Outstanding, Recent Campaigns
What immediately comes to mind is Charles Schwab’s “Talk to Chuck” campaign. TV spots were used to introduce the campaign and printed advertising has been leveraged to reinforce the message. The graphical technique and copywriting used for the creative and message are what make this campaign stellar; allowing it to standout amongst Schwab’s competition. Videos of thought provoking, client testimonials were shot. The video footage was then animated using a blocky, avant-garde technique. The result was a seemingly realistic, attention grabbing, animated commercial that ended with the catch phrase “Talk to Chuck” as a call to action for financial services.
Business people talk about “getting it” all the time. When it comes to marketing and making an impact, however, few really do. Schwab is different and they have proved so by trusting in their agency and forging ahead with a campaign that breaks traditional, stogy, financial marketing trends. They have personified their brand and made it more personable/approachable by referring to it as “Chuck.” They have embraced alternative design mediums and techniques. More importantly, they understood how to leverage these mediums and techniques to set themselves apart— far apart— from their competitors. All the while, Schwab never forgot the message. It remains centralized throughout. In this economic climate, just as in any economic climate, all it takes to stand out is a strong, provocative message married to an appropriate, matching, graphical presence. If your company has the courage to utilize appropriate, alternative creative techniques (along with a strong message) your company will be the one setting the trend and the one the competition is forever referencing as a benchmark.