Creative Work

It started as an idea: how do we compete nationally to earn customers and deposits outside our footprint? From whiteboard sessions to affiliate marketing to operational builds, it became Brilliant. And it’s one of the best-performing digital banks in the country, earning over $200 million in deposits during an extremely competitive rate environment.

This digital brand, begun in 2018, would have to be cool. It needs a killer name, a great customer experience, and a funnel strategy that’s nimble, effective, and precise to generate customer growth. In late 2019, after branding workshops, tests, dev, and focus groups, we landed on Brilliant Bank. Brilliant launched post-covid in 2022, with an organic SEO and PPC strategy focused on a few national markets. Customer growth began to trickle. We incorporated paid media and retargeting. We added affiliate marketing in October. By November, over one weekend with a well-timed product and laser-focused ads, the trickle turned into a flood. Over 200 customers in queue, ready to bank Brilliant.

Today, Brilliant counts over 1400 customers nationwide, and more than $200 million in deposits, with a rock-solid customer acquisition and core deposit growth strategy.

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A Brilliant Idea

Brilliant growth, as of August 31, 2023.

Campaign Sample

John and Hunter Young of Hifi present the Brilliant Story.

Our latest full production of Equity Bank’s all-hands livestream, direct to 800-plus team members in five regional sites, featuring a mix of live and pretaped content with the theme: Mission: Possible. Equity launched a new mission statement in 2024, and our marketing team of 7 worked with regions, leaders, and executives to deliver an outstanding meeting. During three years of livestreams, our employee survey results and affinity have risen by 10 percent. This message will not self-destruct.

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Our hype video.

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John Hanley Live

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Closing Video

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Stinger

The challenge in banking is to humanize the smallest moments. The snap of a mobile deposit with your phone. Zero ATM fees. Paperless billing. But all these features contribute to your bank being “Right Here Beside You” wherever you go, and we used these small moments to tell the story of banking with Equity Bank, including armor against ATM fees. Wait for it…

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Garage Sale – Armor

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Cursive Writing

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Paperless Billing

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Mobile Deposits

I’ve served as creative director, producer, meeting planner, and even the talent–working with a marketing team and cast of characters to produce a corporate all-hands meeting, which later evolved into a company livestream as Equity Bank scaled. Annually we produced a theme, and delivered surveys, awards, pre-production, live events, and more.

In 2023 and 2022 I got to serve as the emcee, when we went Back to the Future, and celebrated ourselves as the Top Bank.

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Back to the Future MC Reel

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Top Bank MC Reel

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Top Bank: The Movie

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Back to the Future 2022: The Movie

Back in the day, your parents lined up at a bank for an ordinary toaster, free with a checking account. Today? Banks pack way more value into a checking account. That deserves a Revolution toaster.

I learned about Revolution Toasters from Tony Kornheiser. (I learn a lot of things from Tony Kornheiser.) We soon were friends with Revoution Cooking, their toasters were amazing, my team brainstormed the idea, and the competition was about to be, uh, toast.

We came up with a killer creative hook in video, digital, and branch channels, and launched the campaign in September 2022. Results were immediate. Twenty five percent growth in unique website visitors. Double growth in online account opening applications. Hundreds of new subscribers in month 1, just for the chance to join the revolution, and get a toaster. The lesson? Shoot for revolutionary. Avoid boring.

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Main Campaign – 30 second TV spot

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15-second video spot

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5-second video spot

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Internal Countdown

Equity’s campaign to grow new checking accounts, use branch facilities as shelter adoption sites, and donate to local animal causes is an annual highlight for the bank’s communities! A visual campaign tugging at the heartstrings, Equity raised more than $120,000 over four campaigns, averaging $20,000 annually, and supporting local animal shelters. The best part? The team member pet photos used in local advertising, in celebration of their furry, fuzzy and sometimes scaly friends.

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Official Bank of Pets

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Official Bank of Pets

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Official Bank of Pets – 2022 Showcase

Official Bank of Pets 2022 Display Ad

Official Bank of Pets 2019 Poster

Equity started as a bank built by businesspeople, and grew as a bank for entrepreneurs. One of the first story telling endeavors we undertook was to profile our business customers. Where did they get their idea? And their start? Perhaps genius struck in the shower. Or at the office. Or perhaps while they were in a tavern or a bar, and they wrote their idea on a napkin.

In 2013 and 2014 we filmed 10 napkin stories and stitched the pieces together for a couple TV campaigns. In all cases, we were trying to underline Equity Bank’s arrival as a billion-dollar bank who would do anything for the unique stories, customers, and entrepreneurs everywhere.

We attached a micro site, visual strategy, and a merchandising and niche media campaign based on the nine archetypes of entrepreneurs. I’m the artist. Which one are you?

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Watch Napkin Stories – Rendezvous Outfitters

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Watch Napkin Stories – WB Collision

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Watch Napkin Stories – Rite Pack

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Watch Napkin Stories – Speedy’s Convenience

We attempted to play off of the mysterious bank who backs up your business, but is never heard of. You may or may not understand your finances, the software behind your payroll, or how digital banking works, but it’s only due to your own sweat and tears. Shouldn’t a banker serve as your consultant, and help you answer your questions?

Our direct mail strategy targeted businesses in radii around our urban bank locations, and we asked them simply, Where Is Your Bank? We paired this with the opening of our Kansas City corporate center, which earned more dollars in deposits than any other Equity office throughout 2019, resulting in its coronation as Deposit Bank of the Year. Operating accounts and new business, we were happy to chart the course for new customers everywhere.

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Check out the KC corporate office

The Equity brand’s story is one of successful business combinations throughout its four-state footprint.I’ve been part of 10 whole-bank rebrands, and each combination is a little different, a little unique, and our team always kept the customer front and center.

No one wants surprises from their bank, and it’s nothing new to get a letter in the mail from a new financial institution and find out your trusted bank is now Fabulous Bank. In Equity’s merger advertising strategies, we always sought to pay heed to the community bank it was before, and hopefully build a bridge to new growth, reassurance, and even trust in the customer’s future. This took shape in direct mail strategy, in a 60-days pre-and 90-days post drip campaign, and pre-seeded digital, outdoor, and radio campaigns in our new footprint. We always put community first.

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American State Bank (2021)

American State Booklet

Print Ad, 2016 – Equity Bank Arkansas

Equity Bank changed its online banking provider in 2019, which was a game changer for the company, elevating consumer and business platforms to realtime, real-fast, and a look and feel superior to our previous digital banking experience. EquityBank.com is about to get awesome, we said, and we couldn’t put it any simpler in posters, stuffers, embedded gmail and google discovery ads. This built the mystery and anticipation for our new online banking platform with emojis and 100s and faces and hands and more.

The results? 75 percent of all Equity logins had gone on platform by week 1. Customer experience surveys recorded a 1 percent jump in satisfaction within a quarter. And our usage grew by a third. Best of all, only 15 months later, we’d see high-water marks in product usage due to a pandemic. And there was no going back from digital banking. It was–and still is–awesome.

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Awesome – Reveal Video (2019)

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Once Upon a Time- Tease Video 2018

Poster Art 2018

Poster Art, 2018

An institution’s Annual Report to investors, shareholders, customers and team members is a statement, a yearbook, and often an aspirational piece of who we are. I have been a part of 11 Annual Reports at Equity Bancshares, Inc.–starting in 2012 where I (yep) totally (sure) knew what I was doing (uh-huh)and ten years since.

Each year we try and elevate the piece a little bit more, and the company’s journey a little bit more, featuring customers, employees, stories, awards, and notes from leadership. In 2018 and 2020 our pieces were named some of the best in banking by the Financial Brand.

Equity Bancshares 2023 Annual Report

Annual Report 2020

Annual Report 2018

2020 Financial Brand Highlight

2022 Annual Report

2018 Financial Brand Highlight

In 2020, banks stepped up to help customers in need navigating economic challenges brought on by Covid-19. Equity Bank was no exception – serving thousands of small businesses – including 40 percent new customers!. Equity teamed up to deliver support in the form of Paycheck Protection Program and Main Street loans. We told these stories, featuring a lobby and outdoor campaign highlighting Equity’s commitment to small business and entrepreneurs. Community Banking always means more..

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"Responsive"

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"Partner"

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Relationships

Sunflower Bank’s legendary ABC campaign rewarded students for good grades and encouraged debit card users to help give back to their schools. It’s still going strong in its 20th year, but in 2010 we leveraged the popularity of Mad Men and vintage advertising to promote the campaign with black-and-white ads celebrating the program.

Not only was this creative resonant, and at the time it was our first year donating more than 100,000 dollars to schools, but it was some of my favorite copy to write.

Be True Series 1

Be True Series 2

Be True Series 3

The moment is everything. You only get one first, whatever it is. For your business, that maybe a computer. It may be a sale. It may be a fleet. It may be an assistant. It may be a stapler.

The small moments and totems were featured in our Sunflower Bank brand campaign in 2008–“YourFirst.” Office chairs, staplers, and more–we worked to showcase the first moments in a business person’s life, and of course, a Sunflower Banker would help you during the work toward that moment.

Your First Briefcase and Conference Call

Your first Car and Ribbon Cutting

Your First Office Chair and Business Card