggest a Q&A via editor@brandchannel.com.
Subscribe to our e-newsletter for more.
The post The Power of Music: 5 Questions With Citi CMO Jennifer Breithaupt appeared first on brandchannel:.
Glen M. Enlow 