American Express launches new global brand platform in Australia via mcgarrybowen
Following the US launch in April, American Express has unveiled its new global brand platform in Australia – “Powerful Backing: Don’t Do Business / Don’t Live Life Without It” which underpins the company’s worldwide marketing and advertising activity.
The platform, originally created by mcgarrybowen, celebrates the new reality that life and business are increasingly interconnected, and the unique role American Express has in supporting people today.
The new American Express Brand platform was created by mcgarrybowen globally, localised by the Ogilvy network in partnership with Mindshare, with Ogilvy PR executing the respective paid and earned media campaign strategy. The advertising was orchestrated by renowned director Lance Accord, and the imagery was shot by award-winning photographer, Matthieu Young.
Says Naysla Edwards, vice president of brand and experiences, American Express: “As a global business with 168 years’ worth of experience, and 64 years in Australia, we’ve witnessed the transformation that’s occurred in the lives of our customers over this time. We’ve increasingly seen the lines between life and work blur and people living experience-rich, blended lives, moving effortlessly between work and play.
“As a company that’s built its legacy on the relationships we have with our customers, we want to show them that they can count on us to back them to live their best lives.”
The campaign reflects American Express’ diverse global business, which covers more than 112 million business and consumer Card Members, 18 million American Express accepting merchants, hundreds of acquirers and 120 bank partners that connect through the American Express Network across 130 countries.
Powerful Backing: Don’t Do Business / Don’t Live Life Without It
With the new Brand platform, American Express draws on its heritage of service, security and trust and modernises many elements of its brand iconography including refreshing the American Express Blue Box logo and visual identity and introducing a hand-drawn version of its famous Card design which will place American Express customers at its centre.
The 360-degree campaign delivers both consumer and business messages at scale, with a focus on communications channels that lie at the intersection of life and work. Advertising will feature in mobile, social platforms, podcasts, TV, cinema and outdoor, as well as many more high impact channels.
Backing Australian Music
Says Edwards: “In honour of our new Brand platform, we have announced a $1M investment in the Australian music scene in recognition of the fact that music is deeply entwined in the lives of our customers. With our work and personal lives becoming increasingly blended, music is the art-form that ties it all together – it’s the soundtrack to life and what better way to support Australians than to back something that they really enjoy.”
Open for applications from today, The American Express Music Backers Program seeks out businesses, venues and artists in the music industry in need of backing – whether that’s financial support, mentorship or tools to help them succeed – and connects music fans with extraordinary experiences to recognise and reward their passion. People can apply via: www.americanexpress.com.au/musicbackers
Iconic venue, Selina’s in Coogee has been named as the first recipient of The American Express Music Backers Program. Selina’s will host an intimate live music experience for music fans with international headliners, The Killers and local Australian music artist, Alex Cameron, tomorrow night (9 May 2018).
The work was created by mcgarrybowen, Pentagram, Ogilvy, Mindshare and Digitas. The advertising was directed by renowned director Lance Accord, and the photography was shot by award-winning photographer Matthieu Young.
15 Comments
Sorry, but this is actually terrible. Shame because the outdoor isn’t bad.
Sorry, but this is actually terrible. Shame because the outdoor isn’t bad.
Lame, been done before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YBtspm8j8M
“Powerful Backing: Don’t Do Business / Don’t Live Life Without It”
catchy
I yawned so hard that the top of my head fell off and now by bottom teeth are showing.
Thanks Amex.
Don’t Don’t Don’t – Very positive campaign!
oh dear, what a mess. leave off with the branding rubbish and make engaging spots you silly people.
blame the creatives. this is horrible. seriously, you could have fought for better.
guessing amex are as stiff and bland as they come for this kind of talent to shoot such a miserably bland corporate video.
I walked past the outdoor this morning and it was crook as guts. Clearly you made it.
wow i totally didn’t understand this
Must have had some serious cash to get that director on those scripts. Don’t PR it. You don’t have to PR things, people. FFS!
I just watched their new manifesto with the sound off.
Guess what was the only thing that stood out?
Karl Malden.
I believe mcgarrybowen prefer to be lower case to burnish their street cred.
Jay Chiat once asked how big can we get before we get bad.
You guys now know.
I actually like to American Express Music Backers Program attached to this but there is a serious Psychological error in this campaign spot. The entire program revolves around one single word (or two depending on your definition). What is the word?:
DON’T.
Take a look at the manifesto spot from 39 sec.
DON’T take on the world, ,
DON’T dream bigger,
DON’T double your business,
DON’T push your boundaries,
DON’T see the world,
DON’T get lost on purpose,
DON’t pay your vendors,
DON’T sit front row,
DON’T be your own boss,
and finally,
DON’T do business and
DON’T live life
forget adding the “without it” phrase to the end of each demand. What the listeners ear hears continually is the word DON’T. I’ll tell you what many listeners will physiologically take away from that regarding American Express; DON’T go near it.
This negative demand is completely at odds with the clients desire and will be a total fail regarding the desired message outcome.
It is a horrendous mistake from a campaign entity with either zero or very poor psychologically qualified input.
DON’T do it!!
Noticed all the names were very American. As in they were Germanic in origin. A smarter local agency would have changed names of their sample customers.