BRAND MANIFESTO

Joe Eiden / Creative Direction & Marketing

BRAND MANIFESTO

For a brand that’s widely known for celebrity and product driven ads, my partner and I created a video to demonstrate what brand marketing could look like for Capital One on a more human centric level. Based on the understanding that people everywhere are trying in many aspects of life, so too are we as a bank. Trying to reinvent not only ourselves, but an entire industry that’s commonly distrusted by the average consumer.

Instead of objectives and approaches (which in most work I typically lay out for you) I’d like to “show the work” so to speak. By that I mean the intent of shots and their desired effect when paired with the voice over script. Hopefully this demonstrates the depth of thinking and intention that went into this manifesto video long before production came into play.

Writer: Rexanna McCubbin

The opening should establish the feeling of energy and potential that the manifesto represents. It should also establish the bigness of the insight.

OPEN ON MACRO SHOTS OF THE MORNING HUSTLE AND BUSTLE. WE SEE SNAP SHOTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD – INDIA, CHINA, WYOMING, NYC, ETC.

VO: All over the world, at this very instant...

These shots maintain that beginning sense of energy but shift to focus more on the individual stories and everyday activities.

CUT TO A MICRO SHOT OF A HAND HITTING THE “UP” BUTTON ON AN ELEVATOR. IT LIGHTS UP. WE SEE FEET ON STAIRS, A FOOD TRUCK HAND-OFF (with product appearance), SOMEONE FUTZING WITH A GPS.

VO: ...people are trying.

We’ll begin to move into all-day moments that span a large range of “bigness.” Each one will feel human, real and relatable. This line in particular, and the shots that go with it, exhibit the broad range of “efforts” or “tries” we’re trying to represent.

CUT TO SEVERAL SHOTS OF A WOMAN TRYING SEVERAL HAIR-DOS BEFORE SETTLING ON ONE. CUT TO A DAD SERVING BREAKFAST TO 5 KIDS AT A TABLE WITH ONE HAND WHILE HE TUCKS HIS SHIRT IN WITH THE OTHER HAND.

VO: They’re trying all sorts of things.

These shots represent people bravely moving outside their comfort zone.

CUT TO SOMEONE SITTING IN THE MOVIES ALONE, EATING POPCORN INTENTLY. SOMEONE SPEAKING ANOTHER LANGUAGE UNSURELY. A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN WALKING INTO A YOGA CLASS WITH FIT YOUNG GIRLS IN IT.

VO: New things.

These shots will represent things that we all try to be better at doing. Some of them are personal growth related and some are just things we all want to do more of.

CUT TO A MAN ON A PLANE AFTER IT HAS LANDED AND EVERYONE IS STANDING UP CROWDING HIS PERSONAL SPACE. HE TAKES A DEEP BREATH AND SMILES TO HIMSELF. CUT TO SOMEONE MAKING THEIR BED. SOMEONE SCRATCHING OFF A TO-DO ON THEIR TO-DOS

VO: Being better at old things

This shot(s) will represent the big things in life. But not the things we typically see. We’ll try to find something fresh that represents “bigness”. In the example below, it’s kids being introduced to music and we can sense how this introduction will shape their lives.

CUT TO A GROUP OF YOUNG KIDS PLAYING INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE MUCH LARGER THAN THEIR BODIES OR AN AMPUTEE LEARNING TO USE THEIR NEW PROSTHETIC.

VO: Trying big…

This shot(s) shows the kinds of small things that matter and add up to make a big difference in our life’s total, but in the grand scheme of things, they’re considered “small wins.”

CUT TO SOMEONE SHEPHERDING A FEW DUCKS OUT OF TRAFFIC. CUT TO SOMEONE TRAPPED IN A REVOLVING DOOR MALFUNCTION. THEY FINALLY SWIPE THEIR BADGE, GET THE GREEN LIGHT AND GO THROUGH SMILING.

VO: And small things.

This is our glimpse at everyday “tries”.

CUT TO SOMEONE BURNING DINNER OR MAKING A COMPLETE MESS IN THE KITCHEN.

VO: Everyday things.

We’ll find moments here that could literally happen once in lifetime. They should feel epic.

CUT TO SOMEONE WITH A NUMBER ON THEIR BACK WAITING TO AUDITION

VO: Once-in-a-lifetime things.

This footage will set the tone for our history of innovation, firsts, fails and products that are currently in the marketplace. We’ll also set the tone for who we are and what our culture is.

VO: And for over 20 years, we’ve been trying things too.

Here, we’ll find moments where we have positive interactions or moments with customers. Moments where we were able to fulfill a need or remove an obstacle.

VO: Things that led us to create products and experiences that people love. Ones that serve their needs first and help them try more of everything.

These shots will focus on our future and where we’re headed. They will be brainstorms, product development, product demos, building new branches, etc. At the end, we’ll transition through a product back to our customer to finish us out with the final bits of VO.

VO: And every day we try to make them better and more effortless so that you have all the confidence and resources you need to give it all you’ve got.